Thank you.
Thank you, gentlemen, for joining us today. We appreciate your being here.
There are a couple of things I'd like to raise, because there is a conflict in your presentation between having the rights and being concerned about whether the bill goes far enough. I want to clear that up, because that's an issue of principle that I think is worth discussing.
There is one thing that concerns us. I don't think everybody has the values you have, as both service and Legion people, in terms of recognizing the importance of keeping these medals within the Canadian context. Obviously, many people do that in a private collection and do that within family circumstances, but many don't. We don't think simply letting it go, which has gone on for some years, is a resolution. I'm glad to hear you're prepared to cooperate with us, and I know you are in the education. I think education is a good second step, after this legislation, but I do want to follow that further. Gary brings forward, I think, the intent, and we all talked about it and all agreed in principle. It's a very positive thing for somebody to step up as a private member and raise this and say, “Listen, there's a problem out there. There's a difficulty. It ain't perfect, but here's a suggested course of action.”
I'm far more comfortable, obviously, than you are in supporting the intent of the bill. I don't see it as a big negative out there. When we're Victoria Crosses and that, those are covered. Those aren't going anywhere, and we know that. But as a general principle, you're not going to have a law that's going to protect every single medal. You're always going to have some underground economy. I think the intent of those medals from the past is covered, unless you're saying the culture and import act is totally wrong and should be done away with as well, which is a whole different discussion.
I don't think this is trying to fill in all the gaps so much as it is taking a step forward with the public, with Canadians, to say, “Listen, there is a gap in what happens in the Canadian culture today”. Part of it is education, and I understand and appreciate that, and I agree totally--but what I'd ask first, then, is whether the principle of ownership and private protection and non-interference is the larger concern here.