Jean Rioux

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, veterans are definitely one of our government's key priorities. As my colleague said so well, we owe a debt to the men and women who have served their country.

We are committed to reducing the complexity of the processes, overhauling service delivery, and strengthening partnerships between the two departments. The Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada are working closely to facilitate the transition of Canadian Armed Forces members to civilian life. The department is also committed to hiring veterans who are eligible for jog opportunities in the public service. In fact, medically released veterans are eligible for priority hiring within the public service.

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, in answering my previous question, the minister spoke about domestic operations in which the Canadian Armed Forces were engaged. I would like to ask him about the international operations of the Canadian Armed Forces. Our military has always punched above its weight when it is deployed, and it does great work abroad.

Could the minister provide more details on the important work our military personnel has been doing around the world, working closely with our allies and partners?

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, in his opening remarks, the minister spoke about the numerous activities of the Canadian Armed Forces and determined the work they had been doing at home. I think Canadians want to know more about what our military is doing to protect them.

Could the minister provide more details on the important work the military personnel has been doing on behalf of Canadians?

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, the minister is right in saying that our most important asset is our military personnel, but without the proper equipment, Canadian Armed Forces members will not be able to accomplish their mission. To support them in the tremendous work they accomplish every day, they need the best tools.

Could the minister inform the House about what the Department of National Defence is doing to give our men and women the equipment they need?

[Business of Supply, May 29th, 2017]

Mr. Chair, I think we all agree that providing support in caring for our men and women in uniform is and should always be a priority. The minister touched briefly on that in his opening remarks.

Our Canadian Armed Forces members are our most important asset, and we greatly value their dedication to our country. Could the minister provide more detail about what the Department of National Defence is doing to support our military personnel?

[National Defence, May 19th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, that is why we are looking at the possibility of acquiring an interim fleet of 18 Super Hornet fighters to supplement the CF-18 fleet until the permanent replacements arrive.

With these measures, Canadians can rest assured that our short- and long-term defence needs will always be met.

[Veterans Affairs, May 19th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, all men and women who serve their country deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their sex or background. We are pleased with the progress that is being made by the Canadian Armed Forces in eliminating sexual misconduct. Professional measures are taken to deal with offenders, robust training programs have been implemented, reports of sexual misconduct that were deemed unfounded in the past are currently being reviewed, and most importantly, victims are getting more support.

[National Defence, May 18th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. In recognition of the critical and dangerous work that Canadian soldiers do around the world, all members of the military who are deployed overseas as part of a recognized operation will have their salaries exempted from federal income tax. This exemption will apply to salaries up to the pay level of lieutenant-colonel and will be retroactive to January 1, 2017. What is more, it will not have any impact on the assessment and awarding of hardship and risk allowances.

[National Defence, May 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the minister apologized in the House for what he said, but I get the distinct impression that, even if he apologized 10 or 100 times, it would never be enough for the members opposite.

As I mentioned earlier, I have the privilege of working with the minister on a regular, if not daily, basis. Last Friday, I had the opportunity to accompany him on an extended tour of Quebec's flooded areas. I saw him talk with many members of our Canadian Armed Forces. Everywhere we went, the minister was greeted by our troops with respect and enthusiasm. The connection between them was obvious.

I know that the minister has a good understanding of the needs of our troops and the challenges they face. I also know that the members of our military trust him because they know that, like them, he served our country. They know that they can always count on him to help them better carry out their missions.

The minister has the support of our troops, his colleagues, and the Prime Minister, and he has promised to do great things for our country and the armed forces.

[National Defence, May 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her question.

As I had the opportunity to emphasize Monday, May 8, 2017, in the House, I have spent the past few months working with the Minister of National Defence, and I have been a privileged witness to his integrity and the determination with which he discharges his mandate.

The primary responsibility of the minister, and of our government, is to ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces have the training, equipment, and support they need to carry out the missions they are assigned here in Canada and around the world.

Over the last year and a half, our minister has sought to achieve this very objective. It is what he strives to do every day. The Minister of National Defence is working to discharge that mandate with the greatest respect for our men and women in uniform.

That being said, the member opposite is questioning his expertise and his role during Operation Medusa. The minister has admitted that he made a mistake in describing his role. He retracted that statement and apologized in the House.

The minister's comments were in no way meant to diminish the role of his former senior officers and comrades-in-arms. He gave them a heartfelt apology. The minister is proud to have served as part of an extraordinary team of Canadian, American, and Afghan soldiers who successfully carried out Operation Medusa. His commanding officer in Afghanistan, General Fraser, considered him to be one of the best intelligence officers he ever worked with.

He said:

He was the best single Canadian intelligence asset in theatre, and his hard work, personal bravery, and dogged determination undoubtedly saved a multitude of Coalition lives. Through his courage and dedication, [the minister] has single-handedly changed the face of intelligence gathering and analysis in Afghanistan.

He went on to say:

He tirelessly and selflessly devoted himself to piecing together the ground truth on tribal and Taliban networks in the Kandahar area, and his analysis was so compelling that it drove a number of large scale theatre-resourced efforts, including Operation Medusa...

Retired Colonel Chris Vernon of the British army said:

You know, without [the minister's] input as a critical player, major player, a pivotal player I'd say, Medusa wouldn't have happened. We wouldn't have the intelligence and the tribal picture to put the thing together.

The Minister of National Defence made a tremendous contribution in his deployments to Afghanistan and is currently making an even greater contribution within our government.

Over the past 18 months, he has contributed to significantly changing our mission in Iraq, and this mission is producing solid results. He launched the most ambitious defence policy review in the past 20 years. He established solid and effective ties with all our allies, including within NATO and especially with our American neighbours, our most important military and economic partner.

With the help of his cabinet colleagues, he made major improvements to the procurement process.

I am proud of what he has accomplished and I am happy to work by his side. With the help of the minister's vision, leadership, and hard work, I am confident that our government will ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces have the tools and funding they need.