National Defence committee  Once again, it's a great question. The permanent destruction of ISIS in its military form and complete eradication is unlikely to ever happen. I think there will be disaffected persons who may or may not wish to conduct crimes against their state. However, as an organized credible force that could unseat government, or indeed bring harm to the state...I think they are well on their way to achieving that.

National Defence committee  Thank you for the question, sir. I think I answered this question once, but I'm happy to do it again. Perhaps I can just abbreviate. I would stress that living in a military family is also wonderful. I grew up in a military family. Where it is clear to me that the nature of life today in Canada for a highly mobile armed forces has challenges is in things like the wild variations in housing prices, differences in the tax rates, differences in operational tempo and differences in the school systems.

National Defence committee  I'd be delighted. Thank you for the question. I have given direction in writing and verbal guidance to my commanders—and that has cascaded down to the forces—to seek to be transparent and to lean into that transparency, that where there's a doubt, be transparent and communicate.

National Defence committee  Thank you for your question, Mr. Robillard. I will answer in English so I can be completely comfortable. I think the relationship is emerging. This is a brand new government. They are still working to put in place their plans as to how they will move forward. The Iraqi Parliament has changed its face somewhat, in terms of its representation and political representation.

National Defence committee  Thank you once again for your question. I have to tell you, sir, I'm very proud of our response to that, as I am every time we respond to support Canadians. I've said it before and I'll say it again: All members of the armed forces love to support Canadians first. It's a real point of pride, when Canadians are in trouble and we are asked to support, that we can be there.

National Defence committee  Thank you for the question. It's important and I think many people would recognize the challenge from going from winning the battles and the kinetic war to securing the peace. I think the west has been somewhat criticized on different operations where we now find ourselves in that uncomfortable space between having won the clear military fight—or largely won.

National Defence committee  It's a whole-of-government effort. To do justice to this, I would simply say that other elements of Canadian and international power beyond the military are being employed, where we are financing activities that seek to re-establish neighbourhoods and care for the people who have been displaced.

National Defence committee  Yes, sir.

National Defence committee  We are not doing the train, advise and assist mission with the peshmerga anymore. We are conducting security operations with Kurdish forces within the area defined as Kurdistan.

National Defence committee  Yes, they are.

National Defence committee  They won't be used by the Canadian Armed Forces. There has been no decision or military advice provided on my part as to where those weapons should end up. I think we have the capability and the doctrine, I would say, that where we are involved in conflict and where it is appropriate to transfer lethal aid....

National Defence committee  No, they are not providing armed security, other than protecting themselves whenever they move around. There's no stand-alone force protection role other than what everybody does all the time to defend themselves. I can't go into the specifics, sir, but they conduct operations to support and assist Iraqi security forces in ensuring that any pockets of ISIL or Daesh do not re-emerge.

National Defence committee  We replaced those two aircrafts with the two CC-130J Hercules aircraft at the request of the coalition.

National Defence committee  Sir, we have authorities up to 850 people.

National Defence committee  If the chair will allow me to say this, the idea of living among those communities and with our neighbours is wonderful—the kids are playing hockey and sports with other kids who aren't all necessarily military—but the mobile lifestyle and the exigencies of service haven't changed.