Mr. Speaker, Maurice Bédard, a member of the military in my riding, who retired after 26 years in the Canadian forces, continues to believe, like several of his former colleagues, that the federal government is not taking adequate action to shed light on the health problems of those who claim to be victims of gulf war syndrome.
Since several members of the armed forces remain skeptical about the impartiality of the Canadian forces in revealing the circumstances that triggered this syndrome, would it not be appropriate to have a commission of inquiry, independent from the Department of National Defence, look into this issue?
As a member of the UN security council, Canada has a moral obligation not to leave any doubt regarding the equality of treatment provided to its own military personnel.
This is what Mr. Bédard wants to reaffirm by asking me to return to the Government of Canada, through this House, the medals he was awarded during the gulf war. From now on, these medals will be associated with shame, not pride, in the minds of many.