Mr. Speaker, if the Conservative Party had not botched up the last arrangement, we might have been able to make a decision sooner.
Let me make it clear that there is no relationship between the question of purchasing helicopters and the tragic event that occurred in Manitoba. Helicopters were not used, private or any other kind of helicopters, with respect to that rescue mission because of the weather conditions that existed. What were used were fixed wing aircraft. Our Hercules aircraft in fact has carried out a magnificent rescue.