Gordon O'Connor

[National Defence, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I have to say this but we have made no decision. However, I want to point out that in 13 years the previous government only approved three projects: used submarines, light armoured vehicles and the maritime helicopter. That is the performance of that government.

[National Defence, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I really must be dealing with the Forest Gump of critics.

The government will make a decision on any aircraft or any other purchases when it is appropriate and then the decisions will be announced.

[National Defence, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, no decision has been made on equipment. When a decision is made the House will be informed if it is in session and the public will be informed of that decision.

[Official Languages, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, again the member from the Bloc misrepresents what is going on in the military. In fact, in the military, francophones are represented in a higher proportion than in the overall population. We are going to implement our strategic language plan, which is coming within the next few months and which will satisfy these requirements.

Let me remind the questioner that the Liberals were in power for 13 years and they did squat.

[Official Languages, June 12th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I think the leader of Bloc is misrepresenting the position of the defence department. We will be bringing out a strategic language policy within the next few months that will give objectives of this department to achieve, which will satisfy these requirements.

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 7th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, due to operational requirements and taking into account section 15(1) of the Access to Information Act, information regarding the current status of detainees apprehended by Canadian Forces elements in Afghanistan, as well as to which authorities these individuals were transferred, is not releasable to the public.

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 7th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is as follows:

a) During its deployment in Afghanistan, between October 2001 and May 2006, the Canadian Forces have participated in 404 restoration or development projects.

b) 332 projects are deemed completed.

c) Approximately 72 projects are at various stages of completion.

d) The nature of these projects includes: community water access; medical facility renovation; medical equipment provision; medical supplies provision; road construction; bridges construction; school construction; school supplies; fire hall construction; support to non-governmental organizations; small business case development; widow training programs; water infrastructure; sanitation projects; provision of quality of life supplies; support to Afghan national security forces; support to orphanages; playground construction and renovation; miscellaneous.

e) The Canadian Forces projects were centered in and around Kabul and Kandahar city areas.

f) Though not all projects are surveyed on a regular basis to confirm their serviceability there is no evidence or reports of any of these projects being attacked by insurgents.

[National Defence, June 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said previously, we have not made any decisions with respect to equipment.

Let me point out that the member voted against the military. He has no interest in the military. He knows nothing about the military, so he is a hypocrite to be standing up here and talking about the military.

[National Defence, June 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made no decisions on any equipment, as I have said a number of times in this House, but I would like to quote the member, who had a press conference yesterday. He said:

The Conservatives campaigned on strategic airlift acquisitions. Once in government, they refuse to deviate from their political platform.

I can understand why somebody from the Liberal Party would say something like that, because they deviate from their platforms all the time.

[National Defence, June 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is dealing in theoreticals. We have not made a decision on projects. When we do, there will be industrial benefits. All major projects involve industrial benefits.