Debates of June 4th, 2026

Veterans Affairs

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for all his work and effort on this matter.

The Department of National Defence has already reached out to members of Valour in the Presence of the Enemy, and it is preparing the next steps. It will be a matter of looking at other models. For example, in NATO there are such committees, independent boards, so it will be a matter of looking at how they are formed. There will be a process of examining what the different options before us are and then determining how we move forward. From my own point of view, I think what is critically important is that we ensure that, ultimately, it is a process Canadians will feel confident in, and that they have trust that the right outcomes emerge.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague opposite for sponsoring petition e‑6661.

Based on the parliamentary secretary's response, it would appear that this petition has helped bring about change. That is great, but I still find it hard to understand why so many other attempts were needed in the past to get this problem addressed and to ensure that Victoria Crosses could finally be awarded. For example, former NDP MP Niki Ashton presented petition e‑3636, and former Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole moved a motion on the matter, also in 2022.

What made the government listen this time? Why did it not listen the last few times?

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague and his question.

I was very pleased that certain members of the Bloc Québécois and other parties took part in this process.

On April 15, there were representatives from the province of Quebec. I was very pleased to see that people from all over Canada had come to Ottawa. I think that is an answer in itself.

There was involvement from all corners of the country this time, which is essential. Obviously, I was not here during the last Parliament, but I truly appreciate what was accomplished. On behalf of veterans and myself, I would like to add that this collaboration between all parties and the government is wonderful.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for championing the issue and bringing the parties together. This is a non-partisan issue. In fact, when I ran in 2015, I ran because I am the mother of two serving members. At that time, I remember giving an interview, and someone asked me why I was running. I said it was because I want to make sure that, should something happen to my kids, they will be taken care of. I reread that statement recently about my commitment and why I ran for office. As I said last Friday, I am committed to working with all members of the House to get the advisory board put forward.

I would like to ask the member if she has heard some additional feedback in terms of what we should be looking at. I know that the member from the opposition mentioned a previous motion that was brought forward with some guidelines and some recommendations. I would like to hear if she also has some additional recommendations she would like to share.

[Pauline Rochefort, Liberal, Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am not sure if this is a recommendation, but I will give my own personal point of view. In life, I have always believed that we must never put all our eggs in one basket. I always believe that outcomes are best when there is a mix of different viewpoints. That is simply my own point of view that I would put forward, that there is value in a diversity of points of view. At the same time, there needs to be independence. With all of that, I think we will find our way forward to ensure that it is a process in which Canadians can believe and that veterans will have trust in the outcomes.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to be able to rise and address what I believe is a very important issue. First, let me start off by acknowledging the incredible work that the current members of our forces do today. They provide a sense of security for our nation, and they are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice.

I had the opportunity to serve in the Canadian Forces back in the eighties, and one of the most touching moments of my career back then was the Remembrance Day parades. I had the opportunity to march side by side with World War II veterans. After those marches, it often led to going to a local community where individuals would share some of their stories, along with, maybe, a little bit of alcohol. Some of the stories involved the experiences that they actually had during World War II. If people really want to get a sense of the emotions and the trauma and the horrors of war, they should talk to a veteran who has actually served and had to go on combat missions. It will bring one to tears, whether it is the prisoners of war, those who have lost their lives in war or those who have been injured in war.

During my time in the forces, I had many opportunities. That is the reason why I would pay tribute to our current members and recognize those who have served in the past. I look forward to seeing the growth in the number of people who want to join the forces.

I was encouraged that, last year, we actually had a record number of Canadians wanting to become members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I believe it has a lot to do with what the Prime Minister and the government have done to reinforce the importance of the Canadian Forces, whether it is providing pay increases or supporting the military in many different ways, ultimately achieving 2% of Canada's GDP, with a commitment to grow beyond that to 3.5% and ultimately hit 5%, being a full participant in the United Nations.

We take the issue of our forces very seriously. We take the issue of our veterans very seriously. I was very upset, for example, when the previous administration actually cut and closed nine veterans offices. That is why I did take it personally when members opposite, just the other day, tried to give a false impression about the Brandon office. That Brandon veterans office is open. It is open today. Members should know that, and they should not be telling veterans otherwise.

