Mr. Speaker, over the summer the Minister of Veterans Affairs created two classes of veterans' widows: those who receive the veterans independence program and those who were cut off. Veterans' widows lobbied the minister that these benefits be ongoing, but instead of that, the only ones now receiving the veterans independence program as part of their pension are those whose husbands died in the last year. Why will the minister not treat these veterans' widows equally and give benefits to the past recipients of the VIP?
In the House of Commons on September 15th, 2003. See this statement in context.