Jean Rioux

[Multiculturalism, February 21st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome to Parliament Hill and pay tribute to Hassan Guillet, the imam of the mosque in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. La Presse named him person of the week.

I thank Mr. Guillet for the words of peace that he shared with us on Sunday at the Saint-Jean-l'Évangéliste cathedral. His rallying call to the people of the world was one of mutual respect. We need to be more open and accepting.

Dear colleagues, Canada is a welcoming, tolerant country built on community spirit. Diversity is our strength, and respect is one of our key values. Our country is a cultural mosaic that gets richer and more inclusive every day. Last week, we discussed in the House Motion No. 103, which condemns Islamophobia and all forms of racism and religious discrimination.

Let us work together and unite our voices to make tomorrow even better.

[National Defence, February 16th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

We will always look after our troops. Last year, during his first visit to Kuwait, the Minister of National Defence was made aware of these inequities. He asked the chief of the defence staff to look into the matter.

An interdepartmental team is handling it. We have specific rules. We will move this file forward, and we will work with the appropriate organizations to build on all relevant recommendations.

[National Defence, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the government is being open and transparent about this mission, but it would never do anything to put our troops in danger.

Daesh has proven in the past that its fighters care not only about what is done, but also about what is said. We will therefore continue to communicate what can be communicated, and we intend to keep confidential what needs to be confidential. I repeat, we will continue to act openly, while taking into account any risks that we could be inadvertently exposing our troops to.

Canada will continue to work with our local and international partners and allies in order to defeat Daesh and bring peace and stability to the region. We will continue to inform Canadians of the progress made in the fight against Daesh.

I would like to reiterate once again just how proud we are of the progress made to date and of the role played by our soldiers in the global fight to defeat Daesh. Our military personnel continue to provide extraordinary support to the coalition.

[National Defence, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to discuss Operation Impact.

Let me explain our mission. I will be completely transparent. Our government decided to invest $1.6 billion in security, stabilization, humanitarian aid, and development assistance in that region. The work Canadian Armed Forces members are doing in carrying out that mission is very difficult, and I am extremely proud of what they have accomplished so far.

Thanks to their tireless work and dedication, they have played an important role in making the Iraqi security forces more effective in the fight against Daesh.

Since fall 2014, our special forces personnel have trained more than 2,000 members of the Iraqi special forces. Our military personnel are there to advise and assist the security forces. Our personnel are advising Iraqi security forces on their operational and tactical planning. We are also providing Iraqi security forces with key tools such as increased intelligence capabilities.

Since October, Iraqi security forces have been actively engaging Daesh in their campaign to liberate Mosul. To date, Iraqi security forces have retaken approximately 62% of the territory once controlled by Daesh in Iraq and have liberated 115 cities and towns. Our advise and assist role has become increasingly important to the Iraqi security forces' success.

On top of those efforts, we have increased our intelligence capability in order to better protect our forces and our partners' forces. We have also deployed Griffon helicopters to transport troops and equipment. In addition, we will continue to support the air task force by conducting air-to-air refuelling sorties and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.

In terms of medical assistance, we are proud to say that beginning in November 2016, the Canadian Armed Forces assumed the lead of the Coalition Role 2 medical facility in Northern Iraq. The team is made up of doctors, nurses, medical technicians, lab technicians, and diagnostic imaging technologists, as well as a dental team and support staff. Approximately 50 military personnel are currently working at the facility, and a total of 364 patients have been treated there so far.

Our government has always been and will continue to be open and transparent about this mission, while always considering the safety and security of our troops. Canadians want to know what our troops are doing, and our government has worked very hard to keep them informed, in a number of different ways. There have been several technical briefings about the mission in recent months.

The Canadian Armed Forces also made it possible for journalists to visit operations, as they did in November 2016, and we will continue to do so regularly.

We are extremely proud of the work that our troops are doing in Iraq. Canada will continue to work with our allies, as the Minister of National Defence did this week in Brussels and Munich.

We will continue to work in co-operation with local and international partners to defeat Daesh and bring peace and stability to the region. We will continue to support the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people on their journey toward becoming a stable and secure country.

[National Defence, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, honorary colonels are an integral part of the Canadian Armed Forces family. Their role is essential, as they provide leadership, mentoring, and promote esprit de corps in units across the country. Within the local community, they use their experience and expertise to promote and support the unit, its soldiers, and their families.

