Mr. Speaker, the minister had been warned there were barely enough helicopters to meet basic search and rescue requirements.
Our search and rescue response standard of two hours is the worst in the world. Replacing our 50-year-old fixed-wing SAR aircraft is stalled because of government mismanagement. The government is closing down rescue centres in Quebec and St. John's, and the closest SAR helicopter to the Arctic is in Ontario.
Why will the minister not fix search and rescue in Canada instead of using SAR assets as personal transportation?