Mr. Chair, I would like to begin by thanking all of the members who participated in this evening's debate. I believe that the issue of services to veterans deserved this debate. I listened carefully to their suggestions.
Of course, many good suggestions can be valid and worthwhile. But at the same time, the Minister of Veterans Affairs has to deal with priorities. We have implemented various measures to ensure that seriously injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan will no longer have financial problems. That is why we will provide various types of support, such as the $58,000 minimum payment for these veterans, which I mentioned, along with the options we will offer in connection with the lump sum payment.
The other point I would like to address is the question members raised about the ombudsman, Mr. Stogran. I would like to thank him because it is not easy for an ombudsman to start a new job in a brand-new position within a department. In fact, it can be extremely difficult. But at the same time, the suggestions and comments he offered were constructive, and we found them useful, together with our own thoughts and analyses, in making changes and improvements to the veterans charter. I would like to thank him for his help and I believe that the person taking over from him will be able to make further progress.
This week, November 11, is Remembrance Day, a day that I hope to share with all Canadians. How will they remember our veterans? What will they do to support our veterans?
Once again, I would like to thank all of the members for their excellent suggestions.