Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to recognize the service of those who are participating today.
I've been sitting here for quite a while just absorbing this. I came in with some questions and I'm just throwing them out. I'm going to ask questions that I feel I should be asking after hearing some of the testimony.
I would ask this question of the room: What is the mandate of Veterans Affairs?
The mandate of every organization that we've had speak to us—the Legion, Veterans Affairs and Mr. Thorne's organization—is to help those in need, to make them feel valued and to make them feel supported. We're having a conversation right now that completely throws that out the window.
I would ask myself what would happen if a young student went in to talk to a student counsellor in school. What if they said that they were having a hard time and having issues, and they were given the same answer as the person we're talking about was given, which is that there is a way to end their life.
I'm really struggling with where we're going right now in society and the message that is coming out of Veterans Affairs.
Mr. Meincke, based on your knowledge, was a physician ever included in the conversation with the individual who went through with MAID?