House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 33% of the vote.
Veterans Affairs December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, veterans who are injured and in rehabilitation receive a minimum of $3,500 in financial benefits each month. Veterans who are most seriously injured can receive $8,000 or more a month in financial benefits from the Government of Canada, and their military pension.
Our government has increased two disability awards to a new combined total of a half a million dollars tax free. Injured veterans now have access to up to $75,800 toward university and college retraining.
Veterans Affairs December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we have brought in real services and real programs for veterans, and we will continue to do that.
The reality is that those members keep voting against every program and measure that we have brought forward. They voted against disability and death compensation. They voted against the earning and loss supplementary retirement benefit. They voted against the veterans independence program.
On this side of the House, we are taking action. We are providing services to our veterans, and the opposition needs to get on board.
Veterans Affairs December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, while the opposition wants to increase government bureaucracy, we are increasing front-line support for our veterans, including recently announcing eight new front-line mental health clinics for Canadians across the country.
Let me give a couple of examples. In the service delivery branch, we reorganized three regional management centres into one in Montreal, and reduced hundreds of managers, processing analysts and administrative support clerks. In the treatment and benefit program, 30 positions were reduced when we streamlined health related travel claims.
We will continue to stand up.
Veterans Affairs December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered. Today, there are more services, more benefits and more points of service for our veterans than ever before.
Here are the facts. Those members voted against expanding funeral and burial funding. They voted against career transition services. They even voted against the children of deceased veterans education assistance program.
We will take no lessons from that party over there.
Veterans December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, we have made substantial investments to help Canada's veterans since taking office in 2006. We will make absolutely no apologies when it comes to eliminating government bureaucracy in the back offices and putting the resources into the front line to help Canada's veterans and their families.
Here is an example. In the Veterans Affairs independence program, we have eliminated nearly 100 positions after we stopped requiring veterans to submit receipts for expenses like snow clearing, lawn cutting and home cleaning.
Veterans December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, our government released the Veterans Affairs mental health action plan, taking action on the Auditor General's recommendations.
We have expanded front-line mental health support clinics across Canada. We have cut red tape and doubled the number of counselling sessions.
This is just the beginning, and we look forward to working with our veterans to improve how we support them and their families.
Veterans December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, while the opposition wants to increase government bureaucracy, we have increased front-line support for our veterans, including recently announcing eight new front-line mental health clinics for Canadian veterans.
In the service delivery branch alone, we reorganized three regional management centres into one in Montreal, and reduced hundreds of managers, processing analysts and administrative support clerks.
In the treatment benefits program, 30 positions were reduced when we streamlined calculated travel claims.
Veterans December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the opposition is focused on protecting the big government junior jobs at Veterans Affairs, while voting against support for Canadian veterans.
For example, we on this side of the House have eliminated nearly 100 positions in the veterans independence program by no longer requiring veterans to submit receipts for expenses like snow clearing, yard maintenance and home cleaning.
We will continue to stand up for Canada's veterans.
Veterans December 10th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that the government does not comment on issues that are before the courts.
Our government has made substantial investments to help Canada's veterans, even though the opposition continues to vote against them.
Some of our recent initiatives are: the road to mental health programs; the mental health first aid program; a new operational stress injury clinic in Halifax, with satellite offices across the country in St. John's, Chicoutimi, Pembroke, Brockville, Kelowna, Victoria, Montreal and the greater Toronto area.
Veterans December 5th, 2014
Mr. Speaker, as I just mentioned, our government is standing up for Canada's veterans, and we make absolutely no apologies for reducing the bureaucratic expenses at Veterans Affairs Canada. The opposition wants to increase government bureaucracy.
We are increasing front-line support to help Canada's veterans. We recently announced that we are adding eight additional operational stress injury clinics across the country, with the main one in Halifax and the others in cities across this country.
We will continue to stand up for Canada's veterans when it comes to providing them with benefits and services. They deserve it.