Madam Speaker, on February 22, a family member of mine, Captain Mark Biernacki , a pilot with the Royal Canadian Armed Forces in the 5th (B.C.) Field Regiment, born and raised on Vancouver Island, retired after 12 years of service. Our family is very proud of his incredible commitment and sacrifices, as we are of all members of the armed forces in Canada. I am sure my colleague shares that same sentiment.
I am glad that all parties have agreed to support today's motion.
I will talk about the mental and social change that occurs when a member of the Canadian Armed Forces leaves. It really cannot be qualified. Veterans Affairs is critical in helping with this important transition. Veterans need easy access to services. The Conservative government was responsible for closing Veterans Affairs offices to members. Maybe the member could let us know if she has changed her opinion on the closure of those offices and how we could better support Mark and other members as they leave the armed forces and make sure they get easy access to services.