Art Eggleton

[National Defence, April 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian forces and the chief of defence staff have talked with their counterparts in the United States, and the hon. member simply has it wrong. This kind of device that he has read about in the newspaper is in fact in the experimental stage.

We have a research and development program in which we have many things at the experimental stage as well. However the device has not been deployed and is not being used in this operation. It is still experimental.

[National Defence, April 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, first, these enhanced locators or electronic indicators are not being deployed by the United States in Afghanistan. They are still in an experimental stage and still in research and development.

We have said right from the very beginning to the chief of the defence staff and to the commanders in the field that whatever our troops need to reduce the risk to them, this government will provide. This government will give all of the support that is necessary to our troops in Afghanistan.

[National Defence, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, all of this equipment is equipment that is not available in any other way. It needs to be installed to bring the Challengers up to the same level as the other ones we have in the inventory.

[National Defence, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this does not in any way detract from any of these other projects.

The Sea King project is moving ahead. There will be an announcement as to the replacement for the Sea Kings before the year is out. Meanwhile, the Sea Kings which have been given upgrades are doing terrific service in the Arabian gulf.

The Challengers are replacements for two older Challengers. They are not luxury Challengers. They will have a longer range and will be more fuel efficient. They do make sense and they have been purchased for those reasons.

[National Defence, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the board of inquiry will work it out and it will work it out with its American counterparts.

Mr. Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense, just said within the last hour that there would be full co-operation on all these matters. I do not anticipate that we will have any difficulty getting the information that is necessary to determine what happened and what steps can be taken to reduce the risks in future.

[National Defence, April 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the board of inquiry has been given all the terms of reference, very extensive terms of reference, to do an effective job in finding the information necessary.

The United States has indicated full co-operation. It will also have a board. We will have very substantial involvement in that board as well. I believe we will get the information that is necessary to find out what happened and to try to do something to reduce the risks of it happening again.

[Question No. 119—, April 19th, 2002]

Total expenditures on the Victoria class submarines as of March 11, 2002 were $472.31 million.

Current plans anticipate the first two submarines becoming operational in 2004 and the last two boats in 2005.

[Tabling of Documents, April 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, two days ago, in response to a question from the opposition leader and others, I referred to some figures relevant to the purchase of the two new Challengers.

I would like to table that document, in both official languages, as I indicated I would.

[National Defence, April 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the right hon. member they will receive all of the support they should get under the circumstances of these troops operating in a combat zone. There is a special duty area designation which is currently in the process of being put in place. It will be put in place and the remuneration and all of the benefits that are associated with special duty areas will be made retroactive to the beginning of this mission.

[National Defence, April 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, if we knew all the answers to that, we probably would not need a board of inquiry. We do need a board of inquiry to get to the truth of the matter and to understand thoroughly what has happened.

The answers are not available to those matters and the board of inquiry will seek them out. That is its duty.