Mr. Chair, I am pleased to stand and have an opportunity to ask a few questions to my hon. colleague.
There are a few of us in the House who sit on the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. We have a fabulous group that is very much committed, on all sides, to making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. My hon. colleague has been on the committee, as he said, for over 13 years. He has been there as a passionate advocate and is recognized by all of us on the committee.
The issue to do with the ombudsman and the independence of the ombudsman is an issue that has been of great concern to many of us. The fact is the current ombudsman who is about to leave has no independence.
I would be interested to hear my colleague's comments on the future of the ombudsman's role and whether he thinks it should be a completely independent area.