Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence, like all other government departments, has experienced significant budget reductions throughout this decade as a result of the government's commitment to fiscal restraint.
These reductions have had an impact on all budgets within the department, including that of land forces. This has meant that all elements of the Canadian forces and the department have faced significant funding pressures and have been required to reduce expenditures to match available funding.
As part of the overall resource planning process within the department, we aim to achieve a better balance between programs and resources.