Mr. Chairman, I thank the minister for his answer. However I have in front of me a letter from the Public Service Alliance of Canada. This is what PSAC has said to me:
As a union, we are opposed to the privatization of Canada's DND Supply Chain. This privatization is not in the interests of our members who will be forced out of the federal public service and into work with a British-based contractor. These workers will suffer reduced benefits and job insecurity.
Our concerns as a union extend beyond the impact on our members. We are concerned about the future security of Canada. We are concerned about escalated costs for lower quality service.
PCAC members are concerned, as am I, about the privatization of our military. It is certainly an issue with the many defence workers who live in my community.
I have a question about the northern command. The minister is answering many of these tonight. We are seeing the development of a northern command. Does the minister plan to hold talks with his U.S. counterparts on the issue of Canada's north and our Arctic sovereignty? How does our Arctic sovereignty, including our sovereignty in the Northwest Passage, relate to the American concept of the North American defence perimeter? What is the government planning to do to ensure our Arctic sovereignty?