44th Parliament223Government response tabledMay 3, 2023e-4217e-4217 (National defence and military operations)SarahRohlederLindsayMathyssenLondon—FanshaweNDPONJanuary 5, 2023, at 1:38 p.m. (EDT)March 6, 2023, at 1:38 p.m. (EDT)March 20, 2023May 3, 2023March 7, 2023Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The federal government plans to purchase 88 new Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters for $19 billion with a lifecycle cost of $77 billion;The F-35s are a financial risk with unsustainable operation costs and had over 800 open technical and performance deficiencies according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office;The F-35 is a warplane designed for first strike attacks and not defence;The F-35 is also a dual capable plane that can carry the B61-12 nuclear bomb, which would cause Canada to violate its commitments under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty;The procurement of these fighter jets is antithetical to feminist foreign policy and diverts public funds away from necessary social programs like healthcare, education and housing;The F-35s are fossil fuel-powered, will emit greenhouse gases and will exacerbate the climate crisis; andThese fighter jets will also have adverse cumulative impacts on Indigenous communities from extreme noise, excessive carbon emissions and damage to their traditional lands from weapons testing and air force bases.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to:1. Conduct and publicize a comprehensive study on the financial, climate, environmental and social costs and risks of the F-35 fighter jets 2. Make public the findings for the gender-based analysis, environmental assessment, climate impacts, and impacts on Indigenous communities of the new fleet of F-35s and3. Cancel the planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets and invest in climate action and the well-being of Canadians.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayThrough Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is acquiring modern military equipment to keep Canadians safe and protected, and to support the security of our international allies and partners. This includes the purchase of a new fleet of 88 advanced fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force.National Defence takes seriously its responsibility as a steward of public funds seriously and has carried out various financial, Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), and environmental assessments, and has also considered the adverse climate and environmental impacts associated with the new fighter jets, as required by the federal regulations, and in line with related departmental policies and procedures.More details on the analyses competed thus far, or activities undertaken under each element, are provided below.Financial AnalysisAs part of the evaluation of Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) bidders’ proposals, the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Evaluation included an assessment of the financial risks associated with each bidder’s LCC Offer. Furthermore, National Defence considered multiple risk elements including foreign exchange, inflation, schedule, development, and Canada-unique requirements, as well as the potential for variation in equipment costs. These risks were analyzed for probability of occurrence and impacts to various cost elements; the result of this assessment established the overall contingency envelope for the project. The overall project cost, including contingency, remains within the estimated $19B for this procurement.Gender-Based AnalysisThere exist potential differential impacts for women and other diverse groups from elements of the project such as equipment design, training, and facility construction, which will be explored during implementation. Consultations have resulted in the following gender-based considerations being incorporated into the design of the infrastructure requirements, noting that the design of these rooms has taken into consideration issues of safety by having well-lit areas and reducing isolated spaces:
  • A lactation room, multi-faith room, and an area for Indigenous Smudging ceremonies have been incorporated into the design of the facilities.
  • The facilities will be accessible for persons with disabilities and to personnel requiring assistance.
  • Respectful gender inclusive washrooms, showers, and change rooms have been incorporated into the design of the infrastructure.
National Defence also continues to work with the United States Government, Lockheed Martin, and Pratt & Whitney to examine the potential differential impacts of aircrew and maintenance personnel training and incorporate GBA+ considerations into training courseware and simulators (such as ensuring that the images depicted in training courseware depict a range of GBA+ community demographics).Environmental AssessmentNational Defence assigns a high priority to its environmental programs, and is committed to meeting the objectives of the Greening Government Strategy, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, the Treasury Board Policy on Green Procurement, and the Defence Energy and Environmental Strategy (DEES) throughout the lifecycle of the FFCP.Examples of environmental considerations under the FFCP include:
  • Emissions from the new aircraft flight and maintenance activities are anticipated to be similar to those of the existing aircraft and may, in fact, be reduced as a result of reduced use of hazardous materials and planned capture of emissions from solvent baths and other sources of emissions.
  • Existing noise control measures will be updated in implementation, in consultation with local authorities, to minimize the noise impact of the new fighter on the community.
  • Infrastructure designed in support of the FFCP at CFB Cold Lake and CFB Bagotville has been developed to sustainable design standards to minimize the impact on the environment. The design and construction of infrastructure will be in accordance with relevant policies and directives, aimed at reducing the environmental impacts associated with buildings, including water and energy consumption. These guidelines also favor the use of sustainable and regional materials where practical and support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the construction, operations, and maintenance processes.
