Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/122908
E Executive Interview Q Is the current use of Secretariats – for CF-18 replacement transfer that allows us to work at a high skill level and allows us to have significant in-service support for our fleet, and from an IRB standpoint or technology benefits, allows us to drive technology exportation and innovation. and fixed-wing search and rescue – a viable solution or a shortterm patch? Q The report also emphasized the need for stable funding and we are going to procure and, within that, how we ensure we are building Canadian capacity and maximizing industrial benefits. There is certainly some benefit to having procurement under one roof. But it depends on what kinds of capabilities you are going to put under that roof. You need the right people with the ability to make decisions in a manner that they need to be made. The [National Fighter Procurement Secretariat] has some excellent practitioners and we're confident that they will be able to do the work. And the government has been clear that they have a plan for moving forward. We've been supportive of it but the devil is always in the details. But that's a very specific procurement. I think we need to look at procurement under a larger umbrella and, whether it is land, air or sea, determine the best model for Canada and move on. You can look back and blame whoever you want, but that's not going to get us very far. I'm prepared to look at any scenario that helps with the procurement process. Q Emerson recommends that OEMs partner with Canadian companies to provide the necessary intellectual property for in-service support. OEMs have generally been disinclined to do that and the government has generally declined to purchase the intellectual data rights for major weapons systems. AIAC represents both OEMs and SMEs. How do you balance that issue with your members? I think we all agree on what the result needs to be. We need a stronger Canadian industry and more and better jobs. How we get there is where we are going to have differences of opinion. For AIAC, the transfer of necessary IP so that we can do high quality work and drive high paying, high skilled jobs is something we've always advocated. Our committees will look at how best to implement each of the recommendations, but we're focused more on the outcome than the process. Whether it is Tom's report or David's, there will be disagreements about the process but I think we can agree on what it should look like at the end of the day. What we want is a procurement system that delivers IP project scope for the Canadian Space Agency, and it has been argued at AIAC conferences that government needs to be a better first buyer. Has Canada been falling behind in space-related capabilities? We've put a lot of emphasis on space because we believe there needs to be a change in how we do space business. As David said, industry feels it is at a crossroads. I think he has the right approach: what's the governance around space and space decisions in Canada? How do we do prioritization? How does the prioritization get on the government agenda? And then how does government prioritize this? Once you get that structure and governance right, then you look at how we should support and resource industry. I think there is a lot in David's report that if we are to undertake will make a huge difference in the space industry. Like other jurisdictions, one of the biggest program funders in Canada is government. And where things get into trouble is when projects are over budget or delayed or not delivered on time – on RCM (RADARSAT Constellation Mission), we saw some companies lay off some of their best talent because we weren't getting to a decision quickly enough. I understand government's standpoint, that they have to do their due diligence and make sure that it is the right program with the right cost. A lot of what David is recommending helps us solve these issues. But I think we only have one chance at this. Canada has had a huge reputation as one of the leading space-faring nations. We were third behind the Russians and the U.S. in space travel and we are partner on the international space station – a Canadian is the current ISS commander. And through our partnership with NASA over the years and our role on the space shuttle program, we're definitely punching above our weight. But all of this is at risk if we can't right our space ship. Q The Canadian Forces have significant space requirements. What's the future of the Canadian space industry if we don't act soon? If we don't act relatively quickly and don't do the right things that David has recommended, I think we are in big trouble. But I'd rather look at it the other way. If we get it right, which I think we can, there is reason to be very optimistic for the future of the space industry. I have faith in David's recommendations and the initial feedback from government suggests they are very much committed to space. They recognize that if we are to open and develop the North, space will play a huge role. It is important to our sovereignty and security. We are the best in the world at communication satellites, at robotics, and our sensing capability is among the best in the world. We've got other jurisdictions wanting to partner with Canada because they see us as a leading space nation. So our opportunity is now, but if we don't take advantage of it then I think we are in trouble. 14 APRIL/MAY 2013 www.vanguardcanada.com