Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, commenting on the mission in Africa, the minister's press secretary confirmed that the three-year mission is one of the options on the table. What are the other options? We know nothing about this mission, but we are about to send Canadian soldiers to one of the most dangerous theatres of operation in the world.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, last Friday, Remembrance Day, the minister confirmed that he had committed Canada to a three-year deployment in Africa. Shame on him for making Remembrance Day a platform for that announcement. That shows a lack of respect for veterans. All we know about the mission is how long it will last and that it will be dangerous.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister and the minister said that stopping extremist groups from shooting at each other was not the priority, but to me, that is a prerequisite for peace. The government is about to send our soldiers to Mali to play social worker and talk to extremists.

Remembrance Day  Mr. Speaker, as a former commanding officer of the Régiment de la Chaudière, I got to spend some time with the heros who sacrificed everything to spend years training in order to be ready to join the invasion of Europe on the beaches of Normandy. These heroes did not see themselves as such.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. I do not have a calculator, but off the top of my head I can say that after four years under this Liberal government, the deficit will be over $100 billion. What I noted from her question is something I mentioned in my speech.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for her question. Our children will owe an extra $1,000. The fifth grandson of a colleague of mine was born yesterday, and his debt went up by $1,000 the moment he entered this world. What a thoughtful gift from the current Liberal government.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I will try to remember the name of the riding of my colleague from Saint John—Rothesay, because I found he said some rather insulting things about the former government. For 10 years, the former government navigated the worst global economic crisis. It made investments in infrastructure to get the economy back on track.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Mr. Speaker, I wanted to respond to the economic update that was given yesterday and remind the House that the government is making Canadians even poorer by running this massive deficit. Today, Canada's future is bleaker and more unstable. I am worried about the future of my children and of generations to come.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, once again, the minister is going to visit Mali, where the government is preparing to send our troops. As a former commander of this type of infantry, I am well aware of the risks associated with the different missions. I would like to remind the House that, this year alone, this mission has cost over 32 peacekeepers their lives, bringing the total number of casualties up to 100.

National Defence  Madam Speaker, on the matter of the mission in Iraq, the Minister of Transport said in the House on September 16, 2014: ...it is important for us to get as much information as we can from the government on what possibly can happen and how this mission can evolve. Clearly, this policy ceased to apply once he was in government.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the member is mistaken. The mission has changed. We have proof and information from abroad. Our troops are on the frontline and fighting the enemy. That is a change in mission. Why is the government hiding the truth? Why is it not being transparent with us? It keeps playing the same old broken record saying that we are advising or helping the Kurds, but we know that is not true.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, before I ask my question, I want the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence to know that it is not our intention to jeopardize the safety of our troops. I just wanted to know whether the troops are in combat or not. Speaking of secrets, out of nostalgia, the Liberals recommitted us to peacekeeping missions, but we are being kept in the dark about that commitment.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's lack of transparency is troubling. Yesterday, the minister did not rule out a possible extension of the mission against ISIS. When we extended the mission in Syria, we put it to a vote in Parliament and the Liberals opposed it. Now that they are thinking of extending the mission in Syria, will they put it to a vote in Parliament, or will they continue to operate in secret without informing Canadians?

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, I think the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence should change his answer as his notes are not up to date. Last month, we learned from the Canadian forces leadership that the mission had evolved. It has changed, but the government has kept this information from Canadians, who still do not know exactly what our soldiers are doing in Iraq.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, I think that the safety of our soldiers is more important and that Canadians should be informed. The government is very tight-lipped about what our soldiers are doing in Iraq. Our Kurdish partners, in contrast, do not seem to have the same sense of restraint. Kurdish news station Rudaw broadcast images of Canadian soldiers on the front line during the Mosul liberation operation.