Joyce Murray

[Military Contribution Against ISIL, March 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been clear that it is not in the Canadian national interest to enter into a combat mission in Syria when the combat mission that has been proposed there is unfocused and potentially unending.

I did not hear anything in the minister's comments that would clarify what the on-the-ground objectives are—“degrading ISIL” is pretty broad—or what an exit strategy for Canada might be in this conflict. In fact, when Evan Solomon, on Power and Politics, asked the Minister of National Defence who would take over should ISIL be cleared from Syria, he answered, “I don't know how this is going to end.” This is not a signal that there is a clear objective and an exit strategy.

Our concern is that this would enable the Syrian president to consolidate power as someone who has murdered 133,000 of his own citizens. Could the minister explain just what might happen should the coalition be successful in removing ISIL from the Syrian area? Who would be in power?

[Veterans Affairs, March 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, despite the minister's shabby rhetoric today, despite his repeated assurances that spending cuts at Veterans Affairs will not affect veterans, he is wrong. Since 2011, Veterans Affairs has cut one out of every four staff members right across the country, and these layoffs are definitely affecting front-line services. In fact, the government cut almost one of every five caseworkers, leaving a smaller group struggling under their workload. Veterans are the ones paying the price, and I have news for the minister: if they do not have a caseworker, they will not get to an operational stress clinic.

Will the minister reverse his callous neglect of our veterans and rehire the—

[National Defence, March 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Robyn Young, the Canadian Armed Forces reservist who has a misdiagnosed brain tumour, is still waiting for her quality of care review. In the meantime she has no income, she is about to lose her housing, and she is still not receiving the benefits she is entitled to.

Captain Young and her family are at their wits' end. Last month this minister promised to do everything possible to help her. Why has he done nothing? Did he forget his promise, or does he just not care?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 23rd, 2015]

With regard to Military Police Complaints Commission's Fynes Public Interest Hearing: (a) what is the total cost to date for the hearings, broken down by type of expenditures; (b) what are the detailed cost estimates for any future expenditures, broken down by type of expenditures; and (c) what is the anticipated date of conclusion for this process?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 23rd, 2015]

With regard to National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces: what are the details of all buildings or structures at Canadian Forces Bases, Canadian Forces Stations, or any other Canadian Forces establishment, that have been demolished since January 1, 2006, broken down by (i) the Base, Station, or other establishment on which it was located, (ii) the civic address or other location information, (iii) the name, description, and identifying number, if any, of the building or structure, (iv) the year in which the demolition was carried out, (v) the reason for which the demolition was carried out?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 23rd, 2015]

With regard to contracts under $10 000 granted by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces since June 4, 2014: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values, if different from the original contracts' values?

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 13th, 2015]

With regard to military base CFB Petawawa: since 2007, (i) what are the names and ridings of Members of Parliament who have visited the base, (ii) what are the dates when the Members visited, (iii) what were the purposes of the visits, (iv) what were the costs associated with each Members' visit?

[National Defence, March 10th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Corporal Stuart Langridge died by suicide in his barracks.

Today's report confirmed the fears of the family that the investigation was botched from the beginning.

The Military Police Complaints Commissioner found, “aspects that were shocking and beyond comprehension”. Contrary to the recent answer by the parliamentary secretary saying that they just got their recommendations, the recommendations were tabled last May.

The Department of Defence has not accepted a single major recommendation to prevent similar tragic incidents from happening in the future, so I want to know why the minister is deliberately brushing off this report about an important incident and why—

[National Defence, February 25th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked about armed forces member Robyn Young's misdiagnosis by a military doctor which caused her considerable harm.

The minister responded that the Defence Department is continuing to cover these costs, but that was disingenuous. It only started to cover them recently and has not reimbursed the tens of thousands of dollars she has already spent. In fact, Robyn's family has had to resort to community fundraising to help pay her health bills.

When will Ms. Young finally get full and fair compensation from the government?

[Business of Supply, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to ask a question of my hon. colleague. Should the government continue to sit on the sidelines with this issue and not take proper action and given that the courts have said that this clause will be removed in early February, does the member see the possibility of harm for the most vulnerable, should we not have a strong and clear framework of protection?