Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
General, Minister, thank you for being here.
We've talked a lot about the Afghan business. I want to compliment the Canadian troops, who on several occasions have captured Taliban. Yet, they have not handed them over to the Afghan military who have threatened to kill them. They went nuts and said, “We warned them, now we want to shoot them.” The Canadian troops protected them, saved them, and turned them over to the appropriate authorities.
My questions, Minister, are about the 2A6 tanks. I saw your interview on television. Some of the opposition are saying this constitutes an escalation. Sir, is this part of our inventory? Is this escalation? What is the purpose of these tanks?