With a focus on improving energy efficiency, integrating climate change adaptation into departmental programs, maintaining sustainable property, as well as strengthening green procurement processes, National Defence continues to seek opportunities to maintain the health of the environment into the future.Climate ImpactsFor both the Cold Lake and Bagotville Fighter Squadron Facilities (FSFs), the Modified-Design-Build contractor conducted Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments to assess the vulnerabilities of public infrastructure to the impacts of climate change. Recommendations will be considered in the development of detailed designs for the new infrastructure, and recommended policy-related adaptation measures, such as routine building inspections, may also be adopted as mitigation measures. The National Defence Green Building Directive requirements, including the goal to divert construction and demolition waste from landfill by 90% in weight, are included in the Sustainable Design Strategy of the Modified-Design-Build Contractors’ Statement of Work.Indigenous ConsiderationsIn accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation, an Assessment of Modern Treaty Implications (AMTI) was conducted. Examination of the geographical scope of the project in relation to modern treaties in effect did not identify any potential modern treaty implications for the infrastructure work to be completed under the FFCP. In addition, the Comprehensive Land Claims Agreements do not apply to the procurement at this time, as no work will be performed, and no goods will be delivered within a land claim settlement area.The FFCP is committed to working to promote opportunities for Indigenous community involvement throughout the implementation of the project. The FFCP will leverage the Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Business, Indigenous Benefit Plans, and other innovative solutions that promote knowledge sharing, learning opportunities, capacity building, and employment which will simultaneously benefit Indigenous communities, National Defence, and Canada at large.Ultimately, as the rules-based international order is challenged around the world, the F-35 will be essential for protecting Canadians, enhancing Arctic security and national sovereignty, and enabling Canada to meet its NATO, NORAD, and other obligations well into the future.This procurement will deliver the capability needed for the Royal Canadian Air Force, while providing high-value economic benefits for Canada's aerospace and defence sector for decades to come.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTAs announced in March 2022 in the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, the Government of Canada is fully committed to meeting Canada’s emissions reductions targets, achieving net-zero by 2050, and in ensuring a successful transition to a prosperous, healthy and equitable low-carbon future.As part of Canada’s commitment to net-zero by 2050, the Government of Canada will ensure that Canada is a global leader in government operations that are net-zero, resilient and green. Led by the Centre for Greening Government of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, the Greening Government Strategy: A Government of Canada Directive - Canada.ca is a set of government-approved commitments that apply to all core government departments and agencies, for our National Safety and Security (NSS) fleets it commits that:
  • The Government of Canada’s operations will be net-zero emissions by 2050 including NSS operations
  • By 2023, NSS fleet departments will develop and regularly update Operational Fleet Decarbonization Plans that outline how they will reduce their emissions from operations in line with the overall 2050 target.
  • In addition, NSS departments will adopt best practices to improve efficiency and reduce emissions and environmental impacts in the areas of:
    • fuel procurement, including low-carbon fuels
    • fleet procurement, including purchasing energy-efficient platforms
    • operational efficiency and net-zero research and innovation
A key part of these commitments is the purchase of drop-in low-carbon-intensity liquid fuels for our federal air and marine fleets. The Low-carbon Fuel Procurement Program - Canada.ca will support the purchase of more than 300 million litres of neat drop-in-low-carbon-intensity fuels by the end of fiscal year 2030–31.The purchase of the F-35s, announced in January 2023, complies with the greening government commitments stated above, was conducted in open, fair and transparent competitive procurement process, and supports Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged.  By acquiring modern military equipment such as the F-35s, the Government of Canada will continue to keep Canadians safe and protected, and to support the security of our international allies and partners.   
