Evidence of meeting #11 for National Defence in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was aircraft.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
So Ronald Reagan's statement about “trust and verify” would be as true today as it was then.
Commander 1 Canadian Air Division, Canadian NORAD Region, Department of National Defence
Absolutely.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
Thank you very much.
You still have two minutes. I don't know whether you want to use them.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Mr. Coderre seems to be trying to trivialize everything.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Questions were asked and I wanted to distinguish these from the questions regarding NORAD which specifically concerned military business. When I made a comment about your political games, I was also responding. We are not trivializing anything: we are congratulating and thanking the witness for his candour and transparency.
Conservative
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
It isn't a point of order but rather a matter for debate.
We have clearly said that the limits and requirements concerning crossing the CADIZ are set out clearly in recognized flight planning publications that are available internationally. We are talking about standards to which you refer in your document. The Minister of Foreign Affairs for Russia said himself that it would be good practice to advise us when flights crossed our international waters. I think that we want to be good neighbours and that the rules of being good neighbours start with respect for territorial integrity as well as for internationally recognized zones. To that end, I think it's important to share our position with our partners. Finally, I want to thank you for your very clear answers. We will continue to be vigilant and to ensure that Canada's sovereignty in the Canadian Arctic is respected.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
Thank you very much, Major-General Duval. I greatly appreciated your testimony.
I would like to give the committee members the following information, if they are not already aware of it.
Major-General Duval will be promoted to lieutenant-general later this year and will become the deputy commander of NORAD in Colorado Springs.
Congratulations.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Chair, we could unanimously move a motion for congratulations.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
Thank you very much. I will suspend for a few minutes because we will then continue in camera.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Maxime Bernier
Good day to everyone. We will continue for a few minutes in public, and then we will move to in camera. I would like to let Mr. Coderre speak.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I think that all my colleagues will agree with me today. It is a little sad, but we are going to lose a colleague. I would like to pay tribute to my friend Dawn Black. We must move beyond partisanship. While we may sometimes have our differences, nonetheless, the work of the Standing Committee on Defence is extremely important and Dawn is without a doubt one of those individuals who makes a significant contribution here. I have asked that this statement be public so that all Canadians can hear this tribute. On behalf of the official opposition, I want to thank Dawn for her exceptional work. I want to tell her just how high she has raised the bar politically.
She's truly made a difference, a great woman with a big heart who has truly contributed to the well-being of our troops. She's a wonderful human being, and we will miss her.
We don't support the same party, but who knows, one day....
I think it's important for the purpose of this gathering to say thank you. I'm very proud to have been on the committee when you were.
Thank you very much.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
I'd just to like to echo on behalf of the Conservative Party, the government, and me, personally, Dawn, that you've been challenging, and that's good. That's your job; you've been very effective at it. As Denis has said, we all have our moments when we disagree, sometimes more loudly than we should from time to time. But we all know that we're all here with the best interests of Canadians in mind, and I want to add my appreciation for your demonstration of that in the time I've known you here.
On behalf of all of us, we certainly wish you well.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I too would like to thank Dawn for the work that she has done on this committee. I think that a woman's perspective is extremely important for this committee. There are not a lot of women, but they are extremely competent. Dawn has sat on this committee for a long time and I must admit that she has made it much more humane and convivial. Furthermore, she also insisted on the study on post-traumatic stress disorder and health care. She has clearly given the committee the benefit of her knowledge, her wonderful personality and her humanity. I want to come back to her humanity. We were extremely pleased to learn that we will now have another friend—and likely one who's a minister—at the British Columbia legislature. I want to wish her good luck in her career.
NDP
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Well, I'm really rather overwhelmed. I didn't expect this today. I want you all to know how much I've appreciated working with you.
I know that sometimes we have very strong differences of opinion, but that's healthy; that's part of democracy. It's the way it's meant to work. And it's better that than what happens in other countries, where they resort to violence to try to resolve their differences.
I've been very proud to work with each and every one of you. The highlight for me was our trip to Afghanistan by many of us together. The opportunity to meet with the men and women serving there really had a huge impact on me.
I also want to mention both Jim and Wolf, and our new clerk and the clerk before that. Without the work of the people who support our committee, we couldn't do half the work we do.
I feel like I've made friends here. I hope that if you're in beautiful British Columbia, where the daffodils are in bloom as I speak today, you will look me up. You'll be able to find me pretty easily. I'd be delighted to show each and every one of you around the legislature or take you on a little tour. So in the future, please contact me if you're in B.C.
Thanks very much for all your support and your kind words. I really appreciate them.