House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 20% of the vote.
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, between November and now there was prorogation and the minister may have forgotten a few things. The Conservatives were saying that there were fewer reservists because we are in a time of war, but that the situation would stabilize after the Afghan mission. Does the government still feel that way?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
I gather there is no plan.
I would like to move on to the reservists. The minister certainly knows that the Canadian Forces is relying more and more on reservists to fill positions in the regular forces. But does the minister know that the entire reservist system is under threat because so many reservists have been plucked from the system? Is he aware of that?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, could the minister tell us what stage the decision making process has reached and who is making the decisions? The Conservatives are passing the ball around like a hot potato from the minister to the minister for the Quebec City region. Who is responsible for the deliverable and who is calling the shots internally?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, I would like to remind the minister that in March the minister responsible for the Quebec City region said that the government was preparing the tendering process. How is that possible if he is not able to tell us what the project is?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, do we at least know which project the government will undertake?
I appreciate it when he respects the rules.
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, may I remind the hon. member that the answers are supposed to be no longer than the questions?
The minister said that $2 million has been committed. Do we at least know how much the project will cost?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, I will speak more simply. Can the minister inform us about the government's plans for the reconstruction of the Quebec City armoury? It cannot be any simpler than that, and it is my turn to say that I cannot be more clear.
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, I would like to point out that we have not yet got a clear response, as he said.
The minister is aware that his government was very generous in its promises concerning the Quebec City armoury, but it has yet to do anything on the ground. The minister responsible for the Quebec City region even said that the work could begin in the fall of 2009, but we still do not know the Conservatives' plan.
Why is the government still giving us platitudes instead of giving us the numbers?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, I wanted a very clear answer and that has not been clear in this sense. Will there be military personnel left in Afghanistan after 2011 to train military Afghan personnel, yes, or no?
Business of Supply May 27th, 2010
Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Brossard—La Prairie, and I intend to ask the minister questions.
First of all, I want to make something clear. The Liberal Party of Canada and I, as the member for Hull—Aylmer, have a great deal of respect and love, if I can put it that way, for the members of our armed forces. I am very happy to see that Mr. Natynczyk and military experts are here with the minister and his parliamentary secretary this evening.
In answer to a question from my colleague from Vancouver South about Canada's mission in Afghanistan after 2011, the minister said that the short answer was “to be determined”. That is unacceptable.
And I do not want to hear him say that they will respect the 2008 motion.
Contrary to what he says, it is not clear to me. So I am going to ask him the question, and I expect a straight answer. Will there be Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan to help train Afghan military personnel after 2011?