Madam Speaker, I want to say to the member for Winnipeg North that it could have been a paraphrase in a newspaper based on discussions with local MPs.
However, at the same time, if the government cares about the men and women who are serving in the Armed Forces, it should support them and their families with the proper pay. It is unbelievable that there are members who sit on the other side in the government who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and who are not out there advocating to correct this wrong. All members who serve, especially when deployed in operations, deserve to have the full suite of benefits provided to them as hardship pay and allowances. That danger pay is necessary not only for their own personal well-being and recognition of the sacrifice and danger that they are facing, but in support of the military families at home, the enablers of our men and women in uniform.
Therefore, I have to say this. The member should do the right thing: put his mouth to the ear of the President of the Treasury Board, the Minister of National Defence, and the Minister of Finance, reverse this terrible decision, and support our troops, because they are in harm's way because of the high terrorist threat activity that exists in Kuwait.