Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank everyone here to kick off what's going to be a very lengthy and exciting process as we try to shape the next federal budget and try to shift some of the priorities of the present government. Notwithstanding what John McCallum has said, I think this is about choices. Many of you have confronted the difficult challenge we face.
One shouldn't assume the cupboard is bare. When you read the reports on the growth in the economy and surplus dollars available, I think we will soon find there is significant flexibility in the government coffers, and we really do need to grapple with some outstanding obligations. If we're talking about choices, in a competitive economy it's not just about the size of the oil reserves or the profits of banks, but about how we treat our seniors and our youth, and about how we invest in the future.
I want to start with seniors and our veterans and ask Mr. Frost if he could give us a little more detail on his two proposals. Given what is happening in Afghanistan and given the fact that we do have troops who are dying and others who are coming home with many health problems, how can we advance this issue of improved superannuation benefits for surviving spouses and prevent the abatement of the benefits when CPP kicks in? It seems to me, given the economic and social conditions facing our troops, this is a pretty basic request. What obstacles have you run into, and what can we do to advance this cause?