22 Dec – General Jonathan Vance and CWO Alain Guimond greet members of the medical and force protection teams deployed on Operation Presence-Mali at Camp Castor in Gao, Mali.
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IN THE NEWS
Jan 22
France recently held the first meeting of the country’s new defence industrial policy council. The council is aimed at helping French forces reform their approach to procurement, and is attended by both large and small to -medium sized enterprise defence contractors and start-ups.
Jan 22
German tank maker Rheinmetall plans to buy a majority stake in the UK-based business of BAE Systems, a move that could potentially create a new industry heavyweight in the military-vehicles market.
Jan 22
Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada, visited with members of the Canadian Armed Forces deployed in Kuwait and Iraq as part of Operation IMPACT, from January 18 to 21, 2019.
Jan 22
Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough and her bureaucrats at Public Services and Procurement Canada will often claim that the various purchases the department makes using your tax dollars are “fair, open and transparent.” But, there are ongoing questions whether the procurements are actually fair. And the “open and transparent” part is open to question.
Jan 20
A court date has been set for the recently-launched class action suit against the Governments of Canada and Quebec on behalf of the (remaining 138) Veterans at Ste. Anne's Hospital. Read more...
Jan 21
Canada's top general is promising better support for victims of military sexual misconduct, but says he will not get rid of a regulation that Canada's auditor general has warned discourages some victims from coming forward.
Jan 21
Taxpayers are on the hook for potentially tens of millions of dollars after federal bureaucrats bungled the purchase of trucks for the Canadian Forces and now must make good on the lost profits for a U.S. firm.
Jan 21
The judge in the Mark Norman case believed there was a need to protect a witness from reprisals from federal officials and those at National Defence headquarters. To do that, the judge ordered a publication ban so the name of the military witness – for now anyways ‐ would not be revealed publicly.
Jan 18
Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Toronto will leave Saturday morning to join Op REASSURANCE in the Mediterranean Sea. The operation is part of Canada’s support to NATO assurance measures in Europe.
Jan 18
Canada’s top military officer admits there has been slower progress than expected to get more women into the CAF. General Jonathan Vance says he's committed to his goal of having 25 per cent of military personnel be women by 2026.
Jan 18
America's allies will have to pay their share of a new missile-detection system, U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday. That likely includes Canada, which might also be forced to reconsider its decision to stay out of an American-led effort to shoot down incoming attacks.
Jan 17
Canada’s top military officer is expected to take the stand later this month in a pre-trial hearing for VAdm Mark Norman. Norman’s lawyer, Marie Henein, said Gen. Jonathan Vance was subpoenaed by Norman’s legal team and is scheduled to testify at the end of January.
Jan 17
A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against the federal government over the $165-million accounting blunder by Veterans Affairs Canada, according to CBC News. The court action, which has yet to be certified, was filed on Tuesday by former soldier Dennis Manuge, who successfully took DND to court a few years ago over the clawback of military pensions.
Jan 17
Despite being warned what they were doing was potentially illegal and punishable by imprisonment, top military officers failed to disclose important documents under the Access to Information law, the National Post can reveal. Details of the incident emerged shortly after a court heard about alleged attempts by officers to hide records needed by Vice Admiral Mark Norman.
Jan 16
Nine DND employees were involved in Friday's horrific bus crash on Ottawa's Transitway, the department confirmed Tuesday. There were four Canadian Armed Forces members and five civilians involved in the collision at Westboro station.
Jan 16
The outgoing commander of Canada’s military detachment in Mali says the security situation has not improved during Canada’s peacekeeping mission in the west African country.
Jan 16
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced some changes affecting the senior ranks of the public service at the Department of National Defence as well as Public Services and Procurement Canada.
Jan 16
A Quebec-based business association claiming to represent over 1,000 companies inside and outside the province is launching a high-profile campaign to convince the Liberal government to reopen the oft-maligned National Shipbuilding Strategy.
