Discussion · Government Orders
Jeff Kibble Conservative
“I want the member to explain how the government can claim we are meeting NATO's defence spending goal. NATO says a coast guard must be trained and equipped like a military, but our Coast Guard head said ours cannot do that. The government's claim that we meet the spending target is an illusion.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member opposite mentioned NATO spending. I will ask this question again, as I fail continually to get an answer in the House. According to NATO’s own definition, a coast guard must be trained in military tactics, equipped as a military force, able to operate under direct military authority and able to be deployed to operations realistically outside of national territory in support of a military force. At committee, the head of the Coast Guard testified that the Canadian Coast Guard cannot meet this goal, so can the member justify how the Liberals can have a big parade and victory lap over meeting the 2% NATO GDP spending target when it is clearly an illusion? Can the member justify it? I am not interested in any other answer.”
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite mentioned NATO spending. I will ask this question again, as I fail continually to get an answer in the House. According to NATO’s own definition, a coast guard must be trained in military tactics, equipped as a military force, able to operate under direct military authority and able to be deployed to operations realistically outside of national territory in support of a military force. At committee, the head of the Coast Guard testified that the Canadian Coast Guard cannot meet this goal, so can the member justify how the Liberals can have a big parade and victory lap over meeting the 2% NATO GDP spending target when it is clearly an illusion? Can the member justify it? I am not interested in any other answer.