The Department of National Defence ( DND ; French : Ministère de la Défense nationale ) is the department of the Government of Canada which supports the Canadian Armed Forces in its role of defending Canadian national interests domestically and internationally. The department is a civilian organization, part of the public service , and supports the armed forces; however, as a civilian organization is separate and not part of the military itself. National Defence is the largest department of the Government of Canada in terms of budget, and it is the department with the largest number of buildings (6,806 in 2015).
31-682: The Maritime Coastal Defence Vessel Project ( MCDVP ) was a procurement project undertaken by the Canadian Department of National Defence beginning in the mid-1980s to find a replacement to fill the minesweeper , coastal patrol and reserve training needs of the Canadian Forces , replacing the Anticosti and Bay-class minesweepers , Porte-class gate vessels and Royal Canadian Mounted Police coastal launches in those roles. After construction these vessels became known as
62-400: A beam 11.3 metres (37 ft 1 in) and a draught of 3.4 metres (11 ft 2 in). The coastal defence vessels are powered by four Jeumont ANR-53-50 alternators coupled to four Wärtsilä UD 23V12 diesel engines creating 7.2 megawatts (9,700 hp ). Two LIPS Z-drive azimuth thrusters are driven by two Jeumont CI 560L motors creating 3,000 horsepower (2,200 kW) and
93-498: A Remote-control Mine Hunting System (RMHS). The vessels are equipped with one Bofors 40 mm/60 calibre Mk 5C gun and two M2 machine guns . SNC-Lavalin was instructed by the Department of Public Works to use "Commercial‐off‐the‐Shelf equipment" which drove costs higher. One area of reported controversy was the decision by the government to only arm the ships with .50 calibre machine guns. Subsequent design modifications resulted in
124-435: A single Bofors 40 mm/60 calibre Mk 5C gun being added to the bow of each ship. Another area of controversy apparently resulted with the means by which the ships were to be ballasted in order to adjust the trim of the ships. The shipyard proposed to use concrete , which was countered by government procurement officers and SNC-Lavalin engineers who proposed to use water. Water was susceptible to being pumped out, rendering
155-712: Is also a member of the Cabinet, also exists and takes on files as assigned by the minister of national defence. Since forming government in 2015, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has assigned the post of associate minister as an additional role of the minister of veterans affairs , who heads Veterans Affairs Canada , another department outside the Defence Portfolio. 45°25′24″N 75°41′21″W / 45.423339°N 75.68924°W / 45.423339; -75.68924 Jeumont-Schneider Jeumont-Schneider
186-494: Is currently held by Raj Thuppal , who is also the department's Defence Champion for Persons with Disabilities. The CIO reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Review Services), referred to as ADM(RS), oversees changes and reviews requested policies and promote improvements to Canadian operations at home and abroad. The position is currently held by Julie Charron , who reports directly to
217-474: Is not limited to recruitment, retention strategies, employment offers, and staffing policies. The position has been held by Isabelle Desmartis since 2016 and reports directly to the Minister of National Defence. The Canadian Armed Forces is a separate and distinct military organization which works closely with, but is not a part of, the civilian department. The military comprises a variety of commands including
248-596: The Royal Canadian Navy 's Kingston -class maritime coastal defence vessels (MCDVs). Born from a need that dated back to the 1970s, the MCDV project was established to restore minesweeping capabilities to the Canadian Navy along with providing at-sea training vessels for reservists. The decision to begin the program began in the 1987 National Defence White Paper under the concept of "Total Force". This
279-469: The Royal Canadian Navy , Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force , and is led by the chief of the defence staff , who is under the direction of the minister of national defence. There are also a variety of offices and support organizations which report to both the chief of defence staff and the deputy minister. The legal military chain of command within the Canadian Forces originates from
310-418: The king , represented by the governor general , who is commander-in-chief . The appointment of the minister, deputy minister, chief of the defence staff and the granting of all commissions in the Canadian Forces are made on behalf of the king. One of the roles of the Department of National Defence is to support the minister of national defence in the administration of the 'Defence Portfolio', which comprises
