Mr. Speaker, history repeats itself. Sixty years after the government finally recognized veterans involved in chemical warfare experiments, Canadians were upset to learn that soldiers who are members of Joint Task Force Two, Canada's elite anti-terrorist unit, are being denied pensions for service related injuries. It was, to quote the military ombudsman, “the invocation of threatened prosecution under the Official Secrets Act” then that prevented recognition, as it does today with JTF2 veterans.
While Canadians are proud of the men and women who serve in Canada's armed forces, Canadians are not proud of the way the veterans are treated by the government in this the year of the veteran.
It is time the federal government learned from the mistakes of the past and recognized the tremendous job our military does on behalf of all Canadians. No veteran should be made to beg for his or her pension.