Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor defended himself Thursday against critics who questioned the timing of a federal boost that will reopen a Quebec military college mothballed during budget cuts in the 1990s.
O'Connor announced on Thursday that the government will spend $200 million over the next 20 years on funding for the College militaire royal de Saint-Jean, located in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que.
The college will not offer university courses as it did before it closed in 1995, he said.
But critics questioned the timing of the announcement, which comes on the heels of a first wave of Quebec-based soldiers being dispatched to Afghanistan last week.
Recent polls have showed the war in Afghanistan is highly unpopular in Quebec, despite the fact that one-third of all recruits come from Quebec.
"It has nothing to do with politics. It has to do with giving francophones their place within the military," O'Connor told reporters at the Quebec college, which first opened in 1952 on a plot of land along the western bank of the Richelieu River, south of Montreal.
But Liberal defence critic Denis Coderre dismissed O'Connor's assertions.
"It is a political move for sure," he told CTV Montreal.
The College militaire royal de Saint-Jean will offer a new two-year diploma a program to young potential officers.
The College of General and Professional Education Program (C�GEP) is expected to accommodate about 200 students per year.
"It is with great pride that I am announcing the re-establishment of the College militaire royal de Saint-Jean," O'Connor said in announcing the boost on Thursday.
"This vital educational institution will once again take its pride of place in the development of a bilingual officer corps. For too long we have felt its absence. CMR is back."
While the school won't offer university-level courses, credits can be applied to programs at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ont. or other universities.
The institution, currently called Campus Fort St-Jean, has been offering a one-year preparatory course for Quebec high school students looking to pursue a career at the Royal Military College in Kingston.
"The re-establishing of College militaire de Saint-Jean as an independent academic institution will provide a vital educational capability to the Canadian Forces," said Maj.-Gen. Semianiw.
"This will restore a Commandant, Board of Governors, and a Principal, as well as the military culture of discipline, uniforms and fitness training in order to meet the needs of an expanding and transforming Canadian Forces."
Michael Fortier, minister of Public Works and Government Services, likened the original cutbacks to the National Hockey League shutting down the Montreal Canadiens.
"Our youth in Quebec want to study in a military college," said Fortier. "This announcement that we're making today will help them to fulfill their military study."
Coderre believes now that Ottawa has the money, the Royal Military College should be restored to full university status.
"It's like they're supposed to announce a big NHL franchise and the only thing we'll have today is farm school."
Bloc Quebecois defence critic Claude Bachand, who also represents the riding, said the decision to close the school is proof federalism didn't work.
"I still maintain that, because we've lost a quarter of billion dollars here. We had a budget in this era of $25 million a year and we've lost this budget for 12 years now."
With a report from CTV Montreal's Rob Lurie and files from The Canadian Press
