Rob Nicholson

[Veterans Affairs, November 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has it completely wrong. We are prepared to accept all of the recommendations of the Auditor General, and we thank the Auditor General for the welcoming remarks he made with respect to how Veterans Affairs treats its veterans.

That said, I was very pleased to announce, with my colleague the Minister of Veterans Affairs, eight new operational stress injury clinics in Halifax, St. John's, Chicoutimi, Pembroke, Brockville, Kelowna, Victoria, and Montreal. There will be access to mental health services for members, veterans, and their families.

[Veterans Affairs, November 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I said that it is very unfortunate that the NDP has never supported any of the initiatives that would help veterans in this country.

I point out to the hon. member that he should have a look at the section where the Auditor General says that Veterans Affairs has a robust mental health strategy, has put in place important mental health supports, provides rehabilitation to Canadian veterans in a timely manner, and is working to improve consultation with Canadian veterans.

We are getting the job done.

[Veterans Affairs, November 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the NDP has never voted for an initiative that would help veterans in this country. I am very sorry about that.

I hope the hon. member—

[National Defence, November 20th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, first, I make this promise to the House. We will never go back to the way things were under the Liberals, when our military was completely ignored.

I would point out to the hon. member that if she reads the supplementary estimates, she will see that $900 million has been added to make it $19.5 billion. This is far more than was ever allotted under the Liberal Party, and it is because we support the men and women in uniform in our Canadian military.

[National Defence, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, illicit oil sales are a substantial source of revenue for ISIL. That is why we are pleased to hear that the United States State Department said that at least 22 of ISIL's refineries have been destroyed. This means that since the air campaign began, ISIL's refining capacity has been reduced by at least 11,000 barrels a day.

Let there be no doubt that air strikes have significantly diminished the capacity of ISIL to fund its military operations. The RCAF has now conducted over 80 sorties during Operation Impact. As always, Canada will continue to do its part in fighting tyranny and oppression.

[National Defence, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to Monday's successful air strike on a warehouse being used to manufacture improvised explosives, late last night two CF-18 Hornets, in a pre-planned mission, dropped four 2,000-pound bombs on an ISIL fighting position in the desert near Kirkuk, Iraq. These significant strikes have denied the enemy the use of this position and has further extended the security buffer between ISIL and Iraqi security forces.

As always, I congratulate the members of our armed forces for another successful mission. Needless to say, Canada will continue to do its part in the fight against terrorism.

[National Defence, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear again. Every cent that has ever been committed to our military has consistently been opposed by the NDP. They do not want us to spend anything on our armed forces and our navy. We have undergone the Halifax class modernization program to give our frigates new equipment, sensors, and weapons. These will have world-class, multi-role capabilities. The program is on track, on schedule, and we are considering options that will ensure that our ships are resupplied in the medium term.

[National Defence, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I will share this with the hon. member. Every cent that we have committed to the military and to the navy has been opposed by the NDP, which the member would of course know, but our national shipbuilding project represents a $36.6 billion investment that will contribute to our surface fleet for decades. The joint supply ships will replace the navy's current Protecteur-class vessels and, of course, we are considering options that will ensure that our navy can be resupplied in the medium term.

[National Defence, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we are providing training and non-lethal equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian government as part of our contribution to NATO's Reassurance package.

I can also say that last week, two Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18s based in Lithuania intercepted and visually identified a Russian electronic warfare and surveillance aircraft. This interception clearly demonstrates the capability both of our equipment and personnel. I thank our armed forces for their efforts.

While I am on my feet, let me just say how proud I was to hear our Prime Minister tell Vladimir Putin last week, “You need to get out of Ukraine.”

[National Defence, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday four RCAF fighter jets, as part of a larger coalition operation, conducted air strikes against ISIL positions in the vicinity of Mosul in northern Iraq. During this mission, our fighter jets delivered eight 500-pound bombs on an ISIL warehouse facility that was being used for manufacturing explosive devices. All eight bombs hit their targets, and they did so simultaneously. This is a testament to the skill and professionalism of our armed forces.

As always, Canada is doing its part in the fight against ISIL terrorists.