Let me focus some attention on Afghanistan and how Canadians really appreciate and love the manner in which our forces conducted themselves in what was the longest engagement of our Canadian Forces. The men and women of the forces did us proud. They gave in many ways. I believe about 150 lives were lost, and 2,000‑plus were injured in different ways. I would like to think that every member of the House recognizes the sacrifice that was made.

That is the reason why the government wants to not only support and see this advisory committee struck but actually implement it in a tangible way. The motion for the concurrence in the report that the member brought forward, quite frankly, is going to receive unanimous support. We could have done that in the form of a simple motion that would reinforce just how important our veterans are, who have sacrificed so much for our great nation.

We need to recognize the importance of the Canadian Victoria Cross, which was established back in 1993. The fact that it has not been awarded challenges a lot of us to think about why that is the case. I think there are people here in Canada who are best equipped to do the research that is necessary and ensure that this most honourable medal is actually awarded where the circumstances allow it to be. I would like to think that the desire of every member of Parliament is to see the Victoria Cross awarded. I believe the Canadian Victoria Cross is something we should all be proud of. I look forward to seeing and hearing about the future recipients of this award. That is why establishing an independent review board is of the utmost importance.

It is great to have a debate. I would have loved to have a debate on this in the form of a take-note debate or even an opposition day, so we could have a full day of debate, with a motion at the very end. That would be very clear and decisive. It would show clear support for our veterans and those who are in our Canadian Forces. Having said that, I can assure members who are here, and those who are following the debate, that whether it is the Prime Minister or any other member of the House of Commons, the veterans have the unanimous support of the House of Commons in recognizing the importance of the Canadian Victoria Cross.

We want to see that independent review board put in place. There has to be a process in order to do that. We need to recognize, as an example, that anyone who sits on that review board will have to gain some form of a top security clearance because they are going to have to review the circumstances. I know first‑hand that when dealing with some of the stories that take place in a war zone, where deaths and injuries are involved, there are stories that once heard, cannot be unheard. They will become a permanent memory for individuals. This is not something where we can just click our heels and put the board together tomorrow. We have to make sure that it is done in a proper process. The right people have to be brought in for the independent review board. We are committed to doing that. I would like to think that every member of the House would recognize that.

When I think of the issues that we are facing today in our Canadian Forces, I want our veterans to know very clearly that the Government of Canada, from the Prime Minister to the cabinet to every Liberal member of Parliament, has their backs. We will continue to have their backs. We understand the role that they have played in building our country into what it is today, and we will continue to be there in every way for our veterans. We will continue to support our current members of the Canadian Forces, and we will always acknowledge and recognize those who have served in the past. This is one of the ways we can do so.

I hope and believe that this motion, which I understand was unanimously passed in the standing committee, will also be unanimously passed here, on the floor of the House of Commons. I look forward to ultimately seeing the first recipient, whoever that may be, of the Canadian Victoria Cross.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Madam Speaker, today is not just about the Victoria Cross and Jess Larochelle, but about veterans of the war in Afghanistan. I think they often do not feel recognized in the same way that maybe their World War I, World War II and even Korean War colleagues are, whether that be by the Legion, the general public, the government or the people of Canada. I think we saw that reflected a little recently in the ceremony, where many of them felt like they were an afterthought with respect to the monument that was supposed to be in their honour.

Then we heard the member's speech today, which saddened me, because I know there are many members over there who care about this. I feel like this member stood up and gave a political speech. He talked about everything but what it is supposed to be about.

What I would ask the member is this: Will he apologize, first of all, for making this political today rather than keeping it about what it should be about? Will he apologize for the debacle that was the Afghanistan war monument groundbreaking and how veterans felt left out? Will he acknowledge that the Afghanistan veterans fought in a war?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I do not know what planet the member opposite is from. At the end of the day, I think I was very clear. If we want to talk about partisan politics, we need to look at the manner in which this member in particular has dealt with the issue of veterans inside the chamber. We want to be able to appreciate, love and recognize our veterans. Yes, maybe at times I do need to be a little less political, but I can assure members that I am no more political than the member who posed that question.

