Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 20th, 2007

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Well, it is. When you're talking about the number of students that will be going to Vimy, I just wanted to confirm that number with the deputy, because every time I say 5,000, I always ask, “Is it 5,000?”. Of course it is. It's a staggering number. I believe, if I'm correct in this, they've raised their own funds to do that. It just shows you the dedication of these young people and their teachers and their schools. But that's the big number, and they will be travelling to Vimy. Again, it's like the outreach to the schools through Veterans Affairs and tying in with the schools and with young people. It will be a fascinating experience.

One of the things on these pilgrimages is that the department has to be very careful in how it balances this, because in years past, and through no one's fault, sometimes there haven't been enough veterans included in the trip and there has been a sense that too many department people were going. So it's a really critical balance. In the House of Commons I would like to see it possible that every member of Parliament who wants to go, can go, but we know that's probably not going to happen and won't happen.

However, they're expecting at the rededication ceremony at Vimy somewhere in the vicinity of 25,000 to 30,000 people, and maybe more. Actually, the French government just told the department yesterday, in talking to the deputy, to expect a huge group of people there. It's going to take a contingent of Veterans Affairs personnel there to manage that and work through. Again, from the ones I have been on, I would argue that we're not taking more than we need; we're taking what we need. We have care and concerns for some of those veterans who will actually be travelling with us.

I think it will be a fairly good balance of veterans and caregivers and young people and so on. It will be a big event in France. Anytime you get 30,000 people to an event, I guess you could call it a big event.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

I guess the one thing I would say is that I'm glad I'm not going to have to chaperone, and I have nothing but empathy for the teachers who are going to have that chore.

But having watched students on other occasions on these pilgrimages, they behave very well. They're there for a purpose. They're there to hear history firsthand. I commend the schools and the teachers for putting this initiative forward, and I commend the government for actually putting some meaning to “Lest We Forget”. The way to teach children about the past is to have them be involved in it. I think this is a wonderful experience that they're going to have. It's something they will never forget. I know from having dealt with children for a number of years that when they go back home--we may be bringing up to 5,000, or 5,000 may be coming--they're all going to tell their friends as well. So the numbers will spread, the word will spread, and their appreciation of what kinds of sacrifices were made will also spread.

I commend the government for going in this direction.

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Thank you.

One of the things I should have picked up on, which you had mentioned, is that there are some tasks that they're required to perform in terms of research of our veterans and so on. It's really part of the educational process, which they do a good job on. When you're talking about these little notes and valentines and so on that schools send to veterans, they're pretty touching. There's nothing like an eight-year-old student, or a six-year-old, writing a note to a veteran. I think they're more poetic than the best of us.

In terms of the nursing sisters, that's a group of veterans I don't think we overlook, because there is one of my favourite group of veterans in the nursing sisters, and any time I go to Charlottetown I want to have tea with the nursing sisters. We did have tea with the nursing sisters this year on Valentine's Day. They're a remarkable group of women, and you can learn so much, even as members of Parliament, when you're talking to these people because they remember everything so clearly and distinctly, and I guess they're so appreciative of what we do for them. Sometimes we say, are we doing enough? I guess a little tea, in terms of recognition from time to time, is the least we can do.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Thank you very much.

I want to let everybody know that we are very tight on time here. We've got another committee that's meeting right here at 11, and I can see some of them already assembling and taking off coats in the back. I think we're pretty much up on our time. I apologize. I know there are some people who wanted to get some extra questions in, but I think operationally we're done.

I just want to thank the minister for his appearance and thank the deputy minister and the officials.

We have a press conference. I'll be tabling the report with regard to the ombudsman at 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. Therefore, we thought it would be wise to book the press conference right after, at 10:30. There are two ways to go on this. One, we could have the entire committee there. The other option is that if you had one member from each party, it makes it easier in terms of the logistics. I'm flexible on this matter. I think some people are thinking that it would be better to have one because it's tough to fit that many people in that space.

Are there any thoughts on that?

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

My initial reaction is to make sure everybody feels welcome to come. We don't have to have everybody speak, but if people wanted to be there to be around the chair for the photo and that, we would sort out among ourselves who would make comment.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I think that's a good measure. What if we have one member from each party able to speak and everybody is welcome. Is that fine?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I think it's a nice accommodation.

All right. So that's that. We'll see you all on Thursday, hopefully. Thanks very much.

The meeting is adjourned.