Report Suggests Creation of Independent Defence Analysis Institute

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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An expert panel formed by the federal government to evaluate the country’s military purchasing strategy has recommended that Canada shall create an independent institute for analyzing defence policies. The panel provided several methods to encourage more Canadian innovation, though the most important recommendation in opinion of business executive, Tom Jenkins, was to set up an independent third-party defence analysis institute.

Jenkins submitted his report, titled “Canada First: Leveraging Defence Procurement Through Key Industrial Capabilities,” on Tuesday. It is commonly criticized that the Conservative government recently embattled among itself for months over the plans to purchase F-35 fighter jets, when the Parliamentary Budget Officer, Kevin Page, and Auditor General, Michael Ferguson, had an overgrown argument over the government’s estimated cost. Ultimately the Conservatives had to give up the plan of buying F-35s, after the report of auditor general last spring, and reinitiated the process of finding a replacement of CF-18. Additionally, the panel also recommended that Canada shall attempt to keep its defence contracts with the business for firms in the industry. Jenkins mentioned that since Canada is currently focused on acquiring new military equipments, including trucks, helicopters, ships and fighter jets, it has an opening to demand benefits for key industries.

Public Works Minister, Rona Ambrose, inquired from Jenkins on how will to develop Canada’s defence purchasing strategy last fall. The report explains that Canada already has industrial regional benefits (IRBs), which force winners of major defence contracts to spend the equivalent of the dollar value of contracts awarded to foreign firms to support Canadian industry.