Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I am going to make a comment rather than ask a question.
I applaud what you are doing. In addition to my duties on this committee, I am the NDP philanthropy critic. I think what you are doing is extraordinary and all soldiers deserve this, given all the sacrifices they make.
However, there is one thing that concerns me about your foundation. You were invited today by the government, and surprisingly, each time the committee wants to tackle the problems that exist at the Department of National Defence, the government paints a somewhat rosy picture of the situation. Why do they do that? We wonder about this all the time. It may be to distance itself, as we saw earlier with the ombudsman.
As well, although I think your initiative is extraordinary, I do not think it is reasonable for soldiers to beg for money, given all the services they perform. They have to beg for money because they are excluded from those services while they are on active duty and again after they complete their service. The government is shirking its responsibilities. On the one hand, it does not want to admit anything, in committee, but on the other hand, it recognizes your importance and everything you are putting in place. Honestly, I am very embarrassed today, and I will tell you why.
I am not a member of the government, but that may change in 2015. In any event, I would like to apologize to you, in all sincerity, because I don't think the situation is at all reasonable. On the one hand, it recognizes everything they do, but on the other hand, there needs to be a foundation to help them. That is a major failure, seriously.
Honestly, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you do.
Thank you.