Mr. Chairman, I will go back to my question about the budget base because the minister has added some comments. Perhaps I will simplify the question. How much higher is the budget as forecast for the year 2006-07 than it was in 2001-02?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 80% of the vote.
Supply May 7th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, I will go back to my question about the budget base because the minister has added some comments. Perhaps I will simplify the question. How much higher is the budget as forecast for the year 2006-07 than it was in 2001-02?
Supply May 7th, 2002
The auditor general said in her December 2001 report, paragraph 10.11:
In spite of the government's decision to invest around $2.4 billion more in defence from 1999-2000 to 2001-02, departmental plans indicate a budget shortage of $1.3 billion for 2001-02.
Do you agree with the auditor general's assessment?
Supply May 7th, 2002
It was pretty basic information for which I was asking, Mr. Minister. I will go on. I think I have established that the answer is a $700 million increase in the budget base over the five years. That is a change from the base of one year compared to five years from now, and I believe that is accurate. It is what the Conference of Defence Associations has said and that is the number we come have up with.
Mr. Minister, what is the present shortage in the operations budget of the Canadian forces?
Supply May 7th, 2002
My question was what was added to the budget base, and that is one year to the next. I was asking a very specific question. The answer was $700 million, therefore the $5 billion that the minister refers to is not accurate no matter what way we look at it. To quote the Conference of Defence Associations for example, it said that between fiscal year 2001 and 2006-07, that is 2000-01 to 2006-07, the budget base would rise only by $700 million, and I concur with that figure. I believe that is accurate.
Is the minister refuting the figures of the Conference of Defence Associations?
Supply May 7th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, we had better get this established right away because when we talk about what is being added to the budget base, what that reflects is the change in the budget on a yearly basis from one year to another. I do not know of any budget forecast that adds $5 billion to the base from one year to another or in fact over the next five years.
Is the minister saying that the budget base will be increased from $12.4 billion, or whatever today, to $17.4 billion five years from now?
Supply May 7th, 2002
The question was how much was being added to the budget base and the answer was $700 million. Is that the amount added to the base? Could the minister comment on that because he seems to disagree?
Supply May 7th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, page 8 of part III of the 1993-94 estimates says $12.8 billion, which is higher than the budget today even in nominal terms without adjusting for inflation or the purchasing power for military equipment which has gone up faster than inflation.
Whatever figure is used from the 2002-03 estimates compared to the 1993-94 estimates still indicates that we are actually spending less today than we were back when the government took office. When an adjustment for inflation is made and we look at the cost increases of military supplies and equipment specifically, that makes the comparison that much more unfavourable when we look at today's budget. That decrease in spending is quite dramatic when we take those factors into account.
The minister keeps saying that we are spending $5 billion more on the military today and this is a cumulative figure. I would like to ask how much is actually being added to the budget base over this period of the next five years?
Supply May 7th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, I asked that question because in part III of the estimates it says that the budget is $12.4 billion. In parts I and II it says $11.8 billion, so there is a slight discrepancy. I would like to ask the minister what the total defence budget was in 1993-94 when his government took office?
Supply May 7th, 2002
Mr. Chairman, this is a real thrill tonight to lead off these five hours of questions to the Minister of National Defence. I thank him for being here with his parliamentary secretary, with his officials and with General Jeffery. I welcome all of them.
What I want to do tonight with my time is to ask short questions and hopefully get short responses so I can make the best use possible of my 20 minutes. In the spirit of providing better accountability to Canadian taxpayers I hope the minister and his officials will respect that format.
The minister on page 2 of the estimates stated that spending increases starting in fiscal 2001-02 to 2006-07 total more than $5 billion. This statement has been made repeatedly over the past few months. I would like to know what the defence budget is in this fiscal year?
Petitions May 7th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise again to present a petition on behalf of the people of Lakeland constituency and elsewhere.
The petitioners ask the House that bail not be granted for all accused murderers caught in the act of committing their crimes and to give only maximum sentences for those convicted. This petition results from the death of Dana Fair in Lloydminster who was beaten to death by three men with boards. There were many witnesses to this crime. One of the people involved in this crime had a long history of violent crime before and yet he is out on $2,000 bail. The petitioners think that is completely wrong and out of line. They are petitioning the House to change that.