Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Obviously, the motion I put forward is a follow-up to our last meeting in which we had discussions that focused around our veterans and some of the issues they face, either when they come back or sometimes when they come back and they have a concern about when they are being deployed, and then focused around our health care and our VIP, our veterans independence program.
The last discussion was around the motion on whether we would take a tour and have those witnesses and visits in Afghanistan. In my opinion, I believe, and it's why I put the motion forward, we have an opportunity here, because all of us, regardless of where we sit or what party we are on this committee, are concerned and want to get the feedback that we can from our veterans on some of the issues they face. They may be mental; they may be physical.
I believe we have an opportunity here that we should not avoid or miss, and that is, by visiting them from where they're deployed and from where they return, on our own soil, in Canada, by visiting our bases. I think that could be done. One of the most rewarding—and all of us acknowledged that last year, in our last term—was when we brought in families and we brought in members who came to our committee through formal...and then through an informal evening, where we actually sat down with them and talked. They talked to us about some of their issues. Their family members came in and they talked to us, and I think all of us agreed how valuable that was.
I think this is much closer to an extension of that type of service, where we could garner the information we need to fulfill and to move along quickly, quite honestly, with our health care and our veterans independence program.
That's why the motion is put forward.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.