The Canadian Forces spent $2.4 million last year on training at a facility run by Xe Services, the U.S. private security company formerly known as Blackwater. The company and its training facility were used to teach precision shooting and defensive driving, as well as VIP escort requirements and close quarter combat techniques, according to documents tabled Monday in the House of Commons. It appears the training provided by Xe instructors was for precision shooting and defensive driving. The documents note much of the training in VIP escorting and close quarter combat was done by CF instructors and standards personnel.
Special forces members also had precision shooting and defensive driving training at the facility, although for operational security reasons the government wouldn’t say how many trained there. The Department of National Defence made 14 call-ups in 2011 against a standing offer arrangement with Xe, for a total of $567,729, the documents say. Public Works, which is in charge of federal procurement, made another six call-ups and awarded one contract, spending $1,819,023.48. The total spent between the two departments in 2011 was $2,396,346.86. The training provided at the facility is specialized and used primarily for snipers and soldiers who do close personal protection, as well as those who drive non-military vehicles like armoured SUVs while protecting VIPs or diplomats in hostile environments such as Libya or Afghanistan.The facility is known in the defence community to be unique because of training involving live fire in a ship simulator or in a complex building structure, and driving courses that involve live fire. It’s widely used by U.S. government and law enforcement, and is accredited by the U.S. government.
Special to Asian Connections Newspaper with permission from CBC/Radio -Canada
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