Mr. Chair, ladies and gentlemen, I want to focus on the spirit of our association.
Ours is first and foremost a veterans association that strives to support and sustain our members and all Canadian veterans. We are veterans who help other veterans, pure and simple.
We work cooperatively with other veterans associations and Veterans Affairs. We understand that cooperation is far more productive than confrontation. However, on occasion we have vigorously contested Veterans Affairs policies and practices, especially when we believe that the spirit of existing legislation is being diluted by bureaucrats who pay more attention to detail than to the spirit and the principles of the legislation.
Some of our fellow citizens do not understand that veterans legislation, our legislation, both the Pension Act and the new Veterans Charter, is based on Parliament's clearly defined understanding of service to Canada, an understanding that is predicated on the fact that those who serve in Canada's armed forces do so with an unlimited liability clause in place, and further, that its members are obligated by law to obey legal orders. Canada has acknowledged in legislation that it has a duty to provide care to its fallen, to its wounded, injured, sick, and aged veterans and their families so that they can live with dignity.
The mandate of Veterans Affairs is to provide for Canadian veterans, which it does very well, although frequently the service is not publicly recognized. To that end, last year CPVA created a national award program to recognize individual and collective groups of Veterans Affairs staff who do outstanding service for Canada's veterans. This program is ongoing and reflects the spirit of our association.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.