Climate change and global warmingDepartment of National DefenceFighter aircraftGovernment accountability
44th Parliament223Government response tabledJune 20, 2022e-3821e-3821 (National defence and military operations)TamaraLorinczHon.BardishChaggerWaterlooLiberalONFebruary 7, 2022, at 4:24 p.m. (EDT)March 9, 2022, at 4:24 p.m. (EDT)May 9, 2022June 20, 2022March 10, 2022Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The government of Canada plans to purchase 88 new fighter jets for $19 billion;The No New Fighter Jets Coalition has estimated the life-cycle costs to be $76.8 billion;Spending on new fighter jets would divert resources away from crucial social and environmental needs and Indigenous communities;Former Deputy Minister of National Defense, Charles Nixon, asserted that new fighter jets were not necessary to protect security or sovereignty;Fighter jets use a specialized fuel JP8, emit excessive emissions and exacerbate the climate crisis;There is no plan to offset these emissions preventing the government from decarbonizing and meeting its Paris Agreement target;National Defense is the largest emitter among all federal departments, yet most of its emissions are exempt from the federal emission reduction plan;Low-level fighter jet training causes noise pollution and disrupt nearby communities; Air weapons ranges harm the forest, soil, water and wildlife;Fighter jets are for bombing that destroys infrastructure and kills people; andInternational conflicts can be resolved with peaceful diplomacy and without fighter jets.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1. Cancel the competition to purchase new combat aircraft;2. Include all of the emissions from the military vehicles and operations in the government’s emission reduction plan and net-zero plan; and3. Invest in a conversion plan to create thousands of jobs in the green, care economy to transition Canada away from fossil fuel and armed forces.
Response by the Minister of Natural ResourcesSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, P.C., M.P.In March 2022, the Prime Minister announced Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan – a requirement under the Net Zero Emissions Accountability Act. The Emissions Reduction Plan is an ambitious and achievable roadmap that outlines a sector-by-sector path for Canada to reach its emissions reduction target of 40 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Progress under this Plan will be reviewed in reports produced in 2023, 2025, and 2027. Additional targets and plans will be developed for 2035 through to 2050. The 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan includes $9.1 billion of new federal investments in climate action, building on over $100 billion invested in climate and clean growth from 2015 to 2021. The plan will support Canada in building a low-carbon economy. It is also central to the federal government’s goal of creating one million jobs, restoring employment to pre-pandemic levels. Beyond job creation, the plan includes actions to ensure that building Canada’s low-carbon economy is inclusive, equitable and benefits all Canadians.The Government of Canada is engaged in parallel efforts to ensure Canada’s workforce and communities thrive in a net-zero future. In July 2021, the Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Labour launched a consultation process to inform the development of legislation and comprehensive action to achieve a just transition and ensure that workers and industry have the information, tools and supports they need to prepare for and adapt to labour market changes brought on by the global energy transformation. The Minister of Natural Resources, in partnership with provinces and territories, is also launching a regional process to develop place-based economic strategies to define and accelerate key regional opportunities and priorities in the shift to a net-zero economy. This process will seek to align resources, timelines, and regulatory approaches on a regional basis – working with provinces and territories, industry, labour, and Indigenous peoples – to accelerate economic activity, energy system transformation and ensure that Canada fosters the skills and develops the workforce required in line with these opportunities.
Response by the Minister of Environment and Climate ChangeSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): The Honourable STEVEN GUILBEAULTOver the past six years, the Government of Canada has demonstrated its leadership on climate change and clean growth, at home and abroad. We understand that accelerated efforts are crucial to reduce emissions rapidly by 2030, and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Canada has invested more than $100 billion to address climate change since 2015 and has recently announced $9.1 billion in new investments that builds on the foundation set by Canada’s existing climate actions.In 2021, Canada adopted an enhanced 2030 emissions reduction target of 40-45% below 2005 levels, and passed legislation to enshrine its commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 in law. The Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act provides a durable framework of accountability and transparency to deliver on this commitment. On March 29, 2022, Canada tabled the 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Canada’s Next Steps for Clean Air and a Strong Economy (ERP)in Parliament and released the plan. The 2030 Plan is the Government’s next major step in taking action to achieve Canada’s climate objectives and create good, sustainable jobs in Canada.Achieving Canada's climate goals requires all sectors of the economy to pursue decarbonization in ways that make cleaner initiatives more affordable and create new, sustainable job opportunities for workers. In addition, the 2030 ERP reflects input received from thousands of Canadians, businesses and communities, as well as submissions from Indigenous partners, provinces and territories and the Carbon Neutrality Advisory Group.The 2030 ERP builds on significant progress Canada has already made to address climate change, including the actions outlined in the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, and Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan, A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy, released in 2020. With the 2030 ERP, the Government of Canada is taking action by:
  • working with industry, stakeholders, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop the cap on emissions from the oil and gas sector. Following consultations, the cap will be designed to lower emissions at a pace and scale needed to achieve net-zero by 2050, reduce oil and gas methane by at least 75% below 2012 levels by 2030, support clean technologies to further decarbonize the sector, and work to create sustainable jobs;
  • developing a national net-zero by 2050 buildings strategy, the Canada Green Buildings Strategy;
  • investing in nature and natural climate solutions through the Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund to deliver additional emission reductions from nature-based climate solutions;
  • working with provinces, territories, industry, and other stakeholders on the design of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero electricity grid by 2035;
  • helping industries decarbonize by adopting clean technology in their journey to net-zero emissions by committing to develop a carbon capture, utilization and storage strategy; and
  • ensuring that workers and communities are able to benefit from the opportunities that the transition to a low-carbon economy presents, including by making significant investments in skills training and continuing consultations on the development of Sustainable Jobs and Skills legislation.
