House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 57% of the vote.
National Defence January 29th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, ignoring the usual inflammatory and ignorant language of the member opposite, what I will do is ensure him that the investments that we have made have significantly improved the infrastructure across the country. This is a clear attempt to work with the private sector to ensure that we have the proper mix and the proper balance when it comes to the necessary needs of the Canadian Forces, the members and their families.
National Defence January 29th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the significant investments we have made through the Canada first defence strategy to infrastructure on bases across the country. The Department of National Defence continues to ensure that members of the Canadian Forces and their families have the necessary infrastructure to train, to live, to do the important work that we ask of them. The department will leverage private sector capabilities with the realignment of internal resources to oversee the right mix of in-house and external delivery options.
We also continue to work with our partners, including the construction dialogue, in appropriate consultation forums with the employees' unions.
Questions on the Order Paper January 28th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, chapter 5 of the 2012 Fall Report of the Auditor General concerning National Defence real property made 12 recommendations that focused primarily on improvements to the management of the National Defence real property portfolio.
The Department of National Defence has accepted the recommendations and is working towards their implementation. The department’s budget is allocated through the main and supplementary estimates rather than budget 2012 proposals.
With respect to the recommendation of the Auditor General on compliance with health and safety legislation, regulations and policies, paragraph 5.63, the department is implementing a national remedial solution that will provide bases and wings across Canada with the additional capacity necessary to inspect, test and maintain fire protection systems in accordance with national codes. The phased implementation of the national remedial solution will involve the centralization of responsibility and funding, and in this context, it is anticipated that costs related to the delivery of the national inspection, testing and maintenance solution will be proportionally borne by each respective custodian via a permanent baseline funding transfer.
The Canadian Forces Fire Marshal has developed the necessary contractual documentation to implement a regionally managed get well program. The first phase will cover Suffield, Wainwright and Cold Lake. The second phase will cover the Quebec region and the east coast. The third phase will cover the remainder of the Prairies and the west coast. Finally, the fourth phase will cover the central region and the north. A tender for a regional contract to conduct inspection, testing and maintenance activities at Suffield, Wainwright and Cold Lake was posted on MERX with a closing date of January 22, 2013. The first phase of the get well program will also serve to evaluate the effectiveness of the regional approach with a view to adjusting the implementation plan should it prove necessary. The aim is to have all necessary contractual mechanisms in place by the end of fiscal year 2013-14.
Questions on the Order Paper January 28th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a)(i), Building 86 has been demolished. All cleanup work was completed on November 16, 2011.
With regard to (a)(ii) and (iv), this two-phase project will consolidate 9 Wing support units into a complex of two multipurpose facilities. The project is still in the definition phase and the start and end dates have not been confirmed yet. This project includes the demolition of a number of buildings.
With regard to (a)(iii), this project involves the construction of a one-storey structure to replace the existing 91 Construction Engineering facilities. It will contain administration offices, training rooms, shops, supply storage areas and an outdoor vehicle compound. Construction is expected to start in summer 2013, and is expected to be completed in fiscal year 2014-15.
With regard to (a)(v) every building and piece of infrastructure on the Wing is subject to some form of renovation, construction or improvement.
With regard to (b)(i) and (ii), Building 86 has been demolished. All cleanup work was completed on November 16, 2011. As for the new headquarters and logistics building, a definition expenditure authority for $2.4 million, excluding taxes, was approved on 28 July 2008. As the project is still in the definition phase, the total value of the project has not been finalized. Approximately $1.76 million was spent in fiscal year 2011-12, and $0.5 million expenditure is anticipated in fiscal year 2012-13. As for 91 Construction Engineering Flight, $5.67 million, excluding taxes, was budgeted for this project on 19 July 2010. The final budget costs are under review. Approximately $0.25 million has been spent on this project. The Department of National Defence anticipates spending $0.53 million in fiscal year 2012-13.
With regard to (b)(iii), all expenditures from question (a) were anticipated.
With regard to (c), every building and piece of infrastructure on the Wing is subject to some form of renovation, construction or improvement. All facilities are subject to day-to-day operation and oversight by DND personnel.
Search and Rescue January 28th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I just answered the question with respect to government aircraft being used for government business and my leaving time off early to return to work.
However, with respect to young Burton Winters, this was indeed a tragedy. We send our condolences again to his family and those of the community.
I note that in response to this issue, the military has taken procedures that were updated. In fact, we are now working better with all provinces to coordinate ground search and rescue.
In addition, specific to Labrador, the member would know that we have added a Griffin helicopter to the fleet at Goose Bay. We have provided additional operational flexibility by increasing the use of the serviceable aircraft as well as giving them a secondary--
Ethics January 28th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House many times, I was called back to work early. That is exactly what happened. I was called back from personal time early. That is what happened. As always, government aircraft were used for government business. I note that our government has reduced the use of government assets, government aircraft, by over 80% during our time in government.
National Defence December 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his service both as a soldier and parliamentarian.
Our government continues to improve programs designed to support our ill and injured military personnel and their families. As I indicated to the House, our government committed to ending the inequities between regular and reserve force members in cases of accidental dismemberment. This has now been done. We will be improving the accidental dismemberment program so that reservists who accidentally lose a limb will receive the same compensation as a regular force member.
