Mr. Speaker, last weekend, hundreds of volunteers joined VETS Canada, also known as Veterans Emergency Transition Services Canada, for their second annual coast to coast Tour of Duty.
The Tour of Duty is a national walk to raise awareness of veteran homelessness, and to locate veterans on the streets or in shelters in need of help. I would like to applaud the hundreds of volunteers in 17 cities for their dedication to the men and women who have served our country so very well.
Since 2010, VETS Canada, a national charity and service provider of Veterans Affairs Canada, has assisted more than 1,600 homeless and in-crisis veterans. Across my riding of North Island—Powell River, my team and I work with vets who are facing housing challenges, high costs of medication, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
In a country as rich as Canada, our veterans should never be faced with this neglect. We must do better.