The Opposition is asking why Canadian soldiers are using what it calls rusted dune buggies to patrol Kabul, saying the Canadian-made Iltis jeep doesn't offer enough protection and soldiers should have vehicles with more armour.

Two Canadian soldiers were killed and three injured Thursday when an explosive device blew a large hole in their jeep as they patrolled a dirt road in the Afghan capital.

"The government has known for years that the Iltis jeeps are long overdue for replacement yet it sends our troops into a warzone with these unprotected, antiquated vehicles," Canadian Alliance MP Jay Hill said in the House on Friday.

"Why were our soldiers sent into ... self-described 'bad guy country' in unarmoured rusted-out dune buggies rather than lightly armoured vehicles?"

Ilitis jeeps were first built for the German army in 1978.

Defence Minister John McCallum replied by citing the top Canadian soldier in Afghanistan as saying the explosion was so large that even a heavily armoured car would have been disabled by it.

"Maj.-Gen.(Andrew) Leslie has said on a number of occasions that it was an extremely big hole, an extremely large explosion, and that irrespective of the vehicle there would have been great trouble," McCallum said.

But, Hill accused Ottawa of not supplying Canadian troops with the kind of equipment needed to more safely accomplish their mission.

"What I'm suggesting is that this government should have given our troops and our commanders over there more lightly armoured vehicles so they wouldn't have to use these damn jeeps," Hill said.

McCallum replied that the government spared neither money nor effort to ensure the army had what it deemed necessary.

"The army has informed me ... on several occasions that yes indeed they are well equipped," McCallum said.

Earlier, Leslie told reporters via telephone from Kabul that most of the troops in the International Security Protection Force charged with security in Kabul use jeep-like vehicles.

"The Iltises have a certain degree of commonality with most other vehicles in this theatre of operation. The British use a Land Rover. The Turks use Land Rover-based vehicles. There are 31 different nations here ... there's a large number of sport utility vehicles in action," he said.

Leslie also said indications were the explosive content of the device that killed the Canadian soldiers probably approached that of an artillery shell or anti-tank mine -- although the investigation is ongoing.

"If it was an anti-tank mine, then of course anti-tank mines are designed to kill or immobilize a tank," Leslie said.

"If the soldiers had been in (an armoured vehicle) would they have had a greater chance of survivability? The answer is yes. If it was an anti-tank mine, would they have been assured of living through the experience? No."

When asked how much protection the Iltis provided when travelling through a mined area Leslie replied: "Quite frankly the answer is almost none."

The blast occurred near Camp Julien, the main Canadian base in Kabul. Canadian troops were travelling in two jeeps on regular patrol when one of the two vehicles in the convoy hit what officials say was a large explosive device.

Killed were Sgt. Robert Alan Short, a 42-year-old native of Fredericton, and Cpl. Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger, 29, from Ottawa.

The injured include Cpl. Thomas Stirling, Master Cpl. Jason Cory Hamilton, Cpl. Cameron Lee Laidlaw.

All are members of the Royal Canadian Regiment, 3rd battalion, based in Petawawa, Ont.