I would concede that we all need to take a stronger approach in encouraging the municipalities, the provinces and the federal government to do what they can to recognize the importance of our veterans and the service that has been provided to Canadians, in particular regarding Afghanistan. That means looking at parks in our municipalities, and it means the provincial and territorial governments also establishing monuments. I think we can do a lot if we are prepared to work together. The member should read his own speech before he starts criticizing my speech.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, whenever the opposition parties move concurrence in a report, the member for Winnipeg North tells us that it is an important matter, but that it should have been debated at a different time. However, he still takes 10 or 20 minutes to tell us that it should have be debated at another time. I find it hard to follow the member for Winnipeg North. He tells us that we should debate this at another time in order to save time.

If the member for Winnipeg North did not take the floor, we would already be saving time, would we not?

I put the question to the member for Winnipeg North.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, as someone who has served in the Canadian Forces, I have the opportunity, as does the member, to share my experiences on the important issue of our veterans. I have taken advantage of that by speaking for my 10 minutes on that, as have other members prior to me. I made a very clear indication that I believe all members of the House of Commons are supportive of our veterans.

I have also, through the question, made a recommendation as to what we can do to encourage and promote the ongoing recognition of what our veterans have done.

I am passionate on the issue because I have walked and talked with veterans. I understand, at least in part, some of the horrors they have had to go through. I want to see that recognition. Yes, I am passionate on the issue, but I can tell members that it is because of the memories I have of my marches with World War II and other veterans.

[Marilyn Gladu, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, I think my colleague made a very good point when he said it is clear that everybody at committee supported the recommendation to support the veterans in this way, and everybody here in the House today has already said that they are 100% in support. Therefore, I am concerned because there is other legislation we are trying to get passed, like Bill C-16, on femicide and coercive control, which is critical legislation. Instead, we are all in violent agreement on this issue. I wonder if that is a delay tactic on the part of the Conservatives. Does the member have a comment?

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I hope to see us sitting until midnight very soon. Hopefully, that will compensate and ensure that we get more debate on bills like Bill C‑16.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my wonderful colleague from Pierre‑Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères.

I am pleased to speak today in support of the motion to create an independent Canadian military honours review board. This motion raises a fundamental issue, namely, how to recognize acts of bravery performed by the women and men who have served in the Canadian military. For years, veterans, families, military historians and veterans' organizations have been calling for an independent mechanism to review cases when new evidence shows that an error or omission may have occurred.

We know that this is a very real concern. More than 16,000 people signed a petition calling for the establishment of such a body. We also know that a delegation led by former chief of the defence staff and retired general Rick Hillier came to Parliament Hill to request a review of several dozen cases dating back to the First World War. These requests are not motivated by a desire to rewrite history. They are based on a fairly simple principle: When new evidence emerges, when the historical context is better understood or when previously unavailable testimony surfaces, there must be a credible independent mechanism that can review certain decisions.

The Bloc Québécois believes that this request is more than reasonable. Moreover, the government itself recognizes that there is a problem. In its official response to the petition tabled in the House, it committed to examining the establishment of an independent board to review certain cases related to the mission in Afghanistan. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence recently reiterated this commitment in the House. Therefore, the question is not whether we should act, but rather how and when we should act.

The criticisms of the current system are well known. First, many people object to how inflexible the decisions are and complain that the process takes way too long. In too many cases, recognition is granted too late, sometimes even after the individual in question has passed away. When a member of the armed forces performs an act of exceptional courage, recognition should follow within a reasonable timeframe. This country's heroes deserve to be honoured while they are still living.

Second, many veterans criticize the process's lack of transparency. The criteria, decision-making mechanisms and reasons for refusal are often difficult for the people involved to understand. The lack of transparency gives rise to confusion and, in many cases, a deep sense of injustice. Third, a number of veterans feel that their experiences and those of their comrades are not properly taken into account. Who better than those who have served in the field to assess the true worth of an act of bravery? It is high time these criticisms were heard.

Beyond administrative procedures and the decorations themselves, what is at stake here is honour, duty, and the promise the state makes to those who agree to serve their country. Military decorations are not merely symbols, nor are they merely ceremonial symbols. They represent official recognition of service to society. In military culture, the concepts of honour, merit, sacrifice and duty are paramount. Military honours embody these values.

