Art Eggleton

[Foreign Affairs, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the rules were in effect when the JTF2 went over. The rules have always been in effect. They are longstanding in terms of following international law of conflict, following the Geneva conventions. That is something we are doing, that is something we expect the United States to do, that is something it is doing, and that is the policy of this government.

[Foreign Affairs, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian forces operate under very clear rules of engagement.

The JTF2, which has been in Afghanistan for approximately two months, has very clear rules of engagement. It has been following Canadian law. It has been following international law. The particular arrest in question was done in accordance with those laws.

[Foreign Affairs, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, that is not the case at all. The United States has made it clear from the beginning that it would follow international law.

There is a difference in terms of the classification of people who are prisoners of war versus those who in fact are unlawful combatants. That is to be determined by an appropriate tribunal. That is clearly the law, the law that Canada follows and the law that the United States will follow.

[Foreign Affairs, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this matter has been conducted entirely within international rules and Canadian law. We have transferred those detainees to the United States as is covered in international law. They are the ones who have to determine through a competent tribunal the status of the particular detainees. They are the ones who establish the military commissions.

All of this needs to and will be done in a fair and humane way. That has been understood right from the beginning.

[Foreign Affairs, January 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I first became aware of the possibility on Friday. It required further examination to determine whether in fact Canadians were involved. I informed the Prime Minister and my colleagues in cabinet this morning to that effect.

[National Defence, December 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at what came out of the budget. It was $1.2 billion. That helps to support our efforts in the Afghanistan campaign. It helps to support our efforts in terms of buying or upgrading capital equipment. It helps to strengthen our intelligence gathering systems. It helps to protect our critical infrastructure and emergency preparedness plan. Add this to what has already been allocated in previous budgets and we are looking at $5.1 billion over the next five years.

[National Defence, December 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the auditor general made a number of recommendations about performance measurement systems so that we could determine readiness levels and how to measure them. I have no quarrel with any of those recommendations.

I am glad the hon. member has raised that matter. It seems, through all of the rhetoric opposition members engage in, they have ignored the very useful recommendations that came from the auditor general's report, which we substantially agree with and are substantially trying to implement.

[National Defence, December 13th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously. In fact the reports from the environmental auditor have generally indicated that defence has been one of the leaders with respect to dealing with such matters. We will continue to do that on this site and on any other site. I would be happy to provide further details with respect to the Tracadie site to the hon. member.

[National Defence, December 12th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, in the Christmas spirit I must say, however, that the auditor general to my knowledge has not had military service, but the chief of defence staff has and he says that we are more combat capable than we were a decade ago.

Furthermore, what we put into the budget was, yes, $300 million for new equipment, but we have put in $1.2 billion, including additional money to help in the campaign against terrorism, over $200 million, and we also put in some $400 million in counterterrorism measures and in critical infrastructure protection and emergency preparedness, some $80 million. A lot of money was put--

[The Budget, December 11th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we would not send our troops into any theatre of operation without making sure that they have the support they need, the resources they need, the tools they need to do the job.

There could be a lot of arguments about figures. There is not a minister here who would not like to have more money. The finance minister provided $1.2 billion yesterday, much needed money, much of that going to fight in the campaign against terrorism.