Veterans Affairs committee  Good morning, Mr. Chairman, committee members, and guests. My name is Ron Griffis, and I'm the national president of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping. On behalf of our association, I wish to thank you for giving us this opportunity to appear bef

Veterans Affairs committee  There's no problem with the national association either. That's a very good point. We have no problem.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  To the best of our knowledge at this time, the bill is all-encompassing. It's a very good bill.

Veterans Affairs committee  There's no problem with us.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  With respect to Casques bleus as opposed to gardiens de la paix, our colleagues out of Montreal and out of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu brought this matter to my attention. They suggested that the changes be made. They look at it from the point of view that they want it to be correct

Veterans Affairs committee  I don't know the answer to that question. I appreciate your point of view, that it could be with respect to the school crossing guard or to some parents who are guardians. By the same token, this is the term they suggested.

Veterans Affairs committee  We would prefer peacekeeping. And I know that term is going to grow, as we grow. It's going to grow into peacemaking in the elections and things of that nature. We would prefer guardians of the peace, gardiens de la paix. That's what we would prefer.

Veterans Affairs committee  The difference between “peacekeeper” and “peacekeeping” I think is very minimal. To that extent, it encompasses what we would like, and that's the remembrance and the commemoration of those—well over 300,000 Canadians—who have served on peacekeeping missions.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  Don is absolutely correct. We're flexible to that extent. We're flexible with respect to “peacekeeper” as opposed to “peacekeeping”, although we have a preference. On the flag issue, we know the flap that was created with respect to the casualties coming home from Afghanistan,

Veterans Affairs committee  If I may take the liberty of speaking on behalf of my colleagues, I'd like to thank you for inviting us to speak today. Thank you very much for doing that. We appreciate it.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  Good morning. My name is Ron Griffis. I am the national president of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping. On behalf of our association, I thank you for inviting us here today to give a small talk. Before I start, on November 15, 2007, I happene