Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with the member for Wetaskiwin, as well as the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.
I am very pleased to stand in this place tonight to take part in the debate and to speak to what our government is doing to equip the Canadian Forces.
Making the investments necessary to modernize the Canadian Forces has been one of this government's strong priorities. That has been obvious since the Conservative government has come to power. When we take a look at the 2010-11 main estimates for National Defence, as well as our budget planning for the years ahead, it reflects that this commitment is well into the future.
The men and women of our military are simply the best that Canada has to offer. They help protect Canadians at home and promote our interests abroad on the world stage. Their job is difficult and, in many cases, very dangerous. The men and women of the Canadian Forces patrol our skies at 40,000 feet above the ground. They exercise sovereignty over the cold and harsh territories of the north. They rescue individuals in distress off our shores. They face ruthless insurgents in Kandahar. They provide essential care to those crying for help in devastated lands.
Again, Canadians all across the country are proud of the work that our forces have done in Haiti and other countries. They are working to build security and confidence between Israelis and Palestinians in support of the Middle East peace agreement. They ensure the security of seaways by deterring and disrupting piracy off the coast of Somalia or by countering drug trafficking in the Caribbean.
The government understands that one of our main responsibilities is to provide our military personnel with the capabilities they need to do their important work. This means equipment that will keep our men and women as safe as possible when they carry out their crucial operations. It also means equipment that will help them be as effective as possible in the pursuit of the mission that our country sets for them.
As the last Speech from the Throne stressed, the government is making the investments necessary to rebuild Canada's military. We are acquiring much required capabilities and carefully planning for future purchases. We are transforming military procurement so that we are able to deliver equipment more rapidly at a lesser cost.
From the moment this government took office, we showed resolve and acted quickly and decisively: first, to meet the urgent equipment requirements, including those for our mission in Afghanistan; second, to develop a long-term plan for equipment acquisition as part of the Canada first defence strategy; and third, o to streamline the government's military procurement process.
Not only are our investments providing essential support to the Canadian Forces, they are also stimulating economic activity in communities all across the country.
The government is leading one of the most significant military re-equipping efforts in the history of our nation. This is an overdue and very necessary endeavour for the men and women in uniform so that they can do their job and for Canada as a whole so that we can depend on them.
In June 2006, we announced our intention to renew our military's airlift capability by acquiring new strategic and tactical transport aircraft. A little more than a year later, we deployed the first of our four new C-17s to Jamaica to help relieve the victims of hurricane Dean. The C-17 provides Canadian Forces with the capability and capacity to move critical capabilities on our own terms. Gone are the days when the military had to rely solely on our allies and private contractors to transport our heavy equipment over long distances.
As for tactical airlift, the Canadian Forces recently announced that they would welcome their first of 17 new CC-130J Hercules aircraft into service in June 2010, on budget and well ahead of the original schedule.
Over the past few years, the government also acquired crucial equipment to support our troops in Afghanistan. We leased 20 Leopard C2 tanks from Germany for short-term requirements, and we acquired 100 from the Netherlands to build a longer-term capability. They have saved lives by offering increased protection from mines and improvised explosive devices. They have also provided essential firepower and improved mobility in Kandahar's difficult and dangerous terrain.
In response to recommendations from the independent panel on the mission in Afghanistan, we also purchased six model D Chinook helicopters from the U.S. government as well as tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. The government has taken timely decisions to ensure that the courageous men and women of the Canadian Forces have access to the right mix of equipment. In the meantime, we have also put great effort into defining the requirements of the Canadian Forces for tomorrow, and we have launched projects on several fronts to make sure that our military operates state-of-the-art equipment well into the future.
Two years ago, the Prime Minister approved the Canada first defence strategy, the government's long-term plan to modernize the Canadian Forces. The strategy calls for balanced investment across the four pillars of personnel, infrastructure, readiness, and equipment.
Through the Canada first defence strategy, the government committed to renewing the Canadian Forces' core equipment platforms. These include destroyers and frigates, fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and land combat systems and vehicles.
Renewing these core platforms is absolutely crucial. Some of our military's equipment fleets are nearing the end of their operational lives. Now is the time to act if we want to be in a position to replace this equipment when it is needed.
The government is making significant progress down this path. A year ago, the Minister of National Defence announced a $5 billion investment to purchase new and upgrade existing Canadian Forces' land combat systems and vehicles, a core Canada first defence strategy investment.
The investment includes first, the acquisition of three new fleets of land combat vehicles, and second, the upgrade of the Canadian army's current fleet of LAV IIIs. The procurement process is well under way for the three new fleets of vehicles: the close-combat vehicles, the tactical armoured patrol vehicles, and the armoured engineered vehicles. We are defining the work required for the LAV III upgrade project.
We made another crucial announcement last summer, when the government awarded a contract to Boeing for the procurement of a new fleet of Chinook helicopters, which should be delivered within the next four years.
We are looking to further invest in the Canadian navy. As articulated in the last Speech from the Throne, the government recognizes the strategic importance of a strong domestic shipbuilding industry. We therefore continue to support the industry's sustainable development through a long-term approach to the renewal of the Government of Canada's fleet.
We are exploring options to invest tens of billions of dollars to build a significant number of large vessels, including for the Canadian navy. This will allow us to move forward with a core Canada first defence strategy investment: the replacement of destroyers and frigates. It will also provide a framework that will facilitate the procurement of the joint support ship and the Arctic offshore patrol ship and other key components of Canada's future navy.
Acquiring military equipment is a complex process that involves many actors from government and industry. Making sure that the stakeholders participating in the procurement of military capability are on the same page often requires time.
I would like to say this evening that the investments in our military bring jobs. They bring benefits to Canadian industry, benefits in key sectors of our economy, and high-skill, high-paying jobs for Canadians. Our Canadian Forces need the right capabilities to defend our country, to defend North American co-operation with our U.S. friends, to contribute to international peace and security, and to be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow's security environment.
