Bryan May

[National Defence, April 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces play an essential role in defending Canadians and supporting global security. As a founding member of NATO, our commitment to Euro-Atlantic and global security is ironclad, and we continue to make landmark investments to equip our armed forces.

Overall, Canada's defence policy has increased our defence spending by over 70%. We also announced over $8 billion in new spending in budget 2022. We will continue to invest in our Canadian Armed Forces and deliver modern equipment to our military, which is renowned around the world for its excellence and professionalism.

[National Defence, April 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we must be clear. The Conservatives actively decided to step back and cut our defence spending and end contributions. We should not forget that it was the Conservatives who set our defence capacity back years by cutting military spending by billions and badly mismanaging our major procurement projects.

We have worked hard to reverse this damage by raising spending year over year and delivering key equipment that our armed forces need to do their work. We will keep going and making necessary smart investments in our forces.

[Battle of Vimy Ridge, April 18th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday marked the 106th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. On April 9, 1917, Canadians from coast to coast joined together on the beaches of Vimy Ridge to fight one of Canada's most decisive military victories.

Thanks to the strong leadership of General Sir Arthur Currie and the use of innovative tactics, such as the creeping barrage and leaping frog, to advance across no man's land, Vimy Ridge was taken in a day, but the battle came at a great cost. Nearly 3,600 Canadians lost their lives and over 7,000 more were wounded.

On the event of Vimy Ridge Day, I encourage all members and all Canadians to reflect on their sacrifices and honour their bravery. Let us never forget their stories, their character and their place in our great history.

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 17th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to parts (a), (b) and (c), culture evolution is National Defence’s top priority, which is why we have mainstreamed efforts, that is, incorporated organizational changes directly within the National Defence structure, to build an inclusive and diverse defence team free from harassment, discrimination, racism, sexual misconduct and violence. These organizations are also directly charged with leading the implementation of external review recommendations in a holistic manner.

For example, the chief professional conduct and culture, or CPCC, was established in April 2021 to continue the defence team’s efforts to eliminate inappropriate sexual behaviour and other harmful conduct and to effect a culture change where all feel respected and included. The CPCC is composed of 378 personnel, including from the public service, the regular force and the reserve force. The CPCC is supporting the review of all external recommendations and the integration of the declaration of victims rights into the code of service discipline within the National Defence Act.

In October 2021, National Defence established the External Comprehensive Reviews Implementation Committee, or ECRIC. The committee is co-chaired by the vice-chief of the defence staff and judge advocate general. The committee is responsible for developing and overseeing a plan to implement the recommendations from former Justice Fish, former Justice Deschamps and other external reviews, including most recently the independent external comprehensive review, or IECR. All organizations within National Defence, both military and civilian, are invited to participate in the committee. The committee is supported by the Director General External Reviews Implementation Secretariat, which is composed of eight personnel, both military and civilian.

National Defence’s efforts to advance culture evolution are also discussed regularly by senior management at governance committees. In October 2022, the Minister of National Defence appointed Madame Jocelyne Therrien as external monitor to monitor the defence team’s efforts to implement the remaining recommendations.

Finally, while no new working groups were directly established to respond to the IECR recommendations, the pre-existing duty to report working group reconvened to examine recommendation 11 of the IECR. The group met biweekly from September to November 2022, led by the CPCC. Membership was not centrally tracked; however, it was composed of approximately 36 members at the working level, with substitutions being permitted, from the following organizations within National Defence: chief professional conduct and culture, the judge advocate general, military personnel command, the vice-chief of the defence staff, the Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre; and the assistant deputy minister of finance. The Minister of National Defence was not a member of the working group.

[National Defence, March 31st, 2023]

Madam Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces plays an essential role in defending Canadians and supporting global security. We have been consistent in supporting its work, starting with our 2017 defence policy, which increased spending by over 70%.

In the past year, we have made new investments in Canadian national defence totalling more than $55 million. We are also undertaking a review of our defence policy in the face of a changing global environment. Rest assured that we will keep making necessary smart investments in our forces.

[Northern Affairs, March 23rd, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, whether it is search and rescue, domestic operations or training of fellow CAF members, Canadian Rangers provide key support to Canadians when and where needed. The CAF recognizes that Rangers need to replace personal items quickly, because Rangers, and often their community, require them for daily tasks and functions. The CAF has recently streamlined the compensation process. This will expedite the process for Rangers to receive their reimbursements. Our government is committed to ensuring that CAF members always have the tools they need to do their job.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 22nd, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has stood firmly with Ukraine and the Ukrainian people in the face of unwarranted Russian aggression as they fight to defend their sovereignty, freedom and independence.

