National Defence Committee on Nov. 22nd, 2006

Evidence of meeting #24 for National Defence in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was pakistan.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Canadian Forces in Afghanistan

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Randolph Mank Director General, Asia South and Pacific Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

J. S. Lucas Chief of the Air Staff, Department of National Defence

Drew Robertson Chief of the Maritime Staff, Department of National Defence

5:55 p.m.

Chief of the Maritime Staff, Department of National Defence

VAdm Drew Robertson

We've made decisions recently that we will base our Chinook helicopters in two locations. One location will be Edmonton, Alberta, and the other location will be Petawawa, Ontario. We found, after an examination, that this just makes the best case. They are located in close proximity to two of our large army formations and close to good training areas. There were a number of reasons why we selected those two locations, but that's the road we're going down right now.

5:55 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Admiral Robertson, tell us what you can about the successes achieved during the exercise last Friday held off the coast of North Carolina, and how, if at all, it relates to our mission in Afghanistan.

5:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

You have forty-five seconds, sir. Sorry.

5:55 p.m.

Chief of the Maritime Staff, Department of National Defence

VAdm Drew Robertson

It's a very tentative first step that was successfully executed with a company of soldiers operating from a safe, secure sea base and supported from there to conduct very straightforward operations ashore in North Carolina. It demonstrated that we certainly have the capability to do it, but it's going to take years to develop that capability, if that's the direction the government chooses to go.

5:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Rick Casson

Thanks, Ms. Gallant.

Gentlemen, thank you very much for your good information and for your flexibility with our schedules. That's our life, I'm afraid. We answer bells at all times of the day. We appreciate it.

Please pass on to the men and women under your command how much we appreciate their efforts.

The meeting is adjourned.