Minister, there are a lot of very frustrated veterans in this country right now. Not only are veterans struggling to get the benefits and services they need and deserve from your government and from Veterans Affairs to deal with the physical or mental injuries they've suffered as a result of their service to our country, but, like many Canadians out there right now, there are also far too many veterans who are homeless, who are having to use food banks, because of the cost of living crisis that your government has created. I talk to food banks often that tell me these food banks that serve our veterans specifically cannot keep enough food on the shelves to serve those veterans.
They're hurting. They're struggling. There are far too many veterans who are suffering from mental health issues and addictions, all because they cannot afford to live any longer.
In the short time you've been minister, the committee has requested three separate times that you to come and appear to be held accountable to veterans through the members of this committee. On all three occasions we've requested that you come for two hours to answer for your government's policies and to speak to veterans. This is their opportunity to hear directly from you and to have you questioned on their behalf by the members who sit on this committee.
On all three occasions, you've come for only one hour of the two hours requested of you. I have to wonder how any veteran can have any confidence that you're going to show any respect for their needs, their desires and what they're looking for in terms of solutions when you can't even find two hours of your time to come and answer their questions.