The 2030 ERP is designed to be evergreen—a comprehensive roadmap that reflects levels of ambition to guide emissions reduction efforts in each sector. As governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities across the country work together to reach these targets, Canada will identify and respond to new opportunities.Canada has also committed to phase out or rationalize inefficient fossil fuel subsidies by 2023. It has already taken actions to phase out or rationalize eight tax preferences supporting the fossil fuel sector. Addressing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies supports Canada’s efforts to take action on climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy.
Response by the Minister of National DefenceSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Bryan MayBy investing in a new fleet of future fighters, we are ensuring the Canadian Armed Forces have the equipment they need to protect Canadians. A state-of-the-art fleet of fighter jets for the Royal Canadian Air Force will help ensure our pilots have the most advanced equipment available to protect Canada’s territorial integrity, including our Arctic and our communities in the North, to meet our commitments to North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NORAD), and to deal with unforeseen threats.Indeed, as the primary Canadian aircraft assigned to NORAD, Canada’s fighter aircraft are on continuous alert to respond to potential aerial threats to the safety and security of Canada and Canadians. Additionally, fighter aircraft are employed in support of security for major international events and are a key part of Canada’s response to international threats.For the past four decades, Canada’s multi-role CF-18 fleet has been the backbone of Canada’s air defence forces, a fundamental part of Canada’s contribution to the defence of North America through NORAD and a valuable component of Canada’s participation in peace support, security and combat operations overseas to protect and promote Canadian interests and values.Strong, Secure, Engaged states that National Defence will acquire 88 advanced fighter aircraft to replace the fighter fleet, which will allow the Canadian Armed Forces to meet Canada’s commitments to NORAD and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) simultaneously and without compromise.At the time of this response, the project office is in the finalization phase of the procurement process with the top-ranked bidder, the United States Government and Lockheed Martin, for the F-35A fighter aircraft.Ensuring our Canadian Armed Forces members have the resources and equipment they need to do the difficult jobs we ask of them remains a top priority for the Canadian Government. Getting the right fighter for Canada is critical to enforce Canada’s sovereignty, enable continental security, and contribute to international peace and security.Climate change is the greatest challenge of our generation and Canada is taking a whole of government approach to fight it. To that end, National Defence is undertaking a series of net-zero initiatives and supporting climate-resilient operations, while also reduce environmental impacts beyond carbon, including on waste, water and biodiversity.National Defence continues to work to achieve net-zero emissions for its military vehicles and operations in compliance with whole of government strategies such as the Greening Government Strategy, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, and the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. This will allow us to build on the significant progress that has been made to date. Indeed, as noted in the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development’s Report on the Greening Government Strategy, National Defence has reduced its emissions by 38% relative to the 2005 baseline, and is on track to reach 40% reduction by 2025, in line with our Defence Energy and Environment Strategy.The Defence Energy and Environment Strategy outlines the Department’s targets towards reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for its real property, commercial light-duty fleets, and its National Safety and Security operations fleet which include Canadian Armed Forces aircraft, marine vessels, and tactical land vehicles.Through the strategy, National Defence committed to the following targets:
  • Reducing GHG emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2025 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. This includes reaching net-zero emissions from National Safety and Security fleet sources by 2050.
  • Developing a strategy for aviation fuels that supports the Government of Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2050;
  • Completing baseline energy and fuel usage evaluations for select marine vessels by 2023; and
  • Achieving an energy efficiency of 85% for fossil-fuel electrical generation and distribution utilities in major deployed camps by 2023.
National Defence also committed to make every effort to consider environmental and energy implications of its purchase decisions, operations, and asset management.More work needs to be done to attain a net zero portfolio by 2050. That is why National Defence is committed to demonstrating leadership in environmental and energy sustainability. National Defence will continue to further improve our greening efforts in support of federal targets and will continue to make strong progress and contribute to bold climate action.
Department of National DefenceFighter aircraftGovernment contractsGreen economyGreenhouse gases