Thank you.
I want to begin by saying that we are not involved in the negotiations. Therefore, I will give you my point of view based on the information we have. That information came from government officials.
We share the concerns of our colleagues from Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue: specific clients need specific care. For instance, earlier, I was talking about seniors with specific needs. So, we think that in order to take care of veterans, certain particularities must also be taken into account.
I saw our colleagues were asking that their current organization of health care be taken into account, and I agree with that. They say—and I believe them—that their organization is appropriate for patients with specific needs. They are worried that the way their health care is organized will change once they merge with the Centre de santé et de services sociaux de l'Ouest-de-l'Île, and I am also worried about that. That is why they asked that a separate board of directors be maintained for Ste. Anne's Hospital.
To my knowledge, the Government of Quebec has not consented to their request for a separate board of directors. However, we will give them all the support we can so that the current health-care structure, which meets veterans' needs, stays in place. We don't believe that being part of a health-care and social services centre means that everything should always be standardized, be it for veterans or other clients.