Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I wanted to point out that the National Monument to Canada's Mission in Afghanistan will recognize the commitment and sacrifice of Canadians who served in Afghanistan, and the support provided to them at home by their families, peers and communities. I find it odd that we're hearing more about artists than veterans in connection with this monument. After all, it's a monument to veterans.
I think that we're hearing opposition members talk about the arts community for a reason. The reason is that most veterans finally feel satisfied with the government's choice. We know that the veterans weren't happy when the Conservative government decided to place the monument under a bridge. They expressed their dissatisfaction with this decision. This wasn't surprising. The veterans weren't even consulted on the choice of location for the monument. As a result, when we came to power in 2015, we revisited that decision and consulted with veterans. Our government will always listen to and support veterans.
As the Minister of Veterans Affairs has said a number of times, Veterans Affairs Canada received feedback from over 12,000 Canadians regarding the monument concept. Veterans, their families and other stakeholders who participated in this mission were the main contributors. The Stimson team's concept best reflects the feedback from veterans and their families, along with the feedback from other mission participants. When it comes to honouring the sacrifices of our veterans, we must listen to what they have to say.