Mr. Speaker, in Canada, women veterans who are unhoused are invisible. A report from Canada in 2015 noted that veteran women experience much higher rates of homelessness. Women who served our country deserve much better than this. One of the biggest gaps is the lack of investment in Canadian-specific research. The voices of these veterans must be heard, and the support should better reflect their needs. One woman veteran said she never thought she would be living in a van.
We look at what is happening to the women in our military today. We look at the fact that this government still supports the gold-digger clause, sexist legislation from the early 1900s that was created to protect old male veterans from predatory young women who were marrying them for their pensions. Now, this results in spouses, largely women, who have married veterans over 60, living with them well over 20 years, not receiving a penny when their loved one passes.
Women who serve deserve better in Canada. Today, I acknowledge the silenced voices of our women veterans. The government must do better.