Mr. Speaker, in mid-September this member received her first parliamentary posting to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs.
Since then I have been deployed to northern, western and central Canadian Armed Forces bases to investigate quality of life issues. Our military men and women remain prepared to give not only their personal freedom but also their lives if need be in the performance of their duties.
Too often we, the parliamentarians of Canada, remain silent. We neglect to reassure and demonstrate to our military that we understand the need to reaffirm our commitment to honouring our moral responsibility to them.
It has been said that the fastest way to lose one's sovereignty is to lose one's defence capabilities.
Canada must never allow its sovereignty to be put in jeopardy. We must ensure that our military has the tools, the manpower and the support it needs to stand on guard for Canadians.