I do not want to jump all over the minister for the step he took. I said it publicly on Radio-Canada. I even commended him for it. It is a step in the right direction but does little to solve the problem.
It makes for a fine announcement, though, especially when he talks about the $40,000 minimum and throws the other measures in there. The public is not well-informed on the matter. Some veterans jumped on the $40,000 bandwagon, and some even asked me to pipe down, since veterans were going to be getting $40,000. They think we are getting $40,000. What I want to know is where are the veterans with that money. But, of course, that is a normal reaction. Everyone knows it is government money, and that money comes from us. We pay taxes too.
As for the eligibility requirements, you have to be at 120%. I hit a mine in 1952 when I was in the Korean War. I spent 18 days in a coma and 8 months in hospital. I was no more than a piece of meat lying on the ground when they picked me up. It is only by the grace of God that I am alive today.
That is how I know how difficult it is to hit that 100% threshold. It is like catching a shooting star. You have to be eligible.
I saw a young man who lost both his legs, both cut off above the knee.