For many veterans, these honours serve as a reminder that the sacrifices they made have not been forgotten. This recognition is particularly important when service members return home. Many veterans must cope daily with physical injuries, psychological trauma, or significant challenges related to their recovery. In this context, knowing that their service is recognized helps preserve their dignity and the sense that their sacrifice was not in vain.

As the member for Lac-Saint-Jean, I would like to take a moment to highlight the outstanding work carried out by the members of the Royal Canadian Legion in our region. In Alma and across Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, legions play a vital role in supporting veterans and their families. They uphold the duty to remember, organize commemorative ceremonies for occasions such as Remembrance Day, and ensure that the sacrifices made by our military are never forgotten.

For them and for us, acknowledging acts of bravery is about more than merely handing out medals. It is about a nation's gratitude to the men and women who agreed to serve, sometimes while risking their lives. Members of the legion constantly remind us about the importance of fairly and effectively recognizing the courage, dedication and sacrifice of veterans.

For decades, veterans have been raising concerns about access to services, administrative delays, physical injuries, mental health and the support available to them after their military career ends. In addition, certain controversies have had a profound effect on the veteran community, including contested commemorative projects or the way that decisions were made.

I am thinking specifically of my highly esteemed former colleague Luc Desilets, who repeatedly complained about the federal government's persistent incompetence in managing commemorative projects. After the bungled Afghanistan memorial monument, the Highway of Heroes project once again showed a flagrant lack of due diligence and respect toward the people it claims to honour.

The Victoria Cross matter also comes to mind. It is a clear illustration of this issue. We have spoken about it before. The Victoria Cross was created in 1993 as Canada's highest military honour, yet none have yet been awarded since its inception. This raises legitimate questions. Many observers believe that certain acts performed during the Afghanistan mission may have met the criteria for this exceptional honour. The case of Master Corporal Jess Larochelle is often cited as an example in this debate.

It is not our role today to determine which cases should be approved or denied. That role falls to a rigorous and credible evaluation mechanism. However, it is our responsibility to ensure that such a mechanism exists. That is precisely the objective of the mission before us. The creation of a military honours review board would provide a pathway for reconsideration when new evidence warrants a review. It would enhance the transparency of the system, improve veterans' confidence, and help ensure that decisions truly reflect the facts.

Above all, it would send a clear message to those who are serving today that our society will never forget their sacrifices. Again, this motion is not just about medals. It is about our ability to properly honour those who have accepted the risks, dangers and sometimes injuries involved in defending freedom and democracy. When a society asks its military members to show courage, it also has a duty to show gratitude.

For all these reasons, the Bloc Québécois will support this motion and urges all members of Parliament to do the same.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Madam Speaker, I appreciated the member's speech and his comments about the importance of recognizing our heroes.

Can the member talk about why it is important for the government to put words into action?

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for that fundamental question.

In the file before us today, this is obviously a situation where the government should have acted a long time ago, but it did not. Of course, there are many other files where rhetoric and image are prioritized over results. However, when it comes to recognizing the sacrifice of the men and women who fought to defend peace, democracy and freedom for the country they made a commitment to, the government has no excuse for dragging its heels, yet that is what it has done.

This motion is an opportunity for the government to step up. We are reaching out to the government. We want to work together toward the same goals. We owe it to our veterans, to those who fought for freedom and democracy. It is our duty as a country. We asked them to be brave. We have a duty to recognize this bravery.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, just over a year ago, Canadians elected a new Prime Minister and 70-plus new Liberal members of Parliament. To be very clear for those following the debate, every Liberal member of the House of Commons fully supports this motion and would love to see it pass unanimously.

I wonder if the member opposite could reinforce the Bloc party's position.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, like the Liberal Party members, the Bloc Québécois and all of its members of Parliament will, of course, support this motion, as I said in my speech, in fact. This is not breaking news. We supported it in committee as well. I believe the committee members voted unanimously in favour of the motion.

Let us take this opportunity to speed things up. Let us do it. Unanimity in Parliament is rare. It does not happen often. This is a perfect example. This is why I think it is important to debate it today. We can show that we are actually capable of agreeing on a particular issue sometimes. Now that we have momentum and all-party collaboration, let us use that to do right by the people we represent as quickly as possible.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague on his speech.

