Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of National Defence. Despite the constructive offer from the mayor of Saint-Jean that was announced this week, the federal government insists on closing the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, on the grounds that it would save $23 million annually by making the RMC in Kingston a bilingual institution that would welcome francophone officer cadets.
How can the minister maintain that he will save $23 million annually by closing the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean, considering that very substantial additional spending will be required to help the RMC in Kingston make the necessary adjustments to accommodate students transferred from Saint-Jean and hire additional staff?