Thanks, Chair, and tremendous thanks to all of the witnesses today for giving your time and experience.
A particular thanks goes to Ms. Evanshen for painting a very vivid picture of the challenges facing family members, including kids, in a different kind of family permutation. You made the case very well there. Thank you for that.
My fellow committee members have heard me speak in the past about the tremendous concentration of active service people in all three branches, plus the RCMP as well as retirees and veterans of those branches, in Halifax. Every challenge that we can imagine and every uplifting moment that we can imagine that comes with veterans exists here in Halifax. That's why I'm so glad that retired Lieutenant-Commanders Dr. Heather MacKinnon and Gerry White are able to be here.
I want to direct my question first to Heather and will try to split the time in half.
Heather, if I start to get fidgety, it means that I'm hoping to save some time for Gerry.
You have an incredible, unique perspective and practice and you have so much to share. I really want to give you broad leeway on [Technical difficulty—Editor] about the importance of supporting families and caregivers, based on your experience.