Evidence of meeting #12 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was insurance.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Sanzio Bonotto  Brigadier-General, Italian Defence Attaché, Embassy of the Italian Republic in Canada

4:55 p.m.

BGen Sanzio Bonotto

We don't have veterans, so the amount of pension compared to you.... After some years, your pension is indexed as a member of the public, as they all are. You have no possibility of having something different because you are military, because we don't have any veterans. If you have another pension because you paid into insurance or something when you were younger, you can have more. But that is aid from yourself, not because of the state. That's all.

We have a war pension because we have some injured, where something has happened. Otherwise, you can use a year of war to add a year of work. It is possible to do this because you have served the state. If it was a year, you can add a year to pensionable service, but not for other kinds of....

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Thank you, Mr. McColeman.

Mr. Stoffer.

4:55 p.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

No, thank you, I'm fine.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Okay.

I understand there are no more questions on the Liberal side.

Monsieur Lévesque or Monsieur Crête?

4:55 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC

It is fine.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

General, thank you very much. We greatly appreciate your being with us today.

To echo Mr. Stoffer's words, we wish the best to your country for your recovery after the natural disaster that your citizens just experienced. Please send our best to all of them.

4:55 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear!

4:55 p.m.

BGen Sanzio Bonotto

Thank you. I'm sorry for my bad accent and my bad English.

4:55 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

General, I do have one question. Is there someone who might be able to get some answers for us on a couple of key questions if we followed up afterwards?

5 p.m.

BGen Sanzio Bonotto

Oh, yes. Just send me an e-mail. You can be sure that I will get the correct answer.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

I think I have this right: molto bene.

5 p.m.

BGen Sanzio Bonotto

That's right.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Mr. Stoffer.

5 p.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Chairman, seeing as how we had the great news of our previous clerk having a wonderful child, I wonder if it's possible that the committee could agree to send her some flowers.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Mr. Stoffer, I was going to make sure that you got credit for that idea. I think it's a great idea and I think it falls within our discretion for the budget. I certainly would be on board with it. I can't think of anyone who would disagree.

5 p.m.

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS

And chocolate. She may need some chocolate, too.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Flowers and chocolate? I think we might be able to get that through.

Mr. Lobb.

5 p.m.

Conservative

Ben Lobb Conservative Huron—Bruce, ON

Mr. Chair, I would move a motion that today's meeting adjourn.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

Okay.

Is everybody okay with flowers and chocolates?

5 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

That's done.

There is a motion to adjourn. Is everybody okay with that?

5 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

5 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative David Sweet

The meeting is adjourned.