John McCallum

[Iraq, March 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I just answered this question.

I am not going to go down that slippery slope.

I will not tell the world precisely where all our soldiers are. If the media is broadcasting this information, it is beyond my control. However, for my part, I will not provide precise information.

In terms of what these soldiers are doing, as has been said several times already, they are providing support. They are not to use force except in self-defence.

Canada, I repeat once again, is not taking part in this war.

[Iraq, March 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, this is a slippery slope. They want to know the country where our soldiers are, next they will want to know the town, and next they will want to know the name, the rank and the serial number. We are not going to go down this slippery slope because they want us to reveal information which might put in jeopardy the lives of our soldiers, who are, as the Prime Minister and I have said, in a support function. We will not go down this slippery slope and risk the lives of the men and women of the Canadian Forces.

[Question No. 163, March 26th, 2003]

Three key public and private sector institutions hold the requested information: the Department of National Defence, Veterans Affairs Canada and Maritime Life. Compiling the data requires extensive interdepartmental and public-private sector coordination, and a manual search of existing and archival files. As a result, the information requested cannot be gathered during the time period allotted to respond to Order Paper questions.

[Question No. 162, March 26th, 2003]

Three key public and private sector institutions hold the requested information: the Department of National Defence, Veterans Affairs Canada and Maritime Life. Compiling the data requires extensive interdepartmental and public-private sector co-ordination, and a manual search of existing and archival files. As a result, the information requested cannot be gathered during the time period allotted to respond to Order Paper questions.

[Question No. 154, March 26th, 2003]

The post-living differential is paid within Canada at locations where the local cost of living is assessed to be higher than the Canadian Forces weighted average cost of living for all members based in Canada. A post-living differential payment is not part of base salary; it is a supplement to offset higher local living costs. Runzheimer Canada, an internationally renowned company specializing in cost of living data collection and compensation development, collects the data for annual calculations. Rates are assessed annually and post-living differential payments are amended accordingly.

Approximately 47% of the regular force, 27,000 members, receives a post-living differential. In 2002, while certain locations experienced cost of living changes that reduced the differential between local costs and the weighted average Canadian Forces cost of living, other locations experienced differential increases. For instance, post-living differentials paid to Canadian Forces members living in Quebec City and Halifax were raised.

A post-living differential is not based solely on the local cost of living; rather, it is paid to offset the difference between various local living costs, and the Canadian Forces weighted average cost of living. Rates are based on several variables, such as local accommodation costs, and federal and provincial income tax rates. These variables are combined with other indicators to establish the local cost of living. These costs are then compared to the Canadian Forces weighted average cost of living. This difference between local costs and the Canadian Forces weighted average is adjusted by the provincial marginal tax rate and the resulting amount is published as the annual post-living differential rate. There is no need to provide additional income when post-living differential rates decrease because these changes only take effect after the relative cost of living has already decreased.

The Department of National Defence continues to monitor the post-living differential program to ensure fair and equitable treatment for all Canadian Forces members.

[Iraq, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, what I do know for sure is that our soldiers, who are participating in the current exchange with the Americans, are not seeing direct combat. They do not have the right to use force, except in self-defence. They are providing logistical support. There are 31 soldiers there. This is the information I have and can share with you at this time.

[Iraq, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. I can inform the House that, in fact, Canada has been participating in exchanges such as these for decades with our NATO allies, Australia, Great Britain, the United States and so on. We have done this with our allies because, when Canada takes part in military operations, it is always with our allies. Such exchanges are essential to improving the way we work with our allies. That is what we are doing now, as we have been doing for decades.

[Iraq, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the government has nothing to hide, except things that are important for the security of the men and women of the Canadian Forces.

I think everyone would agree that we would never want to jeopardize the lives of our soldiers. That is the position of the government.

[Iraq, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I already indicated that the government knows exactly which units these persons have been assigned to. However, for security reasons, as I have said many times, we do not want to announce where our soldiers are every single day of the week.

[Iraq, March 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just indicated very clearly what I had already indicated very clearly yesterday in answering this question.