Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence

Issue 3 - Minutes of Proceedings - April 18, 2016

OTTAWA, Monday, April 18, 2016
(7)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 1:05 p.m., in room 2, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Daniel Lang, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Beyak, Carignan, P.C., Dagenais, Day, Lang, Mitchell, Ngo and White (8).

Other senator present: The Honourable Senator Lankin, P.C. (1).

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on January 26, 2016, the committee continued its study on Canada's national security and defence policies, practices, circumstances and capabilities. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

WITNESSES:

Canadian Space Agency:

Sylvain Laporte, President;

Manon Larocque, Acting Director General, Policy.

Public Safety Canada:

Lori MacDonald, Assistant Deputy Minister, Emergency Management and Programs Branch;

Dominik Breton, Director, National Search and Rescue Secretariat.

Canadian Coast Guard:

Gregory Lick, Director General, Operations;

Peter Garapick, Superintendent Search and Rescue, Central and Arctic Region.

National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:

Rear-Admiral Peter Ellis, Deputy Commander, Canadian Joint Operations Command.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Laporte made a statement and, together with Ms. Larocque and Mr. Brûlé, answered questions.

At 2:05 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:10 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. MacDonald, Mr. Breton, Mr. Lick, Mr. Garapick and Rear-Admiral Ellis each made a statement and answered questions.

At 3:12 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:32 p.m., the committee resumed, pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on February 2, 2016, to continue its study on security threats facing Canada, including but not limited to: (a) Cyber espionage; (b) Threats to critical infrastructure; (c) Terrorist recruitment and financing; (d) Terrorist operations and prosecutions. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 2.)

WITNESSES:

EMP Task Force on National and Homeland Security:

Peter Vincent Pry, Executive Director;

Cynthia Ayers, Deputy Director.

Foundation for Resilient Societies:

Thomas S. Popik, Chairman (by video conference).

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Pry, Ms. Ayers and Mr. Popik each made a statement and answered questions.

At 5:29 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 5:33 p.m., the committee, pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), resumed in camera for the consideration of a draft agenda (future business).

At 5:44 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Adam Thompson

Clerk of the Committee