Thank you.
Thank you for your remarks, Minister.
As the new shadow minister for the veterans affairs file, I want to say what I've said to you privately, and publicly as well. When we talk about our veterans, I don't think it should be a partisan issue. You have a commitment from me that this is not how I will approach this file.
However, I will do something that is critically important: I will always demand from you, from your government and from your department that veterans be shown the utmost respect and that they always be shown that respect for the service they have given to our country. I think the subject we're talking about today is an example of that failing to happen. You've acknowledged that, and I appreciate it.
What we're talking about is a situation of a veteran coming to Veterans Affairs looking for help in a very serious situation that he was dealing with. He was crying out for help. What he got instead was the suggestion that he consider accepting assistance to kill himself, and it wasn't made just one time; it was suggested to him numerous times, and there was some insistence on the part of the official who suggested this to him. That's the understanding that I have of the situation. It is completely and utterly unacceptable, and it does not show the respect for our veterans that they deserve.
I appreciate that you've acknowledged that you regret the incident happened, and I appreciate that you have made steps to try to move forward and make sure that it doesn't happen again. You said in your opening remarks, and you have said publicly, that you have been assured that administrative action has been taken, and you are confident in ensuring this will never happen again.
Can you tell us, Minister, exactly what actions have been taken? Have all of those actions been completed? Are you absolutely confident that this will never happen again?