Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Good day, Mr. Da Pont. Welcome and congratulations.
My first question concerns the Canadian Coast Guard’s manpower resources’ allocation. If these numbers aren’t available to you as yet, I’d appreciate being informed as soon as possible. I’d like to know, for the last five years, what the allocation of personnel in Quebec has been as compared to the Maritimes and I’d like to know how these numbers have evolved over the last five years. That’s my first point.
You’re an expert on budgets and you sometimes have to accommodate staffing restraints or streamlining. Much has been said and done about equipment improvement and our committee has made sure that the government has taken note of a certain message. But the question of human resources is a delicate one and also constitutes a challenge.
I’d like to hear your opinion on manpower resources.