Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw attention to an event that occurred last fall with virtually no media attention and no opposition questions here in the House.
That event was the beginning of a new era as far as Canadian search and rescue is concerned. Last October, the 442 Squadron of Comox, British Columbia, officially accepted the first of a series of helicopters, the Augusta-Westland CH-149 Cormorants.
The Cormorants will provide Canada with one of the best search and rescue capacities in the world. Their acquisition will greatly enhance the capacities of our armed forces.
Military experts are unanimous in their praise of the Cormorant, citing its utility in a country where extreme climatic conditions make search and rescue operations the most difficult in the world.
Crews testing the CH-149 were quick to realize its virtues and its great suitability for emergency situations.
Transition from the Labrador to the Cormorant will be a gradual process, with the last Labrador phased out in 2003.