Stephen Harper

[Afghanistan, April 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have made myself very clear. Unlike the NDP, we are not going to ideologically have a position regardless of circumstances.

The leader of the NDP, in 1939, did not even want to support war against Hitler.

[Afghanistan, April 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, once again, as I said, the government has every intention of bringing military missions to the House of Commons. In this case, this is a training mission. It is important that we ensure that Afghanistan is safe and is not a threat to global security. It is important also that the Afghans are responsible for their own security. That is why we are there, to prepare them to assume the full responsibility for their own security.

[Afghanistan, April 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I said that I have had no such contact.

I also said that our priorities remain the same, namely, to ensure that Afghanistan is safe so that it does not become a threat to our security and to ensure that Afghans themselves assume greater responsibility for their own security.

[Foreign Affairs, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, this government has very carefully balanced our relationship.

We have important economic and diplomatic relationships with China. At the same time, we do express our concerns on human rights and democracy in that country.

Of course the Dalai Lama, as I recently told Chinese officials, is an honorary Canadian citizen of this country, respected by all parties in the House. I do in fact meet with him, and that is the position.

[Ethics, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear. It is the leader of the Liberal Party who is confused, which is not surprising. The minister has apologized and has taken appropriate measures.

[Ethics, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the agency in question is an independent crown corporation.

As members will know well, the government has established strict rules and expects those to be respected. When they are not respected, appropriate action is taken. That is why, in all these categories, we spend vastly less than the previous Liberal government did.

[National Defence, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I did no such thing. I think Canadians and the industry understand full well that Canada's participation in the development of the F-35, the next generation of fighter aircraft, is intrinsic to the work that Canadian companies have received. It is almost half a billion dollars in contracts that have come to the industry in our country.

Obviously this government will continue to support our air force as well as our aerospace industry.

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is right. We made a promise. We have kept that promise so far and we will continue to keep that promise.

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, all of the military missions committed to under this government have come before the House including the mission in Libya, which the House approved. We did not begin the mission to Afghanistan, but the extensions of that mission. Certainly, should there be any other significant military missions, we are committed to getting the consent of Parliament before we act. That has been our action, and that is what we will do in the future.

[Afghanistan, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a remarkable statement that the NDP will not support the mission. The NDP could not even make up its mind to support the World War II mission.

Canada has been involved in Afghanistan with the support of most of the parties in the House for some years. Our plan at the current time is, obviously, for the mission that goes to 2014, but, as we approach that date, we will examine all options and we will take the decision that is in the best interests of this country and in the best interests of our security objectives for the globe, and not an ideological knee-jerk response like the NDP.