Mr. Speaker, what a pleasure it is to rise and speak to what is a really important issue to all Canadians.
We all value the great contributions the members of our Canadian Forces make day in and day out. There is so much that could be said on this particular issue. For me, personally, I would like to recognize the parliamentary secretary's speech which captured the essence of that caring attitude for our vets. She shared with the House the fact that she has two young sons serving in the Canadian Forces, and how that has some influence, both directly and indirectly, in terms of ensuring that we are going to be there for our retiring soldiers going forward, and making sure that we have a program that is ultimately second to no others.
I will say right at the beginning that there is always going to be room for improvement. I thought it would be nice to share with the House, and I made reference to it in a question earlier today, that I had the privilege of serving in the Canadian Forces for just over three years out in Cold Lake, Alberta. I was an air traffic control assistant. One of the things that I truly enjoyed was Remembrance Day, when there was an opportunity to meet with many of the vets, to march with them and to go to the Legion with them afterwards, and have discussions with them and share stories.
No matter which member we look at in the House, like the parliamentary secretary, myself, and others who have spoken, all of us can relate to the importance of our vets. I would like to think that all of us are concerned about the future and want to make sure that we deliver where we can.
I would like to refer to something the Prime Minister said back on November 11, 2017. He said:
We owe an immeasurable debt to our veterans, to the fallen, and to the families who love them. Just as our servicemen and women have taken care of us, we must also take care of them. It is our sacred duty as a country to be there for our heroes when they need us most.
The Prime Minister said that toward the end of 2017. The Prime Minister has been consistent ever since I have had the pleasure of knowing him on the opposition benches, and then when he became the Liberal leader. He has a strong, caring, passionate attitude towards our veterans.
It was a very big issue when we were in opposition. Close to 25% of the staff in that area were being laid off by the Harper government. I recall vividly the offices that the Harper Conservative government was closing, the general attitude of the minister who was responsible for veterans, and some of the things that took place at the veterans affairs committee. A general lack of respect was being shown to our veterans. It became a very passionate issue back then. No one should be surprised that the then leader of the Liberal Party took it on as an important issue going into an election.
What I respect is the fact that we talked about it prior to the election and during the election, but we also have responded to the concerns Canadians have raised. In government, we have done so much for our vets to date. I would like to highlight a few of those things.
It did not take us long. In fact, in the very first budget, budget 2016, just months after the Prime Minister took office and the Liberals formed government, we saw over $5.7 billion to provide veterans with more compensation and more choice in their financial future. Through budget 2016, we laid out the foundation for the pension for life. We did that by increasing income replacement from 75% to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary. We increased the annual maximum pain and suffering compensation from $310,000 to $360,000.
Do members remember the hundreds of individuals who were laid off during the Harper era? We hired 460 new staff. Not only did we hire those new staff, but we also opened up the offices that the former government had closed down. I remember the reaction when the Conservatives closed down those offices. I stood in my place back then and asked questions about it. I tried to hold the government to account for the closure of those offices and the laying off of individuals. Those are some of the things that were presented in the 2016 budget, only months after we had taken office.
In budget 2017, we invested an additional $624 million to further improve the health, well-being, and financial security of veterans and their families. We did that through things such as the new education benefit which provides flexibility and financial support so that each veteran can make the choice that best suits their needs and those of their families. That was up to $40,000 for those with six years of service and $80,000 for those with 12 years. There were significant things done in both the 2016 and 2017 budgets.
We hear a lot about the pension for life. The government has moved forward on the pension for life. If we take a look at that option that has been provided, we see a monthly tax-free payment for life to recognize pain and suffering. I emphasize that it is tax-free. We provide income replacement payable at 90%, as I indicated earlier, of a veteran's pre-release salary indexed annually and for life for those who actually need it.
I had the opportunity to serve, and I honestly believe that individuals who are called upon to serve in the Canadian Forces and those who bring themselves forward and have the desire to serve need to have peace of mind that if they are going to be put into situations in which their health and well-being could be compromised, there will be a solid commitment that the government will be there for them into the future.
As I indicated very clearly, the leader of the Liberal Party, before he became the Prime Minister, talked a great deal about the importance of vets. Then when the leader became the Prime Minister of our country, he started to work with the cabinet and caucus and presented through the Minister of Finance two consecutive budgets where hundreds of millions of dollars were added to that file. We have individuals who are committed to advance what is right in terms of servicing our veterans.
We will not take a backseat to anything that the former Conservative government has done, nor should we. I will compare our two years in office to the Conservatives' 10 years any day. We are moving forward. Our commitment is to continue looking at ways in which we can still improve the system, but this is a government that is behind our vets.