Translate Politics Parliament in plain language.

National Defence

In question period on national defence, Conservative members said the military is short more than 8,600 people, that promised pay raises are being clawed back, that rent for military housing is rising by more than 5%, and that housing support is being cut, including by up to $7,000 a year for some members. They asked the minister to reverse these decisions. The Liberal minister replied that the government is investing in bases and equipment, building and buying homes for military members, and that applications, enrolment and training speeds have all improved; he also pointed to the government’s commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defence and contrasted it with lower defence spending under the previous Conservative government.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

Official text

6 statements

James Bezan

Conservative
“The military is short more than 8,600 people. The Liberals broke promises on raises and benefits, cut housing help for troops, and raised their rent. I want the minister to explain why he is making it harder to keep people in our military.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, everything the Liberals say about our military is just an illusion. They promised our troops raises, but they never materialized. Retention benefits for reserves are missing in action. The Liberal minister is gutting housing support for our troops by up to $7,000 a year, plus he is hiking housing rents on Canadian Armed Forces members. Our military is short over 8,600 personnel and over half of our military occupations are suffering critical staff shortages. Why is the defence minister making retention worse for our soldiers, sailors and aviators?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

David McGuinty

Liberal
“The member is wrong about our military bases. We are investing in them. More people are applying and joining the military, training is faster, and pay is going up.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Signal 43 of 100

    Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the member has been, but he has not been to any of our 33 bases lately. He is not seeing the investments that are being made there. He is not seeing the improvements that have been showing up, such as a 61% increase in applications this year, year over year, a 13% increase in those accepted into the forces, reductions in times for training, and 8%, 13% and 20% increases in salaries. It is so bad. I really just cannot figure out how they can make this stuff up.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade B– View analysis

James Bezan

Conservative
“The government is raising rent for military housing and cutting housing support. This hurts our troops and makes them want to leave the military. I want the defence minister to reverse these decisions.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, let us separate the fiction and actually have some reality here. Most of our troops are not seeing a bump in their paycheque because the Liberals continue to claw it back at every opportunity. Rents are up by more than 5% for military housing. Housing support is down in more than 10 of the major housing posting locations. These reckless cuts are making retention and readiness much worse. How can our brave women and men who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces trust these Liberals when they give with one hand and claw back with the other? Will the defence minister reverse these bad policies and actually start improving the retention of our brave women and men?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A– View analysis

David McGuinty

Liberal
“We promised to spend two percent of our economy on national defence. The Conservatives spent less than one percent when they were in power. We are also building and buying thousands of new homes for military members.”

  • Government answer in Question Period

    Relevance 27 of 100

    None of this answer addressed the specific question that was asked.

    See full analysis
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is a good day to answer this question, because, in fact, a year ago today we announced that we would achieve 2% of our GDP expenditures for defence. I remember where the member was at the end of the Harper regime when it was less than 1%. I did not see him fighting then for the money that we needed for our forces. In fact, he has been missing in action. On the housing front alone, we are building 7,500 new units, 800 units are under construction now and three new apartment buildings have been purchased. We are making progress step by step. That is exactly what the women and men of the forces deserve.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C– View analysis

Cheryl Gallant

Conservative

Linked statement

“The government is raising rent and cutting housing help for military members. When will the defence minister cancel these cuts?”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals’ pay raise for the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces is a farce. The Liberals are slashing the housing benefit by up to 72%, while upping the rent by 5%. CAF members in the national capital region will see their housing differential cut by up to $4,200 a year. In Kingston, they will see their housing differential cut by up to $7,200 a year. When will the defence minister reverse these harmful changes?

View on ourcommons.ca Grade A View analysis

David McGuinty

Liberal
“We are fixing and investing in the Canadian Armed Forces. More people, including more women, are joining. We are buying new weapons, building homes, and changing the military's culture. The previous Conservative government left behind a mess.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, we are going to continue to make thoughtful, systematic and disciplined investments in the Canadian Armed Forces. Applications are up 61% year over year. The number of folks brought into the system is up 13% year over year. We have more women joining. We are making progress on the cultural challenges inside the Canadian Armed Forces. We are buying weapons systems. We bought new rifles. We are building new homes. We are building for the future. When a mess is left like it was by the last regime under Mr. Harper, it is kind of hard to defend it.

View on ourcommons.ca Grade C+ View analysis

Discussion

No comments yet

See the full discussion

Comment rules

More from sitting 133

All 43 items ·
  1. Oral Questions Member for Côte-du-Sud—Rivière-du-Loup—Kataskomiq—Témiscouata 2 statements
  2. Oral Questions International Trade 4 statements
  3. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 2 statements
  4. Oral Questions The Economy 14 statements
  5. Oral Questions Taxation 2 statements
  6. Oral Questions Rail Transportation 12 statements
  7. Oral Questions The Economy 2 statements
  8. Oral Questions Indigenous Affairs 2 statements
  9. Oral Questions Natural Resources 2 statements
  10. Oral Questions Housing 2 statements
  11. Oral Questions National Defence 6 statements
  12. Oral Questions Canadian Identity and Culture 2 statements
  13. Oral Questions The Economy 2 statements
  14. Oral Questions Air Transportation 3 statements
  15. Oral Questions The Economy 8 statements
  16. Oral Questions The Economy 19 statements
  17. Government Orders Bail and Sentencing Reform Act 11 statements
  18. Private Members' Business Food and Drugs Act 9 statements
  19. Government Orders Government Orders 24 statements
  20. Government Orders Government Orders 16 statements
  21. Government Orders Government Orders 25 statements
  22. Adjournment Proceedings Adjournment Proceedings 4 statements