OTTAWA – “I am very much looking forward to my first visit to 19 Wing Comox where I will meet the Royal Canadian Air Force personnel stationed there, learn about what they do to protect Canada and Canadians, and view the equipment that is crucial to their jobs. I will also have the privilege to make an important announcement tomorrow about investments in equipment for the Canadian Armed Forces.
“I have been the Associate Minister of National Defence for two months now, and in that time, I have had the privilege to meet with many of the civilian and military members of the Defence Team and to see the great work that they do to make Canada – and the world – safer for Canadians.
“In fact, last month in Esquimalt, I had the pleasure of welcoming home the crew of Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Regina, who had been at sea on a counter-terrorism operation for roughly eight months.
“The experience drove home the fact that I have a real opportunity to do my part to help our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women get the tools they need so that they can successfully complete their missions and look forward to many more happy homecomings.
“While at 19 Wing, I will have the opportunity to visit the 407 Long Range Patrol Squadron, who, flying their CP-140 Aurora aircraft, spend long hours on surveillance missions over the ocean looking for illegal fishing, migration, drugs and pollution, in addition to foreign submarines.
“I also plan to familiarize myself the work of the 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, which carries out search and rescue operations in the busiest region in Canada, stretching from the B.C.-Washington border to the Arctic, and from the Rocky Mountains to 1,200 km out into the Pacific, in their CC-115 Buffalo Aircraft and CH-149 Cormorant Helicopters.
“I am proud of the successes we have had in positioning the Canadian Armed Forces as a world-class military force today and well into the future. I look forward to continuing to the great work of my predecessors, along with the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces and Canadian industry, to ensure we get the best equipment for our men and women in uniform at the best price for Canadians.
“I also look forward to continuing to travel across the country visiting bases and wings to see, first hand, the impact of our efforts on the Canadian Armed Forces members on the ground.”