This measure furthers progress toward fair and equitable treatment of reservists, who play such an important role in the defence of our country. It shows the tangible progress made on the ombudsman's report.
National Defence December 5th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the member for Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke is right. The contribution of Canadians to fighting illegal smuggling in the Americas is well-known and well-respected.
I am proud to inform the House that our Canadian armed forces personnel aboard the HMCS Ottawa, who are deployed as part of Op CARIBBE, assisted the U.S. coast guard recently in a boarding and seized over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine worth $32 million.
In one week in November alone, the Canadian armed forces crews have assisted in seizing over $145 million in illegal drugs.
The actions of Commander Van Will, his crew and the Royal Canadian Air Force members involved in this seizure demonstrates Canadian leadership abroad and at home. They are making our—
Questions on the Order Paper November 30th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the provision of health care services for the mission in Afghanistan was not determined by a specific evaluation, but by on ongoing and continuous assessments to ensure that Canadian Forces members received appropriate health care services. The Canadian Forces deployed to Afghanistan quickly following the attacks of September 11, 2001, as part of a larger international effort. Since then, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces have adapted in all areas related to deployed operations to meet the increased operational requirements associated with the mission in Afghanistan. As part of this ongoing reorientation and adjustment since the Canadian Forces first deployed to Afghanistan, health care programs and services available to all Canadian Forces members have evolved considerably based on ongoing assessments of evolving operational requirements.
The Canadian Forces monitored all aspects of health care for its personnel deployed to Afghanistan, those returning from deployments, and those remaining in Canada. As a result of this ongoing review and monitoring, processes and programs were adapted or developed to ensure the health care provided is appropriate and of a high quality.
With respect to improving treatment of combat casualties, Canada partnered with the U.S. Department of Defense joint theatre trauma system, which resulted in immediate improvement in the treatment of in-theatre casualties.
With respect to improving recording or tracking of individual medical information, the Canadian Forces health information system was deployed forward during the Afghan mission. It was successfully implemented and has become the standard of medical record keeping for all operations.
With respect to treatment of the complex physical injuries of those returning from Afghanistan, several physical rehabilitation initiatives were implemented to offer optimal care to injured personnel. The Canadian Forces notably made the following progress. It established the position of head of physical rehabilitation in 2008 to develop a multidisciplinary program of rehabilitation care to those with injuries. This led to the implementation of the Canadian Forces physical rehabilitation program in 2009 and the establishment of 20 physical rehabilitation positions in support of seven rehabilitation centres of expertise. It also acquired two virtual reality medical treatment systems, computer assisted rehabilitation environments, in partnership with civilian rehabilitation hospitals in Ottawa and Edmonton. These systems are used in the rehabilitation of Canadian Forces personnel with both physical and mental injuries.
With respect to mental health care, the Canadian Forces launched a number of initiatives to improve the immediate and long-term treatment needs for its personnel. The Canadian Forces notably made the following progress. It included deployed mental health teams in all Afghanistan rotations since 2003. In addition, five Operational Trauma and Stress Support Centres were established, focusing on the treatment of operational stress injuries. The mental health presence also increased at major bases and stations across Canada. It increased clinician training and mental health care education for military health care professionals undergoing training at the Canadian Forces Health Services Training Centre in Borden. It established in 2006 the third-location decompression program for Canadian Forces members returning to Canada after a lengthy deployment to ease the transition and ensure access to mental health professionals. It established the requirement that all Canadian Forces members returning from an international operation of 60 or more days undergo the enhanced post-deployment screening process as per the screening and reintegration policy of 2006 and based on a screening program that began in 2002. It established a series of joint network for operational stress injuries clinics across Canada in 2006 to provide a core set of specialized interdisciplinary mental health services for psychological trauma related to operational stress injuries. It established the cognitive behavioural therapy program in 2007 to provide treatment of a wide range of health and mental health problems. It instituted the mild traumatic brain injury clinical guidelines and surveillance in 2008 to improve treatment of concussions resulting from exposures to blasts. It developed the Road to Mental Readiness in 2009 to provide training to Canadian Forces personnel on mental health conditions, as well as traumatic and non-traumatic stress, with the objectives of decreasing stigma, overcoming barriers to mental health care, enhancing psychological resilience and providing tools to assist Canadian Forces members and families. It launched the ongoing operational stress incidence study in 2009 to provide information on the impact of deployment to Afghanistan on the mental health of Canadian Forces members, and it conducted the operational mental health survey in 2010 to identify symptoms of mental health problems in Canadian Forces members serving in Afghanistan and to determine the utilization of and perceived need for mental health services.
The Canadian Forces conducted an active recruitment campaign to address shortages in health services occupations, which coincided with the mission in Afghanistan. Since 2001, the number of health care professionals in the Canadian Forces has increased by over 360, representing an increase of over 15%.
The extent to which the number of medical staff and health care professionals has increased compared to the number of Canadian Forces personnel deployed is not available.
National Defence November 29th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I repeat, the Department of National Defence always takes the necessary precautions to protect national security.
I have just informed the House that these are issues that the department takes very seriously. We take all secure information very seriously. This is a matter that is still before the courts. We continue to constantly review security measures, as the member would know, but we will not discuss them publicly.