Evidence of meeting #11 for Veterans Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ombudsman.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Gilles-A. Perron Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
If you had done research on the Internet, you'd see that there's always a kind of imagined country—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
On behalf of the committee, through the committee, I would like to thank Mr. Chadderton for his presentation.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
I particularly appreciated Mr. Epp's question and your answer, Mr. Chadderton, with regard to your service. I hope that more than 60 years after having gone through some of what you went through during the Second World War I would be able to do as well as you've done before a parliamentary committee, sir. It's very impressive, and we appreciate your experience, your wisdom, and your insight here today. Thank you.
Chief Executive Officer, The War Amps
Thank you.
I just wanted to take a moment to explain why I wore my medals today. I was at the funeral at noon today of a comrade of mine. I don't wear my medals to impress anybody. Normally I would not wear them at a parliamentary committee meeting.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Sir, there's no better place to wear your medals than here. Absolutely.
Thank you very much for your presentation.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Perhaps I'll just give people two minutes to make their good-byes and clear the room.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
For future reference—and this certainly isn't a slight to anyone—when we have someone like Mr. Chadderton or any other veterans who are disabled, we should try to have someone meet them so that we can avoid their having to walk up those stairs as he did earlier today.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
From what I understand, we had somebody who did meet him, but it was after he'd already gone through security and what not.
We try, Mr. Stoffer. There was a wheelchair organized, and security was advised. We do what we can.
Let's move on to the next meeting.
As I told you at the beginning, we have an interesting scenario with our Russian friends. My staff left for the office to try to catch them before 5 p.m., because we were awaiting an official letter on behalf of the embassy and the Russian delegation saying they couldn't make it. Even though we don't have it officially in writing, I have it based on all sorts of other pieces of advice, including what's happening in the media in Russia right now, and from the verbal commitments we've had from the Russian embassy and what not, that it's a no go.
Before the end of business today, we were also in a sense going to be dealing with a motion approving the budget for our meeting the Russian delegation. Of course, since the Russian delegation isn't coming, and we're not spending any money, I don't think we need to, right?
Okay, that's the scenario.
We actually tried to get some witnesses on short notice who would be able to come for Wednesday, in lieu of the Russians coming, but it's just too short notice for some of our witnesses. So we really don't have any....
Yes, Monsieur Perron?
Bloc
Gilles-A. Perron Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Chairman, as regards Wednesday, I believe we could study the Woods Report. Michel could summarize it for us.
No, no! That was just a bad joke aimed at Michel!
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
You say that with a very wry smile on your face, Monsieur Perron.
Do people really want to go through the 450--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Okay, good. Just checking. Speaking of consensus feedback on that, Monsieur Perron....
Other than the suggestion of Monsieur Perron to go through all 450 pages of the Woods report, do we have any real reason to meet on Wednesday?
Yes, Mr. Valley?
Liberal
Roger Valley Liberal Kenora, ON
Very quickly, when the Russians do get here, can we carry on with the program you were planning?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Yes.
From what I'm told, the Russians were at the airport, ready to go, happy to come to Canada, and then the whole Georgian situation caused kind of a meltdown, and there was a lockdown in Moscow, and they couldn't come.
Liberal
Roger Valley Liberal Kenora, ON
So whether it's two days or two weeks or two months, when they can come, we'll carry on with what we're--
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Absolutely. Hopefully our Russian friends will visit.
The meeting is adjourned. We'll start up again Monday, next week. There's no meeting Wednesday.