Art Eggleton

[National Defence, October 21st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have not used depleted uranium. Our CF-18s did not use depleted uranium when they were involved in Kosovo.

We have taken steps to ensure the safety of our troops in that area. They are given personal radioactivity dosimeters and other steps are taken to ensure that their safety and health are looked after.

At the same time scientific studies to this point have not indicated that depleted uranium and illnesses including cancer are in fact related.

[National Defence, October 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does not seem to understand any of the answers he gets.

I have said quite clearly that following the law and the regulations is first and foremost. I said at the same time that this information goes out I would like to know about it so that I can respond to questions from hon. members in the House, or the media or the public. I think that is fair, that we would be able to be fully accountable and I am fully accountable for what happens in my department.

[National Defence, October 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated yesterday that is absolutely wrong.

First and foremost I want the laws, whether they are privacy or access to information laws, to be fully complied with by the Department of National Defence. I issued a very clear instruction back on April 6 to that effect.

The privacy commissioner in his report yesterday indicated that had been done. Also yesterday the privacy commissioner indicated in his report that great progress had been made with respect to the Department of National Defence answering these very matters and ensuring that we abide by the law.

[National Defence, October 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the member has it all wrong. If the member wants the letter from me to the department and to my staff indicating exactly the opposite, I am quite happy to provide it.

[National Defence, October 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that people get the access to information they are entitled to just as quickly as they can.

I only asked that I be informed so that I could respond to any concerns that might be raised by members of the House or by the public. I certainly have made it very clear to the Department of National Defence and to all my staff that access to information regulations are to be fully followed and information is to be provided as quickly as possible. That is being done.

[East Timor, October 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the only reason the ground troops have not been in there earlier is because of the need for inoculation from a very deadly disease. Would the hon. member have us send our troops in and risk their lives? No, we would not do that. We want to make sure they are properly protected to be of service to the people of East Timor.

The Australians are very anxious for us to get there. We are getting there just as quickly as we can. We will get there at the same time as the New Zealanders and they are right next door.

[East Timor, October 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, first of all we do have troops in East Timor. In fact, the air crews in the Hercules have flown some 40 missions. They have taken troops. They have taken humanitarian aid. They have been going in and out of East Timor. They have had one of the highest levels of use of transport aircraft of any of the allied countries involved.

Second, HMCS Protector will again bring more supplies. It will be docking shortly and will be in full service. Today our troops in Valcartier are on their way to East Timor. They will be training with the New Zealanders and going in at the same time as the New Zealanders.

[National Defence, October 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that one aircraft took a number of attempts to get off to the mission in East Timor. I must say that it was the high maintenance standards of our crew that ensured that the safety of our personnel was of paramount importance.

When the plane was fixed it did get off. It was one of the earliest to arrive in East Timor and it has provided terrific service to the allied troops that are there.

In addition, it is going through an upgrade. The avionics and navigation systems are going through an upgrade in the last couple of years and over the next couple of years so that they will continue to provide excellent service.

[Canadian Forces, June 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this is a pioneering effort in our department and within the context of a military organization for us in Canada. We want to make sure that we get this office set up so it is able to do an effective and good job and that we get the terms of reference right.

When the ombudsman came forward with a set of recommendations, many of them involved other departments and other areas of jurisdiction outside the control of the Minister of National Defence. It has taken some time to process that through. I think we are getting to the end of that discussion and I expect to have that office up and operating very shortly.

[Kosovo, June 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, that matter is still under consideration. There are a number of aspects of it that require examination, including what would fit in with the team in Kosovo.

There are many countries contributing to the NATO core UN authorized team. They need to provide complementary skills and roles. We are looking to see what is possible in that regard.

Let me at the same time say that those who have been there to this point in time, particularly those who have contributed to task force Aviano, have done an absolutely superb job. They have done Canada proud.