National Defence  Mr. Speaker, what a bunch of bunk. I can say that CSEC is prohibited by law from targeting Canadians at home or abroad, directly or indirectly. The CSEC's independent watchdog said in his annual report this year that he is “concerned that commentators are raising fears that are b

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear that we are going to be reporting back to Parliament. We are looking at the 30-day deployment and renewing it. The one thing we will not do is sit idly by while innocent civilians are being killed in Iraq. There is targeting of the Yazidis, Ch

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the member has been. On September 5, the Prime Minister announced that we are deploying up to 69 special forces from the Canadian Armed Forces, and they are there in a non-combat advisory role, providing strategic and tactical advice. We are proud

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, unlike the previous Liberal government, our government's practice on combat missions, whether it was in Afghanistan or back in Libya, has been clear. The government's decision to deploy the Canadian Armed Forces in a combat mission will be debated and voted on in the

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, that is not at all what has happened. We know that this conversation started back in August with President Obama reaching out to Canada and to the Prime Minister to engage all allies in trying to build a coalition to deal with ISIL. I can say that throughout history

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, let us put things in perspective here. We have a murderous terrorist group literally raping and pillaging across the Middle East. They are beheading journalists, kidnapping women and selling them into slavery. Our government is focused on how Canada can contribute to

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, we are in constant contact with all our allies, including and especially the United States, on multiple foreign affairs matters, including what is going on in Iraq with ISIL. We are working with our allies to determine what role Canada can play to oppose this murdero

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, that is really rich coming from the Liberal Party, a party that cancelled our replacements to the Sea Kings, the party that went and bought used submarines. The member for Markham—Unionville back in 2008 said, when referring to the defence file, “I think the defence

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, we have been supportive of U.S. efforts in forming the coalition to tackle ISIL, and that is why we have committed Canadian Forces in a non-combat role. We are coming up to the end of 30 days from September 5 and we will have these discussions as we review our progre

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, our government is delivering equipment to the Royal Canadian Navy by investing $4 billion to modernize the Halifax-class frigates and $36.6 billion in the national shipbuilding procurement strategy. The joint supply ship project will deliver two ships and will replac

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Royal Canadian Navy, as I already said, is currently undertaking the most comprehensive fleet modernization and renewal in peacetime history. This includes the modernization of 12 Halifax-class frigates, seven of which are already completed with their refits. As

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has routinely deployed the Canadian Armed Forces around the world in non-combat roles. It has never been the practice to have a vote on such deployments in Parliament. Just recently, we have HMCS Toronto in the Black Sea, we have troops on

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear both inside and outside the House that the clock started on the 30-day deployment on September 5. At the end of these 30 days, we will look at renewing the mission. The atrocities currently being committed by ISIL cannot be left unanswer

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no fact to that statement at all. I can confirm that we have committed 69 members of the Canadian special armed forces to be in Iraq to provide tactical and strategic advice in a non-combat role, and that is exactly what we are doing.

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, we have committed to 69 members being deployed to northern Iraq to fight—to be in an advisory role with the Peshmerga, helping it out, along with the invitation of the Iraqi government. We are there strictly in an advisory role, non-combat, and it is very clear what