Madam Speaker, I agree with the fact that military personnel in this country are severely underpaid. My riding of Sackville—Eastern Shore has a large military air base and naval base called Shearwater. I was at a dinner the other day with the commander of the base. We were discussing the very same concern about the lack of attention that previous governments and current governments have given with respect to the pay for all ranks within the military.
There is one question I would like to ask the hon. member for Vancouver Island North. Would he not agree that the military within Canada and the United States have a large attachment of civilian workers who work with them? I have yet to hear anyone from the Reform Party talk about the very serious cuts, not only to the civilian workers, but to the alternate service delivery and the effect they have on the workers who are currently there.
Many workers are losing their jobs. Goose Bay-Labrador is a prime example where people who have worked with the military for many years on a civilian basis are now being asked to take a 60% cut in pay and a different job classification.
I would like either the hon. member's personal comments or his party's comments on how they view alternate service delivery and the effect it has not only on civilian workers but on the military as well.