Jan 15
The French government has signed a €2 billion contract with Dassault Aviation for 28 Rafale aircraft and gave the go-ahead for development of the aircraft’s F4 standard which should be validated by 2024, although some functions will be ready by 2022.
Jan 15
Jody Wilson-Raybould was sworn in on Monday as the new Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence during a federal cabinet shuffle at Rideau Hall.
Jan 15
The Supreme Court of Canada has refused to temporarily suspend a lower court’s bombshell ruling in a sexual-assault case that the military justice system is unconstitutional.
Jan 15
The Canadian Army’s new armoured vehicles have been plagued by rollovers and fires, the latest in a series of problems to affect the $600-million fleet. Since April 2014, there have been 10 incidents when TAPVs have tipped on to their sides, six where they have rolled over completely, and four where they have caught fire.
Jan 14
Treasury Board President Scott Brison, one of the most experienced hands in the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, is quitting politics – but a court case centred on Vice Admiral Mark Norman is sure to keep him in the public spotlight.
Jan 14
Members of Canada’s defence team were injured in the bus crash in downtown Ottawa on Friday that left three dead and 23 injured, while a local hospital says those who were in critical condition at its location have improved.
Jan 11
Britain has declared initial operating capability on its F-35B Lightning fighter fleet in an announcement made by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson during a Jan. 10 visit to the aircraft’s new base.
ISSUES & IDEAS
Despite the killing of at least 10 peacekeepers from Chad earlier in the day, Canadian personnel and helicopters will remain in Mali to continue their mission to provide secure medevac transport services.
With Government said to be reviewing the LAV contract, CADSI President says a cancellation “would represent a significant blow to our entire industry, with reverberations across the country.”
The need to procure a replacement for our aging fighter fleet is becoming more dire with each passing year.
FEATURED ARTICLES 2018 |
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For our first edition of Top Global Innovators, FrontLine has gathered a select group of organizations that take their innovative priorities seriously. Contact us today for consideration in the Fall 2019 edition.
A list of recent leadership changes in industry and government: CarteNav Solutions; Raytheon Integrated Defense; ADGA Group; David Pratt & Associates; Business Council of Canada; Ultra Electronics (Maritime Systems); BC Ferries; Fleetway Inc; JRB Kanata Group; Ashbury College; Scotiabank; Canadian International Council; AIAC; Royal Roads University.
BY ROBBIN LAIRD
The evolution of the role of fighters is at the center of the shift to recraft combat capabilities and operations as operational contexts change.
BY CHRIS KILFORD
At first glance, Canada’s current overseas military deployments may appear rather haphazard with troops situated in relatively small numbers across thousands of miles. However, when the missions are collectively examined, a strategy becomes clear.
Submarine Force has had a busy year in 2018 – in particular, it two highly successful, simultaneous, out-of-area deployments.
BY CHRIS MACLEAN
Instead of ‘getting on’ with a competition to replace Canada's aging fighter aircraft, a distraction in the form on "interim aircraft" was created to further delay the much-dreaded competition. And now even the Auditor General is crying foul.
BY HUDSON ON THE HILL
Two years ago, VAdm Mark Norman was temporarily relieved as VCDS. His lawyer, Marie Henein, is revved up for a showdown in court, but may have difficulty getting access to classified documents needed to defend her client.
BY THERESA McGUIRE
The Arctic Ocean is so beautiful, but can be deathly cold & unpredictable. Having a well-prepared, self-sufficient team is critical for the Canadian Coast Guard when it comes to marine safety and emergency response.
BY RICHARD BRAY
CAE-built flight training devices for ground school training are currently being upgraded by CAE to enable additional NFTC simulator training.
BY KEN POLE
The Military Flying Training System (MFTS), a contract that facilitates the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in preparing aircrews for eventual assignment to frontline squadrons, is operated by Lockheed Martin and Babcock International, using Airbus helicopters.
BY ROBBIN LAIRD
The challenge of the 21st century incorporates incredibly invasive infrastructure threats. Direct defence strategies must quickly include these threats as part of any comprehensive national security concept.