There has been regular consultation with veterans organizations and other stakeholders.
I'd just like to bring a little bit of history to this. In the early 1960s, Veterans Affairs Canada actually had 18 facilities that provided facility-based care and long-term care services to veterans. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the delivery of health care became a provincial responsibility and universal hospital insurance was introduced, the Glassco commission was set up. In 1963, as one of its recommendations, it recommended that hospitals be moved to provinces, so actually Ste. Anne's Hospital is the last of 18 hospitals to be moved to the provinces.
In terms of the ongoing negotiations, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec have signed an agreement in principle for the transfer of the hospital to the Government of Quebec. The agreement in principle is the first official commitment between both governments to move forward on the transfer. It identifies the key elements that both parties must agree to before concluding negotiations.
The government has indicated that it will ensure that veterans continue to have priority access to Ste. Anne's Hospital and to care and services in both official languages, and will also ensure that the interests of hospital employees are protected.
Charlotte may want to speak a little bit about the more general issue around the long-term care piece.