National Defence Committee on Nov. 25th, 2014

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Could the minister tell me why on the order paper for my inquiry to the ministry about the Operation Reassurance, which is not the one that the minister has already been discussing, the answer that I received to this formal application for cost estimates was this, and I'll read it:

With regard to (b), cost estimates are dynamic and evolve with the refinement of planning and operational assumptions. These estimates are updated regularly to support planning efforts and decision-making, and would therefore be inaccurate.

That's the answer I received in asking for the cost estimates, and it's insulting to the institution of Parliament and insulting to Canadians to define what a cost estimate is as something that is dynamic. Yes, we know that, so I would like to ask why with Operation Reassurance you have not authorized information to the public. Secondly, are there incremental costs for Operation Reassurance in this budget supplementary estimates (B) request, and if so, what are they?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Again, there are supplemental costs any time we initiate a mission. We have indicated with respect to Operation Reassurance that we are going to be there, and that we are going to continue our operations. Now, for instance, we are part of the Baltic air-policing mission that is ongoing, and we are in discussions with our NATO allies as to—

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Excuse me, Minister, my question was this. Are those additional costs in the supplementary request?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Supplementary estimates (B) are the estimates you have right before you. There are no other estimates and any other estimates for any other cost we will either have them as part of supplementary estimates (C) when that comes or they will be part of the main budget. But in what you have before you there are no additional ones than supplementary estimates (B)—

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Okay, so they're not in those figures.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

I'm sure you have a list of them.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Thank you.

I have another set of questions. There is $912 million being requested in the supplementary estimates (B) for operational expenditures. Of that $912,672,021, how much of that is for support for soldiers and for armed force members with injuries, mental health support, and how much is for support for their families?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

I'm going to ask Kevin Lindsey here to provide some of the details of that. You may have heard in a previous answer that I gave with respect to the joint personnel support units of the money that we are putting into that. That builds on what has already been budgeted.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

I'm just wondering what percentage.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Just let me finish just for a second. These are supplementary estimates, but I'd ask Kevin Lindsey to provide some additional details.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

So how much of this is for mental health and for support for families of armed forces members?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Those estimates are included in the main estimates that you have before you.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Excuse me, this is my opportunity to ask questions. This is a supplementary additional amount that's being requested by the minister. How much of that is for mental health support and how much of that is for families of armed forces members?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Kevin.

[Kevin Lindsey, Assistant Deputy Minister, Chief Financial Officer, Department of National Defence]

Thank you.

Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Mr. Chair. In these supplementary estimates, in addition to the base budget that we get through main estimates, there is an additional $22 million in these estimates to go to the joint personnel support units to carry out a variety of support functions to personnel. Unfortunately, I don't have a breakdown of that going to mental health versus other issues with me today.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

So for people and their problems it's what, a couple of percentage of the total amount being requested?

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

It's $22 million in addition to the main estimates.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

So it's about 2%. Thank you.

I also have some questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Very brief questions, Ms. Murray, please.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

I'm going to ask about the Fynes Public Interest Hearing, the request for $2.4 million. This is a family not allowed to see an interim report of the death of their family member six years ago. What would this additional funding be for? Why is the government requesting more money, and why should the family have to wait more than six years and not have closure?

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

A very brief answer please, Minister.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

If you're asking me about the joint personnel support unit and why we are doing that, it's because of the record of success that it has had.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

No, the minister misunderstood my question.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

We've hit time.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

It was about the Fynes Public Interest Hearing.