Documents leaked to the Citizen show that Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is taking a significant share of the government’s cuts at DND; its budget has been slashed by 13 per cent and its workforce will be reduced by 15 per cent, or 242 full-time jobs.
As a result of the layoffs, the defence science organization is stopping work on a bomb detection project at its Suffield, Alta., site. The Counter Terrorism Technology Centre at Suffield, which conducts research into chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents, will also be scaled back. Some robotics work will be cut, and commitments to research for public security programs will be reviewed.
Scientists at DRDC Ottawa will reduce their efforts in computer network security and support for radar system design work, according to the documents. Basic research into naval radar will be stopped.
The moves fly in the face of assurances by the Conservative government that only “back-office operations” not affecting front-line services would be hit by the budget cuts.
Overall, DND will see the jobs of between 900 and 1,000 civilian employees eliminated.
In a statement emailed to the Citizen, DRDC chief executive officer Marc Fortin noted that “DRDC is assessing the Science & Technology (S&T) program and carefully reviewing how we can conduct our business more efficiently. Program efficiencies were carefully planned by ensuring that DRDC’s existing S&T capabilities are focused on the areas of highest priority to our CF/DND clients and public security partners.”
But military officers privately worry the cuts could put troops at risk in the future since science and technology research provides an edge to soldiers on the front lines.
Natynczyk recently praised the work of DRDC scientists in a recent promotional DVD for the organization. “Thank you for what you’ve done,” states Natynczyk in the promotional material. “You’ve saved lives. You’ve saved countless lives, and for that I’m truly indebted.”
DRDC workers were at the forefront of providing technical assistance to troops in the field. DRDC civilians were sent to Kandahar and both they, as well as researchers back in Canada, helped improve vehicle and personnel protection. In addition, they worked on bomb-disposal robots and provided technical advice on dealing with injuries from roadside bombs and on reducing the risk of heat injury among soldiers.
In contrast to the Canadian government’s decision to cut its defence research, the U.S. spared its similar organization, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, any serious cuts. DARPA will see its $2.8-billion budget reduced by $1.4 million, less than half-a-per-cent drop in funding, according to reports from the U.S.
DRDC has a budget of $312 million. It will lose $40 million of its budget.
One of the briefings for DRDC Atlantic employees noted that the overall reductions for the entire government worked out to around $5.2 billion or 6.9 per cent in cuts. But when it came to science-based programs, those were cut around 10 per cent almost right across government, the documents noted.
The move to cut some naval radar work in Ottawa comes just as the navy embarks on an ambitious plan to acquire new futuristic warships.
Scientists at Suffield will continue to do work on the effects from explosive blasts but will withdraw from other related areas. “Explosive Detection was assessed as holding insufficient promise of significant future impact, especially in light of the resources that can be assigned to it,” one of the briefings noted.
Fortin stated in the email that DRDC’s research is “best aligned with the priorities of our clients. Despite efforts to minimize the impact on our personnel, these changes mean that we need to carefully chart the way forward for a leaner and more focused organization.”
He noted that DRDC has not “faltered from our mission as an S&T organization.”
DRDC hopes industry and universities will pick up the slack in some of the areas it is cutting back on, according to the documents.
Some of the DRDC employees have already been notified they will be laid off since attrition cannot take care of all the cuts. Others will have to compete for the remaining jobs.
The final decision on who goes and who stays is to be made by the end of June.
All cuts must be done by April 2014.
DRDC documents noted that DND is currently engaged in one of the largest and most complex programs of acquiring billions of dollars of new equipment and the science agency needs to be in a position to support it.
DND and the Canadian Forces have embarked on a number of ways to save money. The jobs being eliminated range from clerks and secretaries to food services and kitchen staff. Other jobs to be cut include radiation safety personnel, weapons technicians, ammunition technicians, English-language teachers, heavy truck mechanics, laboratory assistants, drivers and dental hygienists.
Civilians working for the Canadian Army are being hit hardest, with 585 of those jobs being eliminated.
Union officials have complained that many of the jobs are those of lower-paid workers.
In addition, the Canadian Forces will get rid of its air defence equipment, shut down military housing in Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg and cut back on army training, according to documents obtained by the Citizen.
Pilots will also fly less, security units made up of reservists who guard ports will be disbanded, and buildings will be closed in Moncton, NB and other locations across the country to save money.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: DAVID PUGLIESE
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