As representatives of the Department of National Defence, like any other soldier, honorary colonels must refrain from defending political interests.

[National Defence, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we are going to ensure our men and women in uniform are compensated for the outstanding work they do in operations.

All Canadian Armed Forces members deployed abroad are entitled to a risk allowance that reflects the conditions and risks that they are exposed to in the specific location of their mission. The risk level of our operations, including Operation Impact, are constantly reviewed to ensure members of the Canadian Armed Forces are appropriately compensated.

[Foreign Affairs, February 15th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to work in close co-operation with Iraqi authorities to implement our strategy, which was developed with the Iraqi government's consent and in consultation with our coalition partners.

Canada will supply equipment such as small arms, personal protective equipment, and optical equipment to assist Iraqi security forces. This work is currently under way. The exact delivery dates will be determined in conjunction with the Iraqi government and will depend on the availability of the equipment selected.

[National Defence, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the government is being open and transparent about this mission. However, it would never do anything to put our troops in danger.

Daesh has proven in the past that its fighters care not only about what is done, but also about what is said. We will therefore continue to communicate what can be communicated, and we intend to keep confidential what needs to be confidential.

I repeat, we will continue to act openly, while taking into account any risks that we could be inadvertently exposing our troops to.

We will continue to inform Canadians of the progress made in the fight against Daesh. I would like to reiterate once again just how proud we are of the progress made to date and of the role played by our soldiers in the global fight to defeat Daesh.

Our military personnel continue to provide extraordinary support to the coalition and the Iraqi government to help dismantle and ultimately wipe out Daesh. We are extremely grateful to our troops.

[National Defence, February 14th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to compliment the member for his work on the Standing Committee on National Defence. We all benefit from his sound knowledge of the defence file.

Canada has an important role to play in the fight against Daesh. That is why our government decided to invest $1.6 billion in security, stabilization, humanitarian aid, and development assistance in the region. Of that amount, just over $300 million has been allocated to extending and refocusing Operation Impact.

Just over a year ago, the House debated at length the refocusing of the mission and voted in favour of doing so. Our special forces personnel are performing a train, advise, and assist mission for Iraqi forces. We have also deployed Griffon helicopters to transport troops and equipment. Our troops have been very successful in their efforts to train Iraqi forces.

Since the fall of 2014, our special forces personnel have trained approximately 2,000 Iraqi security force members. In October, Iraqi forces launched their campaign to liberate Mosul. So far, they have taken back approximately 62% of the territory initially controlled by Daesh in Iraq and have cleared 115 towns and villages. The campaign for Mosul is large scale and we expect it will be a long and difficult fight. However, it is moving forward according to plan and on schedule.

The Canadian Armed Forces have also assumed the lead of the Coalition Role 2 medical facility in Northern Iraq. Approximately 50 military personnel are currently working at the facility with a mandate to provide medical and surgical care to support coalition forces. A total of 364 patients have been treated there so far. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces who have received care were treated for illnesses or injuries sustained outside the battlefield. We are very proud of the contribution of our medical teams.

We understand that Canadians want to know what our troops are doing and that is why our government has always been open and transparent about this mission. When we have information, we will be pleased to inform the opposition on the peacekeeping mission in Africa. A lot more information is needed. When decisions have been made and the requested information is available, the House will be notified.

Contrary to what my colleague opposite said, our government is working hard to keep Canadians informed in many different ways. There have been several technical briefings about the mission in recent months, one of which was broadcast on social media. A technical briefing was held on January 26 to provide updates on what Canadian troops are doing and what Iraqi security forces have accomplished in the operation to liberate Mosul. At another technical briefing, this one in November, officials discussed what our military men and women were doing in the campaign for Mosul. The minister and the chief of the defence staff also appeared before a parliamentary committee to talk about the mission.

The Canadian Armed Forces also made it possible for journalists to visit operations, as they did in November 2016, and we will continue to do so regularly. Journalists were able to observe first-hand how Canada is supporting the coalition.

We will continue to demonstrate transparency, but we will do so while constantly taking into account any risk such actions could pose to our troops. We have made major progress, and Canada remains fully committed to supporting the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people on their journey toward becoming a stable and secure country.

[National Defence, February 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is trying to score political points on the backs of our military personnel. The previous government did not hesitate to cut defence spending in the past. It did not hesitate to do so on the backs of our soldiers, our veterans, and their families. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives today regarding our support to members of our armed forces.