Today, we are debating a motion that would establish an independent Canadian military honours review board. One of its key mandates would be to potentially award the famous Victoria Cross, which has never been awarded.

This initiative is being taken now as a result of the motion we are debating, which stems from a report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. However, similar initiatives have been undertaken in the House of Commons in the past through petition e‑3636, which gathered 14,000 signatures; through a motion adopted by unanimous consent in the House; through delegations; and through petition e‑6661.

It feels as though this keeps coming up and the government keeps ignoring the calls. This time, it feels as though the government going to say yes, but it still has yet to be implemented.

People go into battle for a country, make sacrifices, lose their health and keep fighting. How does this situation make the government look?

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for that excellent question.

That is unfortunate because there has been a clear opportunity on the table for a very long time. As my colleague just said, this is not the first time such a proposal has been put forward. Legions and other veterans' organizations have been calling for such a mechanism for a very long time. It is not right that the Victoria Cross has never been awarded to anyone here since its inception.

Unfortunately, I cannot understand what the government is doing, but it always instills doubt in people's minds when they do not see the government taking quick action on things that should be no‑brainers.

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, today, we are debating the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, which is quite short. It is just one paragraph long. I have seen some pretty long committee reports in my time, but in this case, the report is very clear and effective. It says what needs to be said. Basically, the report states the following:

That the committee report to the House its recommendation for the creation of an independent Canadian Military Honours Review Board with the specific mandate to review decisions made under the Directorate of Honours and Recognition and its precursor bodies when new evidence demonstrates that the reconsideration of a military honour is warranted to ensure that no error or omission was made.

Upon reading that, it seems obvious. It is worth noting that the committee did in fact adopt the motion unanimously. Basically, the idea is to acknowledge that, in the past, certain distinctions, medals and honours may have been denied to individuals who have done great things for their country. Unfortunately, after some time has passed, the government is realizing that perhaps it should have awarded those honours, because it did not have all the information needed to make the right decision at the time. I find that interesting and I think it is good.

Today, we are doing more than simply presenting a committee report, because we are now debating it in the House of Commons. It is important that our voices be heard. As we know, when a committee presents a resolution, report or recommendation, it often reflects the voices of the committee members. Those voices carry considerable weight, because they represent people of different political stripes sitting around the same table, who have discussed an issue and learned more about it. Once they have considered a matter and studied it carefully, they recommend that Parliament examine it further.

I understand from my Conservative colleague's proposal that the idea is to go even further by ensuring that this is not only the will of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, but also the will of the House of Commons as a whole. I assume that, given that the committee adopted the report unanimously, the same should be the case today. It sends a much stronger message when it is adopted by the House of Commons than when it is adopted by a committee, even though a committee adopting something already means a great deal. I therefore congratulate my colleagues who decided to bring this debate to the House today.

It should be noted that there is a broader context to this debate. We talk about distinctions, but there is one whose significance underlies today's debate: the Victoria Cross.

The Victoria Cross was established in 1993 to recognize acts of valour, self-sacrifice or devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy. Although it was established in 1993—when I was just a kid, since that was more than 30 years ago—it has unfortunately never been given out. It has never been awarded. I realize that this is an exceptional honour. I believe it is the highest honour that can be awarded, so they are not handed out like candy. However, that does not change the fact that, at some point, we need to ask the question. It is inconceivable that no one committed any exceptional acts over the course of 30 years. That would be very surprising, especially considering all the conflicts that Canada and members of the armed forces have contributed to during that time.

In the specific case of the conflict in Afghanistan, in which Canada participated by sending troops, no Victoria Crosses were awarded. However, other nations—or rather, other countries, since there is the Quebec nation and the Canadian nation, and a distinction must be made—that participated in the conflict in Afghanistan decided to award Victoria Crosses. In particular, Great Britain awarded three Victoria Crosses in connection with the conflict in Afghanistan. Australia awarded four Victoria Crosses also in connection with the conflict in Afghanistan. New Zealand awarded one. The United States obviously did not award any Victoria Crosses, because they do not exist there. However, they have Medals of Honor, which are roughly the American equivalent. They awarded 18 Medals of Honor. In Canada, however, no medals were awarded.

