Mr. Speaker, the Queen's York Rangers is but one of many distinguished regiments that have contributed much over the years to Canada's security with long and noble traditions going back, in the case of the Queen's York Rangers, to the time before Canada became a country in assisting the British in the American revolution.
This heritage is vital to Canada's military preparedness. Earlier this year when we were discussing the rationalizations taking place in national defence I asked Hon. Brian Dickson, former Chief Justice of Canada, to chair the commission on the reserves but in the meantime gave instructions to the department not to effect any changes that would have an impact on reserve regiments until such time as the commission has reported and the parliamentary committee of the House and the Senate reviews the commission's conclusions.