Mr. Chair, the minister just confirmed my remarks. He tells me that 200 soldiers from Valcartier will be sent to Afghanistan to protect the provincial reconstruction teams, or PRTs.
However, I would like to remind the minister that 2,200 soldiers are currently in Afghanistan. If he needs additional reinforcements to protect the PRTs, that means that the other 2,200 soldiers are busy chasing the Taliban. A considerable ratio is chasing the Taliban as opposed to working on development and diplomacy. It seems that this is not a question of diplomacy or development.
The minister tells us that we are sending 200 soldiers to protect the PRTs, but what are the other 2,200 soldiers doing? Therein lies the problem. I say this because the Bloc Québécois does not believe that the solution to Afghanistan is military in nature. The minister said so himself.
I am asking the minister if he does not agree with us, by admitting that the 200 additional soldiers who are heading for Afghanistan are intended to ensure the protection and security of the PRTs. Is he not, then, also admitting that the 2,200 other soldiers are busy looking for the Taliban and, therefore, are part of an aggressive mission? We have a hard time accepting this. The international community and the people of Afghanistan, I believe, have a hard time accepting this. I would ask the minister to clarify his position on the 200 new soldiers in relation to the 2,200 other soldiers.