Mr. Speaker, of course the Department of National Defence is doing its part to ensure the efficient and effective use of public funds.
This is all about generating savings for Canadians, and a major part of those savings with respect to readiness will be achieved through efficiencies gained, which were announced in budget 2012, and streamlining of contracting processes, internal processes, while maintaining the regular and reserve force strength.
However, when it comes to the issue of the decade of darkness, I would have to defer completely to that member who was part of the government that brought that decade into being.