By Chuck Black, with files from Chris Gainor
Both know full well that the real challenge for political players is to simply "hold on to your hats" and "go with the flow" until the current firestorm of changes now underway is mostly complete, defined and understandable.
Laporte was perhaps the most overt. He confessed that he had indeed appeared at international events since appointment in March, 2015 as CSA president, but that this was his first domestic event. He said he was still learning the space arena and felt that, at least in his current position, “every day is a new discovery.”
He also mentioned his five year mandate and commented that "I plan to be here for the duration.” He even credited his predecessor, ex-CSA president, former defence chief and current deputy minister of veterans affairs Walt Natynczyk, who quarterbacked a series of changes "that were important to Ottawa," including the development of the 2014 space policy framework.
Laporte promised to work with both minister Bains and science minister Kirsty Duncan in a program expected to include "targeted investments" in space technologies, which may or may not be a veiled reference to additional funding for the CSA space technology development program (STDP),
According to Laporte, four major national or international space missions are currently on the CSA's to-do list. They are the NASA Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission, scheduled for launch in 2016; the Canadian Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM), scheduled for launch in 2018; the NASA James Webb Space Telescope, also scheduled for 2018 and the NASA Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, scheduled for launch in 2020.
Minister Bains, in his role as keynote speaker for the aerospace summit, which was held in Ottawa from November 17th - 18th, was perhaps a bit braver.
As outlined in the November 18th Federal government transcript of his presentation, under the title of "Building Strong Ties with Canada's Aerospace Industry," he said:
Bains also categorized his role as being "to help Canadian businesses grow, innovate and export so that they can create good quality jobs and wealth for Canadians."
Of course, both presentations are full of good thoughts from good people who are at the beginning of their journey to define roles and there is certainly nothing wrong with any of the sentiments being voiced.
But, over the next few months, it might be for the best if we started judging both president Laporte and minister Bains by their slowly accumulating actions, and not simply by their far-too-easy to mouth, preliminary statements.
Hold on to your hats...
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Chuck Black is the editor of the Commercial Space blog.
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| CSA president Laporte at the summit on November 18th. Photo c/o Chris Gainor. |
It's noteworthy that neither Canadian Space Agency (CSA) president Sylvain Laporte, who finally made his first domestic job related speech during the 2015 Canadian Space Summit in Vancouver, nor new Federal innovation minister Navdeep Bains, during his presentation at the 2015 Canadian Aerospace Summit in Ottawa, focused their talks on anything other than getting up to speed on their jobs and building on the accomplishments of their predecessors.
Only then will either be in a position to do what government does best and push, file, stamp, index, brief, debrief and number those changes into a nicely wrapped package comprehensible to the typical public servant.
Laporte was perhaps the most overt. He confessed that he had indeed appeared at international events since appointment in March, 2015 as CSA president, but that this was his first domestic event. He said he was still learning the space arena and felt that, at least in his current position, “every day is a new discovery.”
He also mentioned his five year mandate and commented that "I plan to be here for the duration.” He even credited his predecessor, ex-CSA president, former defence chief and current deputy minister of veterans affairs Walt Natynczyk, who quarterbacked a series of changes "that were important to Ottawa," including the development of the 2014 space policy framework.
Laporte promised to work with both minister Bains and science minister Kirsty Duncan in a program expected to include "targeted investments" in space technologies, which may or may not be a veiled reference to additional funding for the CSA space technology development program (STDP),
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| UrtheCast CEO Scott Larson, perhaps the most successful of the new breed of Canadian based "NewSpace" entrepreneurs, also spoke at the 2015 Canadian Space Summit, which was held in Vancouver from November 19th - 20th. As outlined in the November 12th, 2015 Space News post, "UrtheCast Shelves New ISS Camera To Focus on Satellite Constellation," UrtheCast is currently preparing to role out "a 16-satellite constellation of eight optical and eight synthetic-aperture radar satellites in low Earth orbit." The project, if successful, will place the company in direct competition with Richmond BC based MacDonald Dettwiler (MDA) and its iconic RADARSAT Constellation mission (RCM), which uses much the same technology and is expected to be launched in 2018. According to the article, UrtheCast will subcontract the construction of the satellites to British based Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) which, oddly enough, already gets subcontracting work from both MDA and the Canadian government. As outlined in the October 10th, 2011 post, "SAR Satellite Designers Living in Interesting Times," SSTL first rolled out plans for a new generation of low cost SAR satellites in 2011. Photo c/o Business Vancouver. |
According to Laporte, four major national or international space missions are currently on the CSA's to-do list. They are the NASA Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission, scheduled for launch in 2016; the Canadian Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM), scheduled for launch in 2018; the NASA James Webb Space Telescope, also scheduled for 2018 and the NASA Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, scheduled for launch in 2020.
Minister Bains, in his role as keynote speaker for the aerospace summit, which was held in Ottawa from November 17th - 18th, was perhaps a bit braver.
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| Minister Bains at the IP office on November 17th. Photo @CIPO_Canada. |
I have the Emerson report (the 2012 David Emerson led Aerospace Review, which was organized through the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, which organized the summit, and served as the core of conservative government policy in this area under former Prime Minister Stephen Harper) on my desk. Rather than reading the 25 recommendations, I thought I would call Mr. Emerson instead.
I am aware of the work that the Association and its members did with Mr. Emerson on the Review of Aerospace and Space Policies and Programs.
I'm impressed by what has been accomplished, and I'll review what remains to be implemented...He also promised to support research and technology development, ("a large focus for my department") encourage the trade of Canadian products and services abroad ("which is key to industry growth"), provide assistance with the safety certification of aircraft and parts (a "critical step in the development and production process") and assist with defence acquisition ("which has the potential to leverage significant industrial and technological benefits").
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| The real burr under the saddle of the new Liberal government has nothing to do with the space industry. It's the Bombardier C-Series, shown here taking off on its maiden test flight at the Bombardier facility in Mirabel, PQ on September 16, 2013. As outlined in the November 21st, 2015 iPolitics post, "Mr. Trudeau’s Bombardier problem," Montreal based Bombardier is looking for the Federal government to bolster the recent billion dollar Quebec government investment in the company, either by providing further direct financial support or else by facilitating the sale of Bombardier jets to Toronto based Porter Airlines, which intends to operate them from Billy Bishop Airport on the Toronto Islands. As outlined in the November 13th, 2015 Toronto Star post, "Ottawa kills Porter’s plans for island airport jets," the recent decision by transport minister Marc Garneau to reject this option sets the stage for a future battle between Montreal and Toronto based Liberal MP's. Even better, as outlined in the November 4th, 2015 Financial Post article, "Canada’s railways optimistic that new transport minister Marc Garneau can thaw frigid relations," the transport minister is shortly expected to receive an "arm’s-length review" of transportation issues from the very same David Emerson who headed the 2012 aerospace review. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Photo c/o Canadian Press /Ryan Remiorz. |
Bains also categorized his role as being "to help Canadian businesses grow, innovate and export so that they can create good quality jobs and wealth for Canadians."
Of course, both presentations are full of good thoughts from good people who are at the beginning of their journey to define roles and there is certainly nothing wrong with any of the sentiments being voiced.
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| Chuck Black. |
Hold on to your hats...
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Chuck Black is the editor of the Commercial Space blog.
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