Peter MacKay

[Search and Rescue, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Forces constantly look at protocols, look at updates, look at placement of equipment around the country, and all of the aspersions that the hon. member has cast on the word of the Canadian Forces really do not do him or his party justice.

These are brave men and women who do their level best each and every time. The primary responsibility for ground search and rescue, as the member knows full well, rests with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador in this case. We were there to assist.

There were weather issues; there were issues of maintenance. We continue to work with the provinces and territories to respond each and every time, as quickly as possible.

[Search and Rescue, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, certainly there is no denying that it is a real tragedy that young Burton Winters lost his life.

However, let us be clear: the Canadian Forces respond each and every time as quickly as possible. We have the largest geographic area in the world in terms of our search and rescue responsibility. We saw just last week, off the coast of Nova Scotia, heroic efforts made by members of our SAR tech teams. We have seen this repeatedly throughout the country and throughout our SAR history.

Each and every time, they do their very best to save lives and they are very successful at it.

[National Defence, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we are responsibly managing the economy and making prudent choices in the upcoming budget.

Our government also recognizes and appreciates the remarkable contributions made by the Canadian Forces and their families every day. We are committed to ensuring that all Canadian Forces members receive some of the best compensation in the world for their hard work defending Canadian interests.

I am pleased to tell the House today that effective April 1, 2012, the Canadian Forces will receive a pay increase, similar that awarded to the federal public service recently.

As a government, we are committed to ensuring that our Canadian Forces members are provided with a rewarding career, outstanding training, new equipment, compensation, pay and benefits, and—

[Search and Rescue, March 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, once again our hearts and prayers go out to the family of young Burton Winters. It was certainly a tragedy. This young man was a member of the Canadian Forces junior rangers program. Members of his troop assisted in his search.

As the member would know, the reality is that the first call to the Canadian Forces came some 20 hours after young Mr. Winters was last seen. The second call was placed 51 hours later and Canadian Forces assets were deployed.

We have improved the protocol with respect to the communications between the province and the federal government and that protocol has ground search and rescue responsibility with the province.

[Search and Rescue, March 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the improvements that the hon. member has referred to are just part of a package of ongoing efforts to improve both communications, availability of assets, but it is a coordinated approach. It involves provinces and territories, which have primary responsibility for ground search and rescue, and ensuring that we have greater ability to communicate with one another, particularly in remote parts of our country.

Eighteen million square kilometres of territory is the responsibility of search and rescue. We work hard every day. We have members of our SAR tech community performing daily heroics and assistance to Canadians in need. We will continue to back them all the way.

[Search and Rescue, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, deliberately or otherwise, the member is confusing the issue. The issue is not, “Come if you can”. The issue is how the Canadian Forces respond to a ground search and rescue request. Weather is a factor, of course, as is availability.

The reality is that we are constantly in a state of deciding where the optimal location is for the Canadian Forces' assets. We are constantly improving. Just last week we had communications between the Canadian Forces and other territory and provincial responsibilities. We will continue to update those efforts constantly.

[Search and Rescue, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, search and rescue of course is a huge priority for this government, and for all governments. We have 18 million square kilometres of territory to cover. We have made investments. We continue to do so. We made improvements to the protocol recently in response to the tragic incident in Makkovik. We continue to work with all levels of government, as ground search and rescue responsibility rests with provinces and territories. We continue to do all we can to support our SAR techs, who are true heroes, each and every day as they carry out their important duties around this massive country of ours.

[National Defence, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, what I will do is ensure that the member opposite and all members know that we will continue to make investments in the Canadian Forces, as we have been since taking office. Unfortunately, what we can expect from the member opposite, as we have seen throughout his time and his party's time here, are continued votes against every investment we make in the Canadian Forces, whether it be for equipment, whether it be for new bases and infrastructure, whether it be for every means possible to aid and assist our brave men and women in uniform. That is what the member opposite has done. That is what his party has consistently done.

[National Defence, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, secrecy? Speculation? It is called a budget, and leaked documents and speculation about what will be in the budget are not helpful to the military, the public service, or anyone else.

I am very proud of the fact that our government has made historic investments in the Canadian Forces, over a billion dollars annually. We have invested in infrastructure, personnel, equipment, and in readiness. Guess what? On each and every occasion, the member opposite and his party voted against those investments.

[National Defence, March 9th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we do not have a contract with BlackBerry or Blackwater at the Canadian Forces. We do in fact contract out for very specific purposes involving training. At certain times of the year, when facilities in Canada are not suitable for the type of training required, we invest in that. We invest in the training. We invest in the equipment.

I would hope that the member opposite in the third party in the third row would be a little more forthcoming in his support for the men and women in uniform.