February 9, 2007
The Government of Canada recently announced the signing of a contract for four strategic lift aircraft, with deliveries beginning this summer. This capability marks a new era for Canada and for the Canadian Forces. This strategic lift capability will be a “Canada First” asset – to be used on our own terms and at times of our own choosing. No longer will we have to join the international queue, negotiating against other countries for scarce commercial options. Canada will be better able to protect Canadians from coast to coast, including domestic response capabilities and reaching out to all our communities, including those in the Arctic.
Strategic lift is a needed and necessary requirement for the Canadian Forces. We live in the second largest country in the world. We have a landmass of over nine million square kilometres. Air travel is a fact of life for all of us. It is how we go from Victoria to Halifax to Iqualuit to Toronto. Ours is a country of close neighbours separated by significant distances but intimately interconnected. When disasters strike – whether they be floods in Quebec or forest fires in British Columbia – that connection becomes all the more real. And the desire to help our neighbours out becomes overwhelming.
The Canadian Forces, with a footprint as big as the country itself, is the embodiment of that desire. Whether here in Canada or in crises around the globe, ours is a caring nation. We want to help. Our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) has for years represented Canada with great distinction around the globe. And, without putting too fine a point on it, a strategic airlift capability will enable us to assist those in need more rapidly, more effectively and more reliably than ever before.
A strategic lift aircraft would be capable of transporting our entire DART team virtually anywhere in the world in the event of a natural disaster. We will be able to fly heavy equipment such as generators that can power entire cities, water purification equipment, hospital units or the equivalent of an entire grocery store worth of food supplies to areas that desperately need our support.
Strategic lift aircraft will provide a rapid, reliable and flexible capability to move heavy equipment quickly over long distances in response to domestic emergencies and international crises. This includes ensuring that the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan receive the supplies and equipment they need to get the job done.
Not only will this increase our capacity, strategic lift is the best and most efficient way to cover vast distances as it reduces the number of crews and stopovers required. In fact, the average monthly cost to charter aircraft to support Canadian Forces operations in Afghanistan alone is about $11 million dollars. Having our own strategic lift capability will greatly reduce that cost. It will also reduce the workload for our tactical Hercules fleet.
The procurement process has been thorough. We have engaged industry to identify solutions that meet our high-level performance requirements. We have taken literally years off the process – saving taxpayers millions of dollars – by using a pragmatic and efficient process that was nevertheless fair and open. We have protected members of the Canadian Forces and taxpayers by requesting proven, “off the shelf” aircraft, thus avoiding the high risk and potential delays that often accompany developmental technologies. The speed at which government departments have been able to work together to get the Canadian Forces the equipment they need is admirable. And most importantly, we have ensured that the Canadian Forces receive the equipment they need to do a demanding and necessary job.
I am proud of the work done by our Canadian Forces. I am proud of their sacrifice and courage. And I am proud that this government is delivering on its promises including strengthening Canada’s independent capacity. This is a new era for the Canadian Forces – one of commitment and support.
