National Defence  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Davenport for her tireless work. We are increasing the representation of women in the Canadian Armed Forces at home and abroad, and we are making progress. Five per cent more women joined the armed forces last year than the previous year.

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, we are very thankful for the great work that Davie has done on the Asterix. It is working alongside our frigates now. We have two permanent joint supply ships that will also be built as part of the national shipbuilding strategy, and a second interim ship is not required at this time.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, I do not recall the exact date, but if I can get the exact date, I will ensure I get it to the member.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, I do not have the exact date before me, but I know where the member is going on this matter. I cannot comment any further on this.

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We value the rich heritage of the Citadelle. We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder was contracted to ensure additional stones meet regulations. I understand this contractor will now use stones from Quebec for the next phases of the project.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important case and the member and I agree on this. We are working very diligently on this. This is something that we want to make sure is done in a very thorough manner, and we are committed to this. My team is working to get me an update on this, but I want to assure the member that no one is slowing down in any case.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, I cannot give an exact detailed answer as to what the evidentiary requirements are. I am happy to get the member a detailed answer. This is about making the actual system far simpler and making it easier on the chain of command and the leadership so that the infractions are more about dealing with disciplinary issues rather than the serious infractions.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, I also want to assure members that we are going to make sure our members have the appropriate support when it comes to their mental health, to make sure that they have the resilience to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces, and have the appropriate transition. With regard to what the member is discussing, I am happy to have a broader discussion on this.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, there was an opportunity for us to make sure that as we were conducting a very thorough consultation of our defence policy, we could have thorough conversations on the changes we needed to make. We knew that this was very important legislation, which we wanted to move forward as quickly as possible, but we also wanted to take the opportunity to look at how we could improve things.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, probably the most important aspect of this is making sure victims are protected, making sure that the declaration on victims' rights articulates the following rights: the right to information, the right to protection and the rights to participation, restitution and complaint.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member and all members of this House that we take the supporting of victims very seriously. We want to make sure they have support, and this is what the legislation is about. In regard to the most recent case, we are appealing this decision to the Supreme Court of Canada.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, I was deemed to have not spoken to this motion when it first moved. As Bill C-77 is standing in my name, I would ask unanimous consent to be deemed to have not yet spoken to this motion in order to allow me to make a speech now.

National Defence Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here today for second reading debate of Bill C-77, an act to amend the National Defence Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other acts. Canada's military justice system has a long and proud history of helping to maintain a high level of discipline, efficiency and morale within the Canadian Armed Forces.

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations.

Public Services and Procurement  Mr. Speaker, our government values the rich heritage of the Quebec City Citadel. That is why we are taking steps to protect it. An open and transparent process awarded a Quebec bidder the contract to replace the damaged stone. The bidder is required to adhere to federal guidelines to ensure that the Citadel retains its UNESCO status.