Bill Graham

[National Defence, March 11th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of speculation because the Canadian Forces are reorganizing heavily across the country. This is an essential exercise. That said, however, we have no intention of reducing personnel or equipment at the Bagotville base, which is a key air force base and will remain so.

I hope the hon. member will agree with me when I say that, in order to improve efficiency, the Canadian Forces must be reorganized. That is all we are talking about right now.

[Tobacco Products, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP carefully monitors trends in order to develop and implement effective enforcement strategies and to deploy the appropriate resources. Law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border work together to curtail the illegal movement of tobacco products.

It is totally inaccurate to make the proposal of the hon. member. In fact, the RCMP and its partners, both domestic and international, combat the illicit tobacco market through crime prevention, monitoring and enforcement activities. They shall continue to do that.

[National Defence, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, that is a totally outrageous and divisive analogy to take in this House to try and divide one part of Canada from another. It is typical of that party, divide the country and make us all fight one another.

What we are doing in the Department of National Defence with the cooperation of Industry Canada and with my colleague in the Department of Public Works is to work on these contracts to make sure they are the best contracts for our defence forces, the best contracts in the interests of our forces and in the interests of our country. We will do that.

Treasury Board is examining this contract. The award will be made this spring, but it will be made in the national interests, not narrow parochial interests that the member is--

[*Question No. 63, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is as follows: a) and b) No charges were laid as a result of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service, CFNIS, investigation into the coffee-tampering allegation. Charges under most of the provisions of the National Defence Act, including section 129, Act to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline of the Canadian Forces), were barred by a three-year statutory limitation period. It was determined that there was an insufficient evidentiary basis to lay charges under the Criminal Code or other provisions of the National Defence Act that were not covered by the three-year limitation period.

On June 20, 2000, the Chief of the Defence Staff directed that a special career review board be convened to look at the members identified in the first CFNIS investigation report as well as personnel in the in-theatre unit chain of command for 11 Platoon, D Company, 2 Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, PPCLI. It looked at approximately 70 members in total. At the conclusion of the review, the Director General Military Careers placed one member on counseling and probation and issued a recorded warning to seven others. These eight members are still serving in the Canadian Forces.

c) The Department of National Defence learned of the allegation through a confidential informant on August 2, 1999. The information was relayed to the CFNIS on August 3 and a decision to inform Mr. Stopford was made the same day. Mr. Stopford was informed of the allegation for the first time on August 4. The delay reflects the time it took the CFNIS officer to travel to Mr. Stopford's home.

d) The Crown has made two offers to settle to Mr. Stopford, one in June 2004 and one in October 2004. These offers take into account the fact that Mr. Stopford is in receipt of a wide range of benefits from the Government of Canada. In addition, the Department of National Defence worked with Mr. Stopford, notably in facilitating his trip to the Mayo Clinic to ensure he would receive adequate treatment.

[Question No. 65, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows:

a) The total cost of the HMCS Fredericton docking work period, 23 April to 10 September 2004, including work arisings, was $7.35 million.

b) The docking work period is complete. HMCS Fredericton is now in a “technical readiness phase” designed to bring the ship up to maximum operational readiness, that is, trials, training, and second level maintenance.

c) National Defence conducted an extensive search of the records and did not find evidence of any technicians from France involved in the docking work period for HMCS Fredericton between 23 April and 10 September 2004.

It should be noted that National Defence contracts, as well as those contracts issued by the Department of Public Works and Government Services on behalf of National Defence, permit subcontracting. It is ultimately the prime contractor that decides whether or not to subcontract. Since the Crown is not privy to these subcontracts, no contractual relationship is created between the Crown and third party subcontractors. As a result, records are neither created nor retained by National Defence concerning contractual arrangements between a prime contractor and its subcontractors.

d) The “work arisings” cost for HMCS Fredericton was approximately 23%, which is typical for Halifax class ships.

[Question No. 64, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, in responding to parts a) through d), the Department of National Defence applied the following definitions. First, “engaged” refers to workers employed in performing physical work on site onboard Canadian navy vessels. Second, “foreign national” refers to all non-Canadian citizens. Finally, only contractors directly contracted by the Department were solicited for information and only with respect to their own employees. National Defence contracts (as well as those contracts issued by the Department of Public Works and Government Services on behalf of National Defence) permit subcontracting. It is ultimately the prime contractor that decides whether or not to subcontract. Since the Crown is not privy to these subcontracts, no contractual relationship is created between the Crown and third party subcontractors. As a result, records are neither created nor retained by National Defence concerning contractual arrangements between a prime contractor and its subcontractors.

a) On 27 January 2005, 18 foreign nationals were working on repairing, upgrading, or refitting Canadian navy vessels on the east coast of Canada.

b) The 18 foreign nationals were working on the following ships:

a. HMCS Fredericton – 15

b. HMCS Halifax – 1

c. Two other foreign nationals are dividing their time between HMCS Fredericton and HMCS Charlottetown, half days on each ship.

c) The country of origin of the 18 foreign nationals was as follows:

a. HMCS Frederiction - 8 Portuguese, 5 French, and 2 British

b. HMCS Halifax – 1 American

c. The two other foreign nationals dividing their time between HMCS Fredericton and HMCS Charlottetown, half days on each ship, were, respectively, British and of unknown origin, the country was not specified by the employer, Canadian Maritime Engineering.

d) The following foreign-owned corporations have employees engaged in the repairing, upgrading or refitting of Canadian navy vessels on the east coast of Canada: SEMT Pielstick, and L3 Wescam. All other companies employing foreign nationals in the repairing, upgrading or refitting of Canadian navy vessels on the east coast of Canada are Canadian owned.

[Canadian Forces, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to be present this morning at the ceremony when the Governor General presented the Pearson Peace Medal to Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire. I was touched by his dignity and his simplicity as he received this much deserved honour and recognition for his service not only to Canada but to the world. As force commander in Rwanda he risked his life daily for those of others, and he represented the best of Canada and of Canadians.

I am proud to say that there are more than 1,500 Canadian Forces members around the world following in General Dallaire's footsteps as they work in Afghanistan, Bosnia, the Golan Heights and elsewhere in the world, bringing stability and allowing people to work in peace and develop democracies.

[National Defence, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for his interest in the aeronautical industry in Montreal.

I am proud to announce today that the government has chosen Top Aces Consulting of Montreal to provide flight training services to the Canadian Forces. This $93 million contract will significantly improve the quality of flight training provided to the members of our military family.

This is great news for the Canadian Forces and great news for the aeronautical industry in Montreal.

[Canadian Forces, March 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this is precisely what we did by commissioning that report. We looked into the situation. We spoke with members of the forces, and I can assure the hon. member that our servicewomen are proud and happy to be members of the armed forces. We will continue to improve their position in the forces.

I am certainly proud of the place women occupy in our forces. I am certain that, if the member accompanied me, and even if he accompanied some servicewomen, he would find, as I did, that they are quite happy to belong to our forces.

[Canadian Forces, March 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the proof lies in the fact that the report referred to by my colleague was commissioned by the army itself. The Canadian Forces wanted to know exactly what the problems are and they are the ones rectifying them.

If the hon. member wants to accompany me to where the Canadian Forces are, and the women of the Canadian Forces are, in Kabul, in Bosnia, in Haiti and all the other places where men and women are serving side by side, he would be pleased to see that our servicewomen consider themselves full-fledged members of our forces and are proud to belong to the Canadian armed forces.