Ste. Anne's has a long proud history in our nation. It was the first Veteran's Affairs hospital. It came on board after World War I. As you know, when we went to national health care in 1967, we essentially went to provincially run health care systems, and Ste. Anne's was the last of the Veterans Affairs hospitals that we returned to provincial control.
Largely, Veterans Affairs Canada provides health care in over 1,500 facilities across the nation from coast to coast to coast. That's largely what our veterans community has called for; they want to live in the communities where they're living. This model that we have gone to is essentially a more effective and more efficient way. I can also say that because at Ste. Anne's Hospital some veterans were reaching the end of their lives, sadly, we were were not using the hospital as much.
In the midst of running an efficient health care system that allows more of the Quebec people to take part in it, this is a good deal for us at Veterans Affairs Canada and for the Province of Quebec. We have to look at the whole health care system in that manner. I can say that, in the transfer, we know—I was back there on November 11—that many of the veterans are very happy with what is happening there. I can say that we're always on the listen to what is happening on the ground. Yes, we have heard some issues come up, yet we remain committed to the veterans at Ste. Anne's. I know that my deputy minister is in contact on a regular and ongoing basis.
Maybe you would like to take it from here, Deputy.