Since February 2022, National Defence has committed or delivered over $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine, including battle tanks, heavy artillery, body armour, gas masks, helmets, drone cameras, funding for high-resolution satellite imagery, anti-armour weapons systems, rocket launchers, small arms and ammunition, as well as other highly specialized pieces of military equipment. This amount includes the complete allocation of $500 million in military support for Ukraine announced in budget 2022. More information about Canada’s military support to Ukraine can be found at the following link: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/campaigns/canadian-military-support-to-ukraine.html.

On January 18, 2023, the Minister of National Defence announced that Canada will donate 200 Senator armoured personnel carriers, or APCs, to Ukraine. The vehicles are being purchased from Roshel, a Canadian company based in Mississauga, Ontario. This package of military assistance responds to a Ukrainian request for these specific vehicles and builds upon Canada’s donation of eight Roshel commercial pattern armoured vehicles in April 2022. Additional information on the contract for the additional 200 Roshel Senator vehicles can be found below.

With regard to part (a), the contract was sole-sourced, with the Canadian Commercial Corporation, or CCC, acting as the contracting authority.

With regard to parts (b) and (c), the Roshel Senator vehicles were specifically requested by the Government of Ukraine. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, or AFU, currently possess Roshel Senator vehicles in their fleet and have experience using these vehicles in theatre.

[50th Anniversary of the City of Cambridge, February 10th, 2023]

Madam Speaker, this year is the 50th anniversary of the city of Cambridge, Ontario, my hometown, which was formed when Galt, Preston, Hespeler and Blair were amalgamated in 1973. As someone who has lived in Cambridge for many years, I am proud to call Cambridge my home.

This year, we are celebrating the beauty of our architecture, our natural environments, our booming restaurant industry, our inspiring arts and culture community, our contributions to television and film, and the history and heritage that shaped our community. We remember the people of Cambridge who made the city what it is today. This year, let us come together to celebrate the past, present and future of Cambridge. Let us continue to build on the legacy of those who have come before us and create a future that is brighter than ever before.

I invite all in this House and everyone across Canada to visit Cambridge to celebrate its 50th birthday.

[Canadian Naval Reserve, January 31st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in this House to recognize and pay tribute to the Canadian Forces naval reserve on the occasion of their centennial. On January 31, 1923, the Government of Canada created the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. For 100 years, naval reservists have served our country with courage and sacrifice. These citizen sailors have been pillars of their communities, whether training for service at sea or coming to the aid of their neighbours in need.

Today, from Victoria to St. John's, 4,100 sailors serve across 24 naval reserve divisions. Let us recognize the naval reserve and honour its place in our nation's military history and heritage as it celebrates 100 years of service excellence as a vital element of the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Armed Forces.

[Questions on the Order Paper, December 14th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada takes the security of its networks very seriously. Cybersecurity is a foundation for Canada’s future, for our digital economy, personal safety, national prosperity and competitiveness.

As part of the Communications Security Establishment, or CSE, the Canadian centre for cybersecurity, or the cyber centre, is Canada’s authority on cybersecurity. CSE, including its cyber centre, provides a defence that is unparalleled in Canada.

Every day, CSE uses its sophisticated cyber and technical expertise to help monitor, detect and investigate threats against Canada’s information systems and networks, and to take active measures to address them.

On an ongoing basis the cyber centre shares actionable threat intelligence derived from Government of Canada cyber-attacks with Canadian critical infrastructure to help protect these systems of importance.

The definition of “cyber-attack” is highly variable. CSE uses the term “malicious cyber attempts” to capture unsuccessful attempts to identify vulnerabilities and penetrate a system. CSE does not track disaggregated statistics regarding the blocking of malicious cyber attempts on government servers or websites. On any given day, CSE’s defensive systems can block anywhere from three to five billion events targeting the Government of Canada’s networks, though the daily number can be as high as seven billion.

The cyber centre employs a cyber-defence system that blocks or otherwise mitigates malicious cyber attempts at multiple layers. As such, the cyber centre is unable to provide statistics that would respond to this question. Most malicious cyber attempts directed at Government of Canada networks are ultimately mitigated before they can have a significant impact.

The Government of Canada has publicly disclosed cyber-events when appropriate. For reasons of national security and to protect operational integrity, CSE cannot provide further information.