QUESTION PERIOD — National Defence
Military Equipment
September 24, 2024
Leader, according to a recent article on the CBC website, National Defence spent over $34.8 million on sleeping bags. Soldiers in the Canadian Armed Forces found that they were not suitable for winter conditions.
On one exercise, 350 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion were deployed to Ram Falls Provincial Park in Alberta. They trained in conditions where temperatures ranged from -5 degrees Celsius during the day to -20 degrees Celsius at night. They froze. The sleeping bags were not suitable for Canadian winters.
Leader, don’t you find it odd that the government can’t even provide sleeping bags? Did the minister ever think about just going to Canadian Tire?
Thank you for the question. As soon as the government was made aware of the concerns around the sleeping bags in question, the Canadian Army immediately asked for feedback and issued a newsletter to provide clear instructions. During the exercise in the North that you mentioned, the Canadian Army reinforced operational measures to address the concerns. The sleeping bags were provided with additional accessories, including accessories for protecting against the cold.
So there needs to be an instruction manual on how to use a sleeping bag.
Leader, at a time when we need to renew or buy F-35s, submarines and long-range radars, Canadians are worried that your government can’t even buy sleeping bags. What can you say to reassure them?
The government has made historic investments in our Armed Forces, including for the necessary equipment. These investments are much larger than those that were made in the past and the government will continue to support the Canadian Armed Forces.
