Mr. Chair, the mission in Afghanistan has operated for almost a decade. In that time, the Canadian Forces and whole-of-government effort has had challenges and many successes.
One of the challenges that the Canadian Forces and ISAF have faced is the continuing threat of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. IEDs are cheap to produce and easy to use. They require few material resources, but they have been deadly tools for Taliban insurgents who wish to kill our troops.
This government remains committed to protecting the lives and effectiveness of our Canadian Forces. As part of that commitment, the Prime Minister established the Manley panel several years ago to make recommended changes to going forward in Afghanistan and the extension of the mission. One of those suggested changes was the acquisition of medium lift helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, in Afghanistan.
As the Manley report stated:
To better ensure the safety and effectiveness of the Canadian contingent, the Government should also secure medium helicopter lift capacity and high-performance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance before February 2009.
I am proud to say that our government kept that commitment. It is also clear that Chinook helicopters, UAVs and Leopard tanks have saved lives in Afghanistan: the lives of our troops, our allies, our diplomats and Afghan civilians.
Could the minister provide to the House some additional information on how the government's actions have aided our troops and made a difference in our operational capability and capacity in Afghanistan, and how the utility of Chinook helicopters in Afghanistan has shown what a valuable asset they will be to Canada in the future?