Pierre Paul-Hus

[Business of Supply, December 9th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, we understand that none of our troops will be displaced. That is perfect. If I understand correctly, cadet camps will be used on all of the bases. Is that correct?

[Business of Supply, December 9th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I understand the minister's answer.

However, every military base in Canada was instructed to prepare, yet they were not given any money to do so. The Valcartier base publicly announced that it had taken $2.7 million from its own budget. What about the other bases, such as Petawawa, Borden and Trenton? We need to know.

The bases will be there for overflow, which is perfect. However, the money used to set up the bases will not be available for other potentially important future needs of our men and women in uniform.

Similarly, does the minister know approximately how many Canadian Forces troops will be relocated off military bases, if need be? Have plans already been made?

[Business of Supply, December 9th, 2015]

Mr. Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman.

Before I ask my first question, I would like to say that our colleagues on the government side have been blinded by their sunny ways. We are here today to determine whether our federal financial resources are being properly used, in the context of refugee resettlement. The government is winging it quite a bit. It seems to be making things up as it goes along.

I have some straightforward questions about defence. My first question goes back to what I just said. Yesterday, the commander of CFB Valcartier, in the Quebec City area, told the media that he had been ordered under Operation PROVISION to ready the base to receive refugees. He did not receive any clear instructions or a budget for this operation. Being a good soldier, he took the initiative of taking $2.7 million out of his own internal budget to ready the base as best he could, given the mission he had been assigned. He made that statement to journalists who had been invited to visit the base.

Can the minister tell us what an order to ready a military base means and where the money to do so will come from?

[National Defence, December 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, rather than support our allies in the fight against terrorism here in Canada and abroad, our country will merely sit on the sidelines and contribute nothing more than training. That worries me.

Can the Minister of National Defence tell us why Canada is a bit player in the fight against terrorism instead of a leader?

[National Defence, December 7th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I was a lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces. I endured the Liberal budget cuts back in the day.

In Friday's throne speech, the Liberal government said that it would build a leaner military.

Rather than talk about looking for efficiencies, can the minister be specific about which Canadian Armed Forces divisions will be hit by budget cuts?

[Speech from the Throne, December 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, hon. members, the government failed to consult Canadians, adopt a motion in the House, or show any accountability before it decided to withdraw our CF-18s from Iraq and Syria.

I spent 22 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. Retreating shows a lack of leadership. Retreating means conceding defeat without a fight.

Canada must join the international coalition being formed to take down ISIS. Our country cannot shirk its responsibilities by simply providing training.

The Prime Minister cannot limit Canada's commitment in the fight against ISIS in Iraq to training: this is an armed conflict against ISIS. The Liberal approach is to keep a low profile, but this is an armed conflict to destroy ISIS that we are talking about here.

Will the government reverse its decision and keep our CF-18s in Iraq and Syria, and, if it cannot show leadership, will it at least hold a debate in the House and allow all hon. members to vote on this?