Art Eggleton

[Ice Storm, February 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, at the peak of this storm over three million Canadians were affected by it. Life is returning to normal for most of them. However there still are some 11,000 customers in Quebec, some 25,000 people without power. There are some 600 Canadian forces members still there and they will stay there until the lights come on to assist people who are still suffering from this devastation.

At the peak of this storm, 15,800 military personnel were in service to their fellow Canadians. I am sure everybody in this House will agree with me when I say that they did an exceptional job and we are very proud of them.

[Canadian Armed Forces, February 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this study that the committee is conducting is a very high priority for me. I believe that our armed forces personnel and their families are entitled to a decent standard of living. Their social and economic needs should be met.

They are people who put their lives on the line, people who gave such exceptional service to their fellow Canadians in the ice storm. We should ensure that they in fact have a standard of living and a quality of life that is no different from the people they serve in this country.

[Helicopters, February 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the botch-up clearly comes from the previous Conservative government.

This government inherited a $5.8 billion contract that the Canadian people could not afford. It was much more than we could afford and much more than we needed.

We have reviewed the needs and have come back with 15 search and rescue helicopters at a lot cheaper price and at a time when we can better afford it.

With a $42 billion deficit we could not afford that $5.8 billion boondoggle. The government has taken its position on this matter in a very responsible fashion.

[Helicopters, February 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this is based on good equipment for our Canadian forces. We went through a very fair and rigorous process. This is the helicopter that best meets our needs at an affordable price.

What the hon. member's colleague was trying to do earlier in his $200 million calculation or miscalculation was to compare apples and oranges, to compare a contract with a company that was for an incomplete helicopter versus the contract with that company today which is for more of a complete, operational and certified helicopter that meets our search and rescue needs.

[Helicopters, February 3rd, 1998]

Again, Mr. Speaker, those figures are absolutely wrong.

When we talk about this kind of service to Canadians let us bear in mind we are talking about saving lives. We wanted to make sure that we had a helicopter that was going to meet operational needs and do it at a price that Canadians could afford.

We could not afford the $5.8 billion boondoggle the Conservative government wanted to put us through. We had a heavy deficit at that time. We could not afford it.

Today we are getting a helicopter that meets our needs and it is a lot cheaper.

[Helicopters, February 3rd, 1998]

I am afraid, Mr. Speaker, the bare bones are over in the opposition because its research is not very good at all.

Its members are trying to compare a developmental helicopter that was ordered by the Conservative government to be in an incomplete form turned over to another company for further development. They are taking the price to EH Industries at that time which was not for a complete helicopter. What we are buying today is a complete helicopter so there is absolutely no comparison between the two.

We are still saving some 40% in costs from what the Conservative government would have put us through.

[Iraq, February 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, first of all there has been no request. If such a request was received, it would have to be given serious consideration. What would be sent if that became a reality would depend on the nature of the mission, the nature of the military action.

The Canadian forces do have rapidly deployable units which are capable of moving on very short notice. However as has been said by my colleague and by the prime minister, the hope is that Saddam Hussein will come to his senses and abide by the UN Security Council resolution and that a diplomatic resolution will be found.

[Helicopters, February 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should look at the contract. The contract has yet to be signed. It is in the final negotiation.

When he sees the contract and the price he will see that in fact we have bought the best operational helicopter to meet our needs. We have bought it at a price that is far less than what the Conservative government would have paid for it previously.

[Helicopters, February 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not the case. I noticed in one of the newspapers today a report about an unsigned, unattributable document that has a lot of nonsensical information. That is probably what the hon. member is having a look at.

The fact is we could not afford the helicopter deal at that time with a $42 billion deficit. We could not afford the extra equipment on that helicopter. Today we have one that is 40% cheaper.

[Search And Rescue, December 11th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, it is a hypothetical question. We are dealing with the matter as quickly as possible.

We recognize the need for proper search and rescue helicopters. We have good equipment now. We have people who operate it and do an excellent job. There is no doubt that we are going to need new helicopters and we need them soon.