May I continue, Madam Speaker? Since this humanitarian mission comes under the responsibility of the department of defence, would it not make sense for all the amounts necessary for this mission in the great lakes region of Africa to come out of that department's budget?
Given that the Canadian International Development Agency is already operating with a very modest budget, because of the successive cuts it has suffered at the hands of the Liberal government in recent years, surely it would be appropriate for the department of defence, which, let it not be forgotten, has an annual budget of $10 billion, to defray the total cost of the operation.
With respect to what needs to be done, short term measures are already clearly laid out in the resolution. Soldiers in the multinational force already have a very clear mandate. They are to facilitate the return of humanitarian organizations, assist with the distribution of food and help refugees return to their homes.
How will Canada contribute to the implementation of a lasting peace after March 31, 1997? Will action be taken to help these people return to normal life? The Canadian command in place should seize the opportunity to try to rally all parties involved in order to try to find possible solutions to the problems that will arise, and there will be problems.
Let us not forget that there is a very strong likelihood of conflict when refugees who left their country months ago try to recover their land and homes. There is a risk of violence in the villages, and the manner in which refugees return to their villages must be monitored.
At first, the role of the multinational force will be to find and distribute food and drinking water. But for the time being, one of the priorities will be to help local men and women farm land they have been away from for more than two years. Communications, roads, airports and transportation systems will have to be restored. This means that, in all likelihood, the civilian population will need the support of the international community.
Of course, financial means remain limited, but the international force's action could focus exclusively on implementing these specific projects. We know that the Liberal government is already on the campaign trail across Canada. We hope that the proposals before us are not merely smoke and mirrors directed at voters in Quebec and Canada.
At a time when our armed forces need to regain confidence and prove their effectiveness, we must be careful not to make the same mistakes as in 1994. We are greatly concerned that this operation might be a ploy to make us forget the flop in Somalia.
Major-General Dallaire did a great job there but, unfortunately, he did not have the necessary resources. This time, the situation is totally different and we are convinced that our troops will do an excellent job.
The Bloc Quebecois supports the men and women who will have to work in conditions that could be extremely difficult. It goes without saying that it also supports this mission, even though some questions remain, and we pointed them out.
In conclusion, and given that the holiday season is just around the corner, we should congratulate and thank the men and women who will leave their homes to help the needy populations in Africa's great lakes region.