That is pretty sad considering that people went over there to fight the Taliban and put their lives and their health on the line. In fact, a former Bloc Québécois MP, Michel Boudrias, the member for Terrebonne, went to Afghanistan. We know things were not easy for everyone over there. Many people have spoken out on Parliament Hill to demand change, to get Canada to change how it does things and decide to honour the veterans who fought in Afghanistan. There have been proposals, including some in connection with the Victoria Cross.

For example, Canada's former chief of the defence staff, retired general Rick Hillier, led a delegation on Parliament Hill last month calling on the federal government to review cases involving Afghanistan as well as more than 40 cases dating back to the First World War involving veterans who may have been eligible for the Victoria Cross. I would note that the Victoria Cross has occasionally been awarded to other individuals in the past even though it did not exist prior to 1993. It was actually awarded by Great Britain, but Canada is no longer a colony even though it has the same king. We could talk about the monarchy at length today, but that is not the point of this debate.

Nevertheless, perhaps it is time for Canada to choose to use the tools and resources available to reasonably and appropriately honour those who fought for the country.

This is not the first time we have talked about this. I just spoke about the action that Rick Hillier has been taking and about how he led a delegation, but there is also petition e‑3636, which was sponsored and tabled in the House by former MP Niki Ashton. I can use her name since she is no longer a member of the House of Commons, but I had the opportunity to serve with her in the past.

That petition was tabled in 2022, and no fewer than 14,000 people supported this effort to award the Victoria Cross for the first time. Unfortunately, the Liberal government at the time refused to do so. Again in 2022, MP Erin O'Toole took action in this regard. He is also no longer a member of the House, but we know that he served as the leader of the official opposition and, if I am not mistaken, minister of veterans affairs. He sought the unanimous consent of the House to implement what we are discussing here, namely a review board to award the Victoria Cross to deserving individuals. Once again, his motion did not receive the unanimous consent of the House in 2002 and it was rejected.

It is now 2026, four years later. Most recently, petition e-6661 was presented by a member from the other side of the House. I cannot name her since she is still in office, but I can say that she is a member representing the Liberal Party. After two Liberal rejections, it is quite a change to see a Liberal member say that we need to exert some pressure and try to get her government to take a position. The member probably does not agree with the decisions her party has made in the past. On April 15, 2026, she presented a petition with 16,500 signatures. That is a lot of people. The previous petition had collected 14,000 signatures. Even more people signed this petition.

In addition to the petition presented by the member opposite, a motion was moved by a Conservative member at the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs on April 20. His motion was adopted unanimously there. It was forwarded to the House, and the report was tabled on April 30, 2026, less than a month ago. All of this shows that many steps are being taken to recognize the sacrifice of those who have given so much.

There are cases such as that of Jess Larochelle, who did so much for his country and who sadly passed away in 2023 before he could receive this medal. It brings to mind the Canadian government's difficulties in recognizing those who fought in Afghanistan, or the memorial, which listed names of people who had not actually died. Then there is the whole story of how that contract was awarded.

It is always disappointing to see that the action taken does not seem to match the sacrifices made by members of the armed forces. This time, I believe we have a good opportunity to rectify the situation and make the right decision.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for highlighting the importance of recognizing our veterans and heroes.

Can the member explain the potential consequences of the government failing to show veterans the respect they deserve, and how this lack of recognition might hinder recruitment into the armed forces?

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, that is a very good question from my colleague. As for the impact on recruitment, I must say that about 20 years ago, I myself considered joining the armed forces, since I was a former member of the air cadets. I ultimately decided not to go through with it, in part because I wanted to serve Quebec and felt that doing so as a member of the Canadian military created a somewhat unique situation. That does not mean that no one in Quebec wants to serve in the Canadian military, but I found it hard to reconcile that situation.

There are probably things the Canadian military could do to make recruitment easier in Quebec. For example, allowing people to serve only in Quebec could be an option.

When it comes to military honours, I think this is a good illustration of what my colleague is currently presenting, the motion we are debating today. If we are unable to commend people on their acts of bravery and give them a pat on the back, especially since these individuals often come home with post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries they will carry for the rest of their lives, often in ways that are invisible in daily life, it is certainly not motivating. On the contrary, these individuals should be singled out for their patriotism.

[Marilyn Gladu, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong, ON]