House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 57% of the vote.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the media has full access at the beginning of the event in Kandahar. They have access, depending upon the families, at the funeral or ceremonies. They do not need access when the bodies are arriving.
There is nothing being hidden, and every detail of every incident is known, so this is a false allegation.
The families will get their privacy at Trenton. Then it will be up to the families to decide what they want to do at the funerals.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, as has been said a number of times, the media has full access at the point of origin in Kandahar. They have access, depending upon the families' desires, at the funerals and ceremonies. They will not have direct access in Trenton. This is a moment when the families first receive the coffins. It is a very personal moment and we will protect their rights.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I just explained the policy. I will be, where I can, at the reception in Trenton of any bodies coming back from operations, as will the Chief of Defence Staff.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we are not following anybody's process but our own. As explained, at the point of origin in Kandahar, the media has full access to the events. They can interview people and they can show the coffins being loaded on the aircraft.
At Trenton it is a private affair, where the families for the first time meet their loved ones. It is a time of personal grief, and no media will be allowed on the base. In the third stage, at funerals and ceremonies, the media can attend in any number, according to the families' wishes.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the policy has been stated a number of times in Parliament. We will stay with our policy.
National Defence April 27th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, no, I will not. The government recognizes a tradition of 80 years, where the flag on the Peace Tower was lowered on Remembrance Day to commemorate all the deaths in all the wars and all the operations, and we will continue that practice.
Within the defence department, we will lower the flag at national defence headquarters, at the original base where the soldier or airman or sailor died, and at the home base. On the day of the funerals, we will lower the flags in all the units of their environment.
National Defence Act April 27th, 2006
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-7, An Act to amend the National Defence Act.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
National Defence April 26th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the government is not back-tracking on any commitments to the north. We will fulfill all of them.
Specifically on Goose Bay, we will deploy a rapid reaction battalion in Goose Bay and we will put a UAV squadron in Goose Bay. We have also said that Goose Bay will remain as a vital face within the defence department and it will continue so all the employees continue to have jobs.
National Defence April 26th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we also hear conflicting advice from people and we understand that there are two sides to the issue. However our policy, to be fair to everyone from now and into the future, is that if members of the press are at the place of origin they can have access and, depending upon the wishes of the family, members of the press can be at the funeral or the ceremonies honouring the dead.
However when the bodies arrive in Trenton it will be a private affair where those families grieve for the first time coming face to face with the bodies of their loved ones.
National Defence April 26th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, on the matter of repatriating our fallen soldiers, our policy is that members of the press have full access to the ceremonies at the place of origin, which is the ramp in Kandahar. However when the bodies are received at Trenton it is a private ceremony of grief.
After being there yesterday when the four bodies were received and seeing all the families, it is most appropriate that it be a private affair.
On the third stage, when they have funerals and when they have ceremonies members of the press can attend.