Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Minister, for appearing today. I very much appreciate that you came.
Congratulations on your appointment. I must tell you that it's a pleasure to work with someone who is as caring as you are regarding veterans issues.
Minister, I would like to ask you about our campaign promises and how you plan to fulfill them during your tenure as a minister.
The first and the biggest promise we made was for a bill of rights and an ombudsman for veterans. These initiatives would amount to some pretty sweeping changes with regard to the services that veterans receive from the department. We've heard from witnesses both from your department and from the Royal Canadian Legion on this topic. There still seems to be a lot of room for discussion. Can you tell the committee your thoughts on how the bill of rights and an ombudsman for veterans will proceed under your leadership?