The noise of blowtorches echoes 24 hours a day at Roshel’s arms factory in Mississauga, Ontario. The Canadian government has just ordered 200 vehicles to equip Ukraine.
The staff here consists of about 80 Ukrainian workers who recently arrived in Canada. They proudly take part in the war effort, even 8000km from the front lines. I have to do everything I can, explains a welder who prefers not to give his name. His family is still in his country of origin where the war is raging. It’s a way to help my parents, he explains.
Tour of the Roshel armored vehicle factory in Mississauga.
Photo: Radio Canada / Louis Blouin
The President of Roshel, Roman Shimonov, confides in us that they are very aware of our responsibility, namely to protect Ukrainian soldiers. He feels the urgency coming from ahead. He assures that the 200 vehicles will be delivered before the summer.
Armored, cameras to equip drones, sniper rifles: Ottawa has signed contracts with several Canadian companies to equip the Ukrainian army. However, according to industry officials and defense observers, Canada could have done more.
Orders for Canadian equipment to equip the Ukrainians
62 drone cameras (L3 HARRIS)
34 sniper rifles (Prairie Gun Works)
8 commercial armored vehicles (Roshel Corporation)*
39 armored combat support vehicles (General Dynamics Land Systems)
Source: Government of Canada as of October 12, 2022
* Adding to this number the 200 announced on January 18, 2023
Ukraine’s allies are meeting at the US base in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday. Meanwhile, the Mississauga plant is running at full speed to deliver the armored vehicles on order, and ironically, 80 Ukrainian refugees are involved in their construction! A report by Louis Blouin.
Ammunition made in Canada
Last May, the great chief of the armed forces, General Wayne Eyre, called on Canada’s defense industry to go to war. Since then, the economy is still waiting for a clear signal.
We need to be less reactive and more strategic, says Christyn Cianfarani, president and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries.
She regrets the lack of information the federal government is offering to industry about its military procurement plan for Ukraine.
The country has several specialized companies ready to contribute to the war effort. For example, some make hardware for cyber warfare, notes Christyn Cianfarani.
Canada would also have the industrial capacity to provide much more ammunition to the Ukrainian army. Factories in Quebec can produce 155mm artillery shells, which are in high demand on the front lines. So far, Canada has given the Ukrainians only 27,000 shells, 7,000 of which came from Canadian stocks, the rest had to be bought from the Americans. Enough to supply the Ukrainian soldiers for… 5 days.
Ukrainian soldiers fire an M777 howitzer at a frontline position in Kharkiv region, Ukraine, August 1, 2022 as Russia’s assault on Ukraine continues. (file photo)
Photo: Portal/Sofia Gatilova
However, the Canadian government is still reluctant to significantly increase its ammunition orders and sign new long-term supply contracts.
Industry is witnessing piecemeal announcements by the federal government as it awaits a detailed strategy to meet the needs of Ukraine’s armed forces.
“We should have had these discussions six months, a year ago. »
— A quote from Christyn Cianfarani, President and CEO of the Canadian Association of Defense and Security Industries
Interview with Justin Massie, Co-Director of the Network for Strategic Analysis and Professor of Political Science at UQAM.
A neglected inventory, Canada is catching up
Canada hasn’t done much compared to its allies, laments retired lieutenant general and former Trudeau government MP Andrew Leslie. It’s a symptom of a bigger problem, he believes.
He feels the Canadian Forces inventory has been neglected by Ottawa in recent years. According to his calculations, $15 billion of the defense budget simply hasn’t been spent since the Liberals took power. As a result, we cannot send modern equipment to Ukraine and we also lack the necessary capacities in our armed forces, he explains.
Andrew Leslie, retired Lieutenant General and former Liberal Cabinet Secretary.
Photo: Radio Canada / Jonathan Dupaul
Urgent needs of Ukraine reveal shortcomings. The Canadian Army lacks certain strategic weapons and urgently needs to turn to other countries to obtain them. Last week, Canada announced it would buy a $406 million air defense system for Ukraine from the Americans. A type of weapon that has been absent from Canada’s arsenal for years, despite repeated appeals from senior military leaders.
If the Americans weren’t there, if they didn’t have their large holdings and willingness to make big contributions, Ukraine would be dead, Andrew Leslie believes.
In his view, Canada’s entire military supply system needs to be reviewed.
“The system is really broken. We need the Prime Minister’s leadership. »
— A quote from Andrew Leslie, retired Lieutenant General
Justin Trudeau, asked to respond to those criticisms on Wednesday, appeared to be paying lip service to the fact that Canada needs to invest more. We must be ready to help in an increasingly unstable world. To this end, we will continue to invest in our armed forces, he explained, emphasizing the generosity of Canada’s contribution to date.
View of the Roshel Armored Vehicle Plant in Mississauga.
Photo: Radio Canada / Raphaël Tremblay
At the Roshel factory, Ukrainian workers have only one thing in mind. I want to win the war, says the welder we spoke to.
He hopes his hard work can serve as an inspiration and maybe spur Canada to do more to help his country.
With the collaboration of Marie Chabot-Johnson