Hon. Andrew Cardozo: Just to clarify on the matter of the 2% of GDP, there’s been some controversy as to whether your department lowballed the estimate too much on the dollar figure. Can you commit that it is 2% regardless of what the GDP is at that point? What pressures are on us to meet that 2% a lot sooner, like in the next year or two?

Hon. Bill Blair, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence: First of all, regarding the investments that we have to make, I’ve been able to go and explain this to my allies because they face the same challenges I do. We know we need to spend money on new platforms. As an example, we’re building 15 new battleships, new destroyers, but that takes time. We’re going to acquire 12 new submarines, but it will take time for them to come through the shipyard and for us to build the infrastructure needed to support them.

We also need to reconstitute our Armed Forces so we have the people to sail on those ships and in those submarines and to fly those planes and to maintain them. All of that work is happening in concert, but it takes times to get those things delivered. Some senators made reference to lapses, to money that did not get spent. We’re able to repurpose that money and carry it forward. If we can’t get the planes delivered in that year —

The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Thank you, minister.

The time for Question Period has expired. I am certain you will want to join me in thanking Minister Blair for joining us today.

Thank you, minister.

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear.