My thanks to our witnesses for coming on short notice.
Mr. deHooge, the volunteer firefighter tax credit is important. You said that since 2003 this has been one of the requests that has come forward. Another one not in Bill C-13 is the public safety officers compensation fund. That's been on the agenda for firefighter lobbies since 1997. In 2006, NDP legislation was adopted by Parliament to create a public safety officers compensation fund that would include volunteer firefighters who pass away.
Could you speak to the issue of firefighters, particularly volunteer firefighters, who pass away in the line of duty? I've spoken with some of their families and many been left destitute, without the public safety officers compensation fund. Could you comment on that? We have a first step, but what about the government providing support for volunteer and professional firefighters across the country?