Iraq  Mr. Speaker, if I may correct the record, I was in New York and not in the Arab countries. I returned with the sense that there is a possibility of working for an accommodation of the major difficulties. But we still come down to the bottom line that Saddam Hussein has to agree to live up to the rules of the United Nations.

Iraq  The hon. member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, we have been in contact with the a company in Lansing, Michigan that manufactures the anthrax vaccine. We had to go to the Americans because the minister did not have the answers. Is the minister not aware that it takes three injections and four weeks for the vaccine to take effect?

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, yes it does take three inoculations and three inoculations will be administered. But the hon. member is wrong when she says that it does not have some immediate effect even with the first inoculation. It does. Even with the first inoculation, by and large, the serum will take effect.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, there will be inoculations. An anti-anthrax serum will be sent to the HMCS Toronto . It will be docking in a few days in Crete. It is expected that the first of the inoculations will take place at that time. There will also be antibiotics that will be put on board.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, it will take up to 16 days for the HMCS Toronto to get to the gulf. In that period of time there are opportunities to provide for inoculations. The necessary protection will be provided.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of general training these people have already taken part in. Any additional training or equipment that is required in this particular case and under these particular circumstances will be provided.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, the HMCS Toronto has been serving for some time off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean. It has now been directed to contribute to the coalition forces in the gulf. The two theatres pose very different threats to the sailors aboard the ship. I again ask the minister, is the Toronto currently equipped to deal with the threat it will now face?

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, as the Deputy Prime Minister has said today, we are hoping that there will not be a conflict, that we will still find a diplomatic resolution. However, if there is a conflict, given that we have approximately 330 personnel in the area yes, I can assure the hon. member they will be properly equipped.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, Saddam Hussein has not hesitated in the past to use chemical and biological weapons against his own people and also his neighbours. In common language he is a thug and he will not hesitate to use such tactics against the coalition forces. Since Canada is sending approximately 300 Canadian forces personnel into the region, will the defence minister inform Canadians and in particular the families of our troops that our forces are adequately equipped in the event of a chemical and biological threat?

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, we are working together not just with the United States, but with Great Britain, Germany, Kuwait and Bahrain as well to find a diplomatic solution. We are guided in our efforts by UN resolutions that go back many years and I wonder why the hon. member cannot accept the fact that there are UN resolutions still in force.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, the UN resolutions were adopted in 1991. We do not need the government to tell us what resolutions were adopted by the United Nations. I have a question for the government which, following a cabinet decision and a debate in the House, embarked on a great adventure that could lead to war, to military intervention.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made it very clear what our objectives are, to have Saddam Hussein comply completely with the UN resolutions, that he give up his efforts to manufacture and store instruments of mass destruction and allow full UN inspection. This is our objective and that of other countries of the world under the auspices of existing UN resolutions.

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, I already mentioned our objective, which is to convince Saddam Hussein to give up manufacturing and storing weapons of mass destruction. Until Saddam Hussein is prepared to comply with this requirement, why should we talk about withdrawing the forces of the United Nations, Canada or Great Britain?

Iraq  Mr. Speaker, we are also seeking a diplomatic solution. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs is in New York at the United Nations today.