House of Commons Hansard #113 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was prices.

Topics

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Madam Speaker, I am so sorry to interrupt. The interpreters have identified that the wrong microphone is selected and they are having a hard time interpreting. That is the only reason I interrupted.

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

We had checked that, but we will check again. The hon. member should unplug and plug back in his microphone, or go to the microphone selection on the computer and make sure that the right one is selected.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Madam Speaker, I was saying that in the meantime, we encourage spouses of deceased veterans to contact Veterans Affairs Canada if they are having difficulty in the wake of their loss. Support is available to them as we speak.

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

6:55 p.m.

NDP

Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the parliamentary secretary for his work on the veterans affairs committee as well. I deeply respect the work. I know, in our hearts, all of us want to see the very best for the veterans who have served our country.

My response is to ask when the money is going to be spent. There was $150 million over five years, and we still have not had any reports of a single cent spent. We have had spouses contact our office and ask about the veterans survivors fund. In fact, when it was first announced, we had a huge number of people contact our office asking what the application process would look like and wanting to identify who they were: the spouses who do not have enough resources, who married after 60 and are desperate for that fund.

We also had veterans calling us who had married after 60 who wanted to know the process because they care about their partners. They wanted to know that after they are gone, that person would be taken care of. There is still no clear pathway for an application process.

Our office is still waiting for answers, but more importantly, the spouses are waiting for answers. When will they get them?

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

7 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Madam Speaker, the government has undertaken to ensure that surviving spouses of veterans who got married after age 60 receive the support they need when they lose their partner.

Once the research into this population is properly analyzed, the government will use the results to inform how best to support these individuals.

Veterans AffairsAdjournment Proceedings

7 p.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

The hon. member for Dufferin—Caledon is not present to raise the matter for which adjournment notice has been given. Accordingly, the notice is deemed withdrawn.

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:01 p.m.)