341-463: The $ 750 million contract in 1992 for the design and construction of the twelve new MCDVs to Finco Engineers, a subsidiary of Lavalin . Roughly the size of Second World War corvettes , the MCDVs were built to mercantile standards to save money. These vessels were to be designed for crewing by a combined crew of approximately 37 Canadian Forces naval reservists and regular force members and were to have
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#1732791531180372-557: The Canadian Armed Forces as well as property management, infrastructure and environmental needs related to the department. The position has been held by Rob Chambers since 2019 and reports directly to the Minister of National Defence. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources - Civilian), referred to as ADM(HR-Civ), oversees all the human resources needs of the Defence Teams civilian members which includes but
403-544: The Canadian Armed Forces, the Communications Security Establishment , Defence Research and Development Canada , and the Department of National Defence. These organizations are responsible to the minister. The department is not responsible for all of these organizations itself but rather exists to support the minister in carrying out the minister's duties within the Defence Portfolio. The post of associate minister of national defence , who
434-699: The Defence Team. The Department of National Defence is led by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, currently, Stefanie Beck. The Deputy Minister is chosen by the cabinet through the recommendation of the Prime Minister at that time. The Deputy Minister will stay in their position regardless of whether the cabinet or Prime Minister has changed. The Deputy Minister has a varying amount of Assistant Deputy Ministers (referred to as ADMs), Chiefs, and Associates that oversee various tasks within
465-505: The Deputy Minister gives them. The position is currently held by Natasha Kim , who reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Public affairs), referred to as ADM(PA), oversee communications related tasks such as advice and guidance in relation to Canada's defences. The position is currently held by Taylor Paxton , who reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Defence Research and Development Canada), referred to as ADM(DRDC), oversees
496-461: The Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Data, Innovation, and Analytics), referred to as ADM(DIA), oversees data decision taken by the department as well as overseeing its integration into the department and analytics. The position is currently held by Stephen Burt, who reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy), referred to as ADM(Pol), oversees defence policy proceedings, developments, and support for
527-466: The Minister of National Defence. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Material), referred to as ADM(Mat), oversees all Material acquisitions and service that are needed by the department or Canadian Armed Forces. The position has been held by Troy Crosby since 2019 and he reports directly to the Minister of National Defence. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure & Environment), referred to as ADM(IE), oversees real estates acquisitions and needs for
558-476: The Parliament of Canada on June 28, 1922. Both the Canadian Armed Forces (military) and the Department of National Defence (civilian public servants) are, although two separate organizations, known collectively as the 'Defence Team' as both institutions work closely together in the defence of Canada. The minister of national defence, as the Cabinet minister responsible to Parliament for National Defence, heads
589-518: The Z drives can be rotated 360°. This gives the ships a maximum speed of 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) and a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph). The Kingston class is equipped with a Kelvin Hughes navigational radar using the I band and a Kelvin Hughes 6000 surface search radar scanning the E and F bands. The vessels carry an AN/SQS-511 towed side scan sonar for minesweeping and
620-767: The capability to quickly change out "modularized mission packages" ranging from minesweeping to route survey to coastal patrol (anti-smuggling/immigration law enforcement operations) to fisheries patrol duties. In order to perform their varied duties the Kingston -class vessels are designed to carry up to three 6.1-metre (20 ft) ISO containers with power hookups on the open deck aft in order to embark mission-specific payloads. The seven module types available for embarkation include four route survey, two mechanical minesweeping and one bottom inspection modules. The Kingston class displace 970 long tons (990 t ) and are 55.3 metres (181 ft 5 in) long overall with
651-591: The department and reports directly to the minister. The department exists to aid the minister in carrying out their responsibilities within the Defence Portfolio and provides a civilian support system for the Canadian Armed Forces . Under the National Defence Act , the Canadian Armed Forces is a completely separate and distinct organization from, and is not part of, the Department of National Defence. The Department of National Defence
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#1732791531180682-515: The department and the Canadian Armed Forces. The position has been held by Peter Hammerschmidt since 2017 and he reports directly to the Minister of National Defence. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance), referred to as ADM(Fin) or Chief Financial Officer, oversees all financial dealings within the department including but not limited to financial management, budget approvals, financial reallocation, and financial support. The position has been held by Cheri Crosby since 2019 and she reports directly to
713-673: The department ranging from Material Acquisition to Information Management to Public Affairs. There are 3 other offices that operate under the Deputy Minister: the DND/CF Legal Advisors, the National Security and Intelligence Review and Oversight Coordination Secretariat, and the Chief of Defence intelligence. The associate Deputy Minister has no set role description. They are to take over the files and tasks
744-512: The department's scientific and technological advancements and provides sound technological advice on Canada's defence systems. No name is currently assigned to this position. The ADM(DRDC) reports directly to the Deputy Minister. The Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management) recently changed their name to Chief Information Officer, referred to as CIO. The CIO group oversees the management of key information and intelligence for Canada's defence and cyber operations for DND and CAF. The position
775-495: The nuclear industry. In 1986 the company divested its loss making railway traction activities to Alstom . The group's telephony business, unsuccessful in comparison to Matra , was sold to Bosch in 1988. In 1992 the activities of Jeumont-Schneider Industrie relating to nuclear power were taken over by Framatome . Other activities of the group: Jeumont Schneider Industrie and the division Jeumont-Schneider Automation went into joint management by Framatome and Alstom-Alcatel ;
806-431: The ships in the class perpetuated names of Second World War corvettes. Department of National Defence (Canada) The department is responsible to Parliament through the minister of national defence – Bill Blair as of February 2024. The deputy minister of National Defence, the senior most civil servant within the department, is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and operations of
837-417: The vessels unstable. Lead was proposed but rejected by the government so in the end steel was used for ballast. The end result of the design was that it was not adequate for the sea states that the vessels worked in and were not popular postings. The vessels were all constructed by Halifax Shipyards and entered service between 1996 and 1999. All of the class were named after Canadian cities. The majority of
868-424: Was a French electric and mechanical engineering group, founded in 1964. Jeumont-Schneider was formed in 1964 through a merger of FACEJ ( Forges et Ateliers de Construction Electriques de Jeumont ) and Matériel Electrique S-W (Schneider-Westinghouse). The company had activities in electric motors and other power electrical equipment, industrial controls and automation, hydraulic pumps, and included equipment for
899-703: Was established by the National Defence Act , which merged the Department of Militia and Defence (which was created in 1906 when the British Army withdrew its forces stationed in Canada), the Department of Naval Services (the department responsible for the administration of the Royal Canadian Navy ), and the Air Board (which oversaw aviation in Canada). The National Defence Act was passed by
930-935: Was exemplified by the Royal Navy 's River-class minesweeper which was operated by the Royal Navy Reserve . The ships were to replace the Anticosti and Bay-class minesweepers , Porte-class gate vessels and Royal Canadian Mounted Police coastal launches in those roles. The federal government's procurement agency, the Department of Public Works , placed a Request for Proposal in September 1988 to Canadian shipbuilders for construction of twelve MCDVs. Six proposals were submitted, one from Finco Engineers , one from Halifax Dartmouth Industries (HDIL), one from Saint John Shipbuilding , one from Allied Shipbuilders , one from Canadian Shipbuilding & Engineering , and one from MIL-Davie . The federal government awarded
961-529: Was intended to mask reductions in the regular force by increasing the capabilities of the reserve forces. This led the navy to add minesweeping and coastal patrol duties to the reserve force's list of duties. There were five main criteria for the design. The ships had to be built in Canada, they had to be inexpensive to build, they had to be operable by naval reservists, the design had to have role flexibility included, and they had to be inexpensive to operate. This