Parm Gill

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, honestly, it is beyond my understanding as to why NDP members would like to see our veterans drive to these district offices.

The member opposite mentioned Brandon, Manitoba. The Service Canada office where the services are being merged is in the same building. What does the member not get? I have a difficult time understanding.

We are providing more services, more points of service, across the country so that veterans do not have to drive. We will send a registered nurse. We will send a case manager—

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, there will be 650 points of service, 600 additional. Maybe the NDP do not get the math and do not understand how it works. When 600 points of access are added for our veterans, they go toward helping veterans. There are many, many cities and towns in this country that currently do not have a district office, that do not get the service, and will now get that service.

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it seems like it is only the NDP that would like to see Canada's veterans drive downtown and drive to the district office to obtain services. Whereas this government is committed to provide them service in the comfort of their own home.

We will continue to cut their lawn. We will continue to shovel their snow. We will continue to prepare meals in the comfort of their home or deliver those meals to them.

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, let me repeat for the member, maybe in slow motion. Since coming to office, our government, the Conservative government, has invested almost $5 billion in additional funding to help veterans.

We will continue to stand up for veterans on this side of the House. Only the NDP and the Liberals can call 650 points of service a cut. That is not a cut, it is providing more services, more--

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a strong record when it comes to providing services and benefits to our veterans, our men and women in uniform, and we will continue to do. However, the opposition, especially the NDP, tries to pander to the unions and are more than willing to speak their talking points.

I would like to point out the fact that every single initiative that we have introduced to help our veterans, the NDP has voted against almost every single one of them.

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the facts are as follows. As I mentioned, there are 650 new points of service for veterans where they can access these services.

Let me give some examples of how far the offices being merged with Service Canada are from district offices. For example, in Brandon, Manitoba, it is in the same building. In Saskatoon, it is the same building. In Kelowna, B.C., it is the same building. In Corner Brook, Newfoundland, it is the same building. In Charlottetown, P.E.I., it is across the street.

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, there will be 650 points of service for veterans to access service.

These offices will be in areas where district offices did not exist. Now there will be Service Canada offices in areas as Durham, Sault Ste. Marie, and many others, so all veterans have access to the services they deserve.

[Veterans, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this is a provincial facility that has nothing to do with the district offices. The Province of Quebec is in the midst of contract negotiations with the service provider and that process should run its course.

The fact remains, our government financially supports this and many other front-line facilities. In this case, we expect these services to continue well into the future.

[Veterans Affairs, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, since coming to office, our government has invested almost $5 billion in additional funding to help veterans and to provide services and benefits.

Regarding the offices that are being merged with Service Canada, we will make sure that each of the eight offices has a fully trained Veterans Affairs Canada employee to provide the necessary assistance.

[Veterans Affairs, January 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our government has created 600 new points of service across the country to assist Canada's veterans.

A critically injured veteran does not have to drive to a district office. We will send a registered nurse or a case manager to them in the comfort of their own home to assist them where the service is required. Veterans who are seriously injured can count on our government to shovel their driveways, cut their grass, and prepare their meals in their homes.