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HISTORICAL NARRATIVE<br />
The use of PMSLCs by the CAF has grown considerably since the force reductions of the 1990s.<br />
Central America, Europe, Asia, and South America are all regions where these companies have<br />
been employed by the Canadian Government, the Department of National Defence or the CAF.<br />
Afghanistan, however, witnessed the most rapid increase in the use of PMSLCs as the CAF<br />
coped with serious strains on its manpower due to the length and intensity of the conflict.<br />
Canada utilized these companies in non-combat roles such as security, training and logistical<br />
support. It should also be noted that several large PMSLCs are headquartered in Canada and<br />
thus fall under Canadian regulations even though they operate globally.<br />
Since the mid-90s, Calian industries has been contracted to provide CAF personnel with<br />
training through combat simulation exercises and give them technical and operational support<br />
in the training, planning and execution of complex combat exercises using advanced computer<br />
simulations systems. Recently, Calian received a two-year training contract worth four to eight<br />
million dollars on DND’s Air Technical Training Renewal (ATTR) project.<br />
Bombardier holds a twenty year support services contract for the world-renowned NATO<br />
Flying Training in Canada (NTFC) program. Based out of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and<br />
Cold Lake, Alberta, this elite flight-training program is a unique blend of military and<br />
industry professionals who work side by side. Bombardier offers a wide range of support<br />
services, including classroom and flight training device (FTD) instructors, equipment training<br />
and material and facilities maintenance.<br />
The infamous private security firm, Blackwater, which was later renamed Xe Enterprises before<br />
being purchased by Academi, has been contracted in the past to train Canadian military police,<br />
members of the Strategic Advisory team and members of the Canadian elite JTF-2 in areas like<br />
bodyguard training, sharpshooting and counter-terrorism tactics. The now defunct Terrorism<br />
Research Centre, a subsidiary of Blackwater, staged complex counter-terrorism exercises<br />
participated in by CAF personnel. 3 One of these contracts was reported to have cost<br />
29,000 dollars for a two-day course on hostile-environment defensive driving attended by<br />
eighteen members of the Strategic Advisory Team. 4<br />
Several private security firms have been contracted to operate in volatile security environments<br />
throughout the world. ArmorGroup has reportedly provided services to protect Canadian<br />
diplomatic and development personnel in Africa while Golan Group has provided Canadian<br />
diplomatic personnel with similar services in Central America. 5 Saladin Security, Hart Security<br />
and Blue Hackle Security, all British-based PMSCs, protected the Canadian embassy in Kabul<br />
and the Joint Coordination Centre in Kandahar and provided security for diplomats and VIPS<br />
and the Canadian Strategic Advisory Team. Saladin was even hired to protect the Prime<br />
Minister on his visit to Afghanistan in 2007. According to one report, Saladin provided<br />
“perimeter security, operated checkpoints, served as bodyguards and formed a heavily armed<br />
rapid-reaction force in Kabul.” 6 For their 2006 contract, for instance, Saladin was reportedly<br />
paid 425,700 dollars for services rendered. 7<br />
92 THE CANADIAN ARMY JOURNAL VOLUME 16.2 2016
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