Robert Bertrand

[Division No. 307, December 7th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I would like to begin with sincere thanks to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs for their work on behalf of the Canadian forces.

As hon. members are aware, enhancing the quality of life of armed forces personnel and their families constitutes the number one priority of those in charge of the department and of the Canadian forces.

There is a broad range of questions to be addressed, in particular pay raises for all levels of the military, employee benefits, and housing allowances. We strongly support the committee's efforts aimed at improvements in these areas.

The department does, however, have to meet some sizeable financial challenges if it is to make the desired changes. As the minister has said, it would be very difficult to improve the quality of life for Canadian forces personnel without raising the defence budget.

We are convinced that it would be unproductive to dig into the operating or training budgets to finance new quality of life projects, because all these components are important to operational efficiency. The committee supported this position in our report.

The department and the Canadian forces will continue to manage their resources in order to ensure a balance between these vital areas, including managing materiel as economically as possible.

The size of the Canadian forces has been reduced over the last decade, and consequently some materiel has been declared surplus to present needs. Whenever possible, the department attempts to dispose of surplus materiel, but this is a highly complex process.

In some cases, when it is cost-effective, the department tries to modernize its materiel in order to avoid costly total replacements. This is the only way we will succeed in optimizing operational efficiency and in fulfilling our commitments to all Canadians, our allies and the—

[Reform Party, December 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, there is talk of attempts at a rapprochement between the Reform Party and Mario Dumont's Parti de l'Action démocratique at a meeting to be held this coming February.

It is obvious that the Reform Party is trying every possible way to get closer to Quebec. Why not court the Parti Quebecois while they are at it?

The Reform Party cannot understand that its views on the future of Canada and of Quebec are of no interest to the people of Quebec. The Reform Party quite simply does not understand Quebec, which feels this union of the right to define the future of our country is going nowhere.

The Reform Party is totally disconnected from reality as far as Quebec is concerned. It should face up to the fact that it is wasting its time by trying to get Quebec onto its bandwagon.

[Canada-United States Days Of Peace And Friendship, December 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, our highest priority is the safety of our crews and our aircraft.

The Chief of Air defence Staff has assured the Minister of National Defence that the Labradors can fly in complete safety. The fact that problems have been detected and immediate remedial action taken speaks to the stringency of our maintenance and inspection program. The Canadian forces have high airworthiness standards, not only for the Labradors, but for all the rest of its equipment.

Since the Labrador crash in early October, it is not hard to understand why Labrador flight and maintenance crews are taking additional precautions to ensure that these aircraft are safe. They are merely showing a great deal of caution.

As the hon. member is aware, an investigation is currently under way to determine the circumstances of this crash, and it would be ill-advised to speculate at this time about the cause. It is important to allow the investigation to proceed in order to find out what caused the crash and what steps should be taken to prevent a recurrence.

It must be kept in mind that the armed forces have other aircraft besides the Labrador helicopters, among them the Hercules and the Buffalo, whose primary purpose is search and rescue.

In January 1998, the government announced hat it would buy 15 Cormorant helicopters to replace the Labradors. The first of them will be in service by 2001.

The supply strategy for replacing the old Sea Kings is under study. Leasing is one of the options we are considering as a supply strategy. As the Minister of National Defence said, he hopes to make an announcement within the year.

We still intend to provide Canadian forces with the equipment they need to carry out their missions at home and abroad.

[Quebec Election, December 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Robert Middlemiss, Mr. Réjean Lafrenière and Mr. Norman MacMillan for their great victory in the ridings of Pontiac, Gatineau and Papineau in yesterday's Quebec election. Their re-election with a comfortable majority proves that the people in these ridings want a strong Quebec in a united Canada.

I assure the people of Pontiac, Gatineau and Papineau that their federal member of parliament will work tirelessly with his provincial counterparts to guarantee that this beautiful region of ours remains forever in a united Canada.

[Jacques Parizeau, November 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, former PQ leader Jacques Parizeau on his way through the Outaouais region yesterday wanted to pull a fast one on the media.

The old rascal wanted to talk about independence, but behind closed doors. His approach raised the ire of the media, and the doors were opened immediately.

Mr. Parizeau finally spoke the truth about the separatists' strategy. Both he and the PQ say they are interested only in federal government money. Jacques Parizeau has finally cut through the smoke screen over separatist strategies.

We must give him credit: he finally revealed the truth of the PQ strategy.

A vote for the PQ is a vote for the referendum. It is a vote for separation.

[Quebec Election Campaign, November 25th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party is right to maintain that a vote for the PQ is a vote for the separation of Quebec. By voting for the leader of the PQ, Quebeckers would be making the mistake of giving him everything he needs to initiate the separation process.

The PQ leader is a secretive person. Quebeckers should be wary of him, for the sake of national unity. On November 30, let us not take any chances, let us vote for the Liberals.

[Quebec Election Campaign, November 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, less than a week before the people of Quebec make a crucial decision concerning the future of Quebec and of Canada, the PQ definitely seems to have decided to go for a referendum, while the Liberal Party has chosen to stand for economic growth and job creation.

On November 30, Quebeckers must vote for the Liberal Party in order to ensure political stability in coming years.

The Liberal victory on November 30 will put Quebec back to work to improve quality of life for Quebeckers.

On November 30, I will be voting Liberal.

[Central America, November 20th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canada and the Canadian forces have a long tradition of rendering assistance to populations in need following natural disasters. We have deployed to Honduras the disaster assistance response team and four Griffon helicopters. We are also involved in the transport of humanitarian aid to the Honduras and Nicaragua.

Approximately 300 Canadian forces personnel are now stationed in Honduras, including doctors, nurses, engineers and security personnel. The Minister of National Defence will travel to Honduras on Sunday. He will visit our personnel in La Ceiba and Sonaguera and assess the situation in the region where our Canadian forces are deployed.

[Election Campaign In Quebec, November 20th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, another twist from Lucien Bouchard: social union comes first, ahead of the referendum. A bit of an outlandish trick.

I have greater faith in the Quebec Liberal Party's improving the Canadian federation. The winning condition for Quebec's economic growth is a vote for the Liberals.

The Quebec government will be paralyzed for the next four years under the PQ, which wants to hold endless referendums.

Lucien Bouchard does not know what else to do, but hold referendums.

[Election Campaign In Quebec, November 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Parti Quebecois has had yet another change of heart.

He now agrees to return to the federal-provincial negotiating table to entrench in the Constitution the right to opt out with full compensation with respect to the social union pact made by the provinces.

How baffling, given that it is well known that separation is PQ leader Lucien Bouchard's top priority. Such expediency on the part of a leader who slurps at everyone's trough. How stylish of someone who boasts about knowing where he is going.

Let us be clear: a vote for the Parti Quebecois is truly a vote for Quebec's separation from the rest of Canada, a vote for another referendum.