I will refer, Mr. Chair, to the estimates, page 169. It shows main estimates this year of $18.6 billion versus the main estimates last year of $18.9 billion. That is a $300-million shortfall, so that is a cut. There is $3.7 billion not being spent that is needed right now on equipment that we need right now. That is a cut.
The national defence committee has been doing its work on the defence policy review and looking at the defence of North America. Jaime Pitfield appeared in committee, who is the assistant deputy minister of infrastructure and environment. As we looked back at 1994 and the lessons learned from the Liberal decade of darkness then, we saw base closures across this country.
ADM Pitfield said the following:
One thing we're looking for is to densify bases. Right now they sprawl and are very expensive to operate. We will be putting like functions with like functions....
I find it strange that in the national defence committee, members of the Liberal Party keep raising the issue that Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake should be moved over to Comox.
My question to the minister is this. Is the government looking at shutting down bases and consolidating some of our assets?