Kelowna MP Elected Chair of National Defence Committee

Kelowna—Lake Country Member of Parliament Stephen Fuhr has taken on a new role with the Federal Government.

On Thursday morning, he was elected Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence.

“It is an honour to be elected Chair of the Committee,” said Fuhr, in a statement. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on issues of importance and providing meaningful input to the government on matters of defence.”

Fuhr himself was a member of the Canadian Air Force for many years as a fighter pilot.

In the fall, he won his seat in the Okanagan, up against long-time Conservative MP Ron Cannan, and is the first Liberal to be elected to the riding in 60 years.

The Committee on National Defence also elected two vice chairs on Thursday, Cheryl Gallant, MP for Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke, and Randall Garrison, MP for Esquimalt-Saanich- Sooke.

It is a permanent committee which reviews everything pertaining to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The Committee looks after legislation, activities, and expenditures of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, and how their programs and policies are doing.

Since 2010, the Committee brought multiple matters to the House of Commons on defence strategies, care of ill and injured Armed Forces Members, NATO, and more.