Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his support and encouragement on this bill. I am very indebted to all members, and particularly this member, for asking this question about the military.
As I mentioned, 1897 was the first time Sikhs participated in the military in Canada, and since then, the tradition remains. We are fortunate to have the Minister of National Defence, who was a colonel in the military and served in Afghanistan.
The hon. member asked about the plight of the Sikhs in Afghanistan. In fact, that is a very compassionate issue the hon. member has raised. Mr. Bhullar, the late MLA from Alberta, is the one who brought this issue forward.
The minister responsible for immigration is working on that file, and we will make sure that Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan who need help are given a chance for a good life.