Madam Speaker, it is a relief to hear the government make this commitment on the record, that through its new pension for life it will ensure that the most seriously injured veterans will get more.
We are glad to hear that the government is listening to New Democrats, who have been listening to veterans and bringing their voices to the House of Commons. We promised to bring the voices of veterans to the House. There is a growing backlog of over 40,000 veterans who have not received their disability benefits.
I want to thank all the veterans who have been working with me: the Legions in Tofino, Ucluelet, Port Alberni, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Bowser, Courtenay and Cumberland; the many veterans who have spoken to me, notably Michael Blais, Barry Westholm and William Webb; and some of the victims of the serious issues we have seen, veterans who have fallen through the cracks, like my friend Cassandra Desmond, who is the sister of the late Lionel Desmond, who took his own life. I want to thank all of them for staying in touch with me. We will continue to advocate for all of them.