Members of the Senate Standing Committee on National Security and Defence will be visiting military bases and the Department of Veterans Affairs Canada in Eastern Canada from July 6 to July 9, 2009. The delegation includes Senator Colin Kenny, Chair of the Committee, and Senators Tommy Banks, Joseph Day, Grant Mitchell and Wilfred Moore.
The schedule is as follows:
Monday 6 July: Veterans Affairs, Charlottetown
Tuesday 7 July: #14 Wing Greenwood
Wednesday 8 July: #12 Wing Shearwater; CFB Halifax
Thursday 9 July: Combat Training Centre (CTC), CFB Gagetown
Common themes of discussion will be personnel levels, training and operations, operations and maintenance funding and challenges facing the military bases in Atlantic Canada.
In addition, Committee members will receive briefings on a wide variety of topics, including, for example, challenges facing veterans and officers returning from Afghanistan, incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, trade and technician shortages, and updates on the Aurora Incremental Life Extension Project, Sea King and Cyclone helicopters, SAR (Search and Rescue) MARLANT (Maritime Forces Atlantic), and MSOC (Marine Security Operations Centre) operations.
The trip follows testimony given by the Chiefs of the Land Staff, Air Staff and Maritime Staff on March 9, 2009 and testimony given by the Deputy Minister of National Defence, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and other officials on May 25, 2009.
That testimony as well as the Committee’s schedule of meetings, mandate, membership and biographical notes of Senators, recent reports and minutes of proceedings can be accessed at: http://senate-senat.ca/defe-e.asp.
For further information and to make arrangements for coverage, please contact:
Maureen Boyd
613-863-1952
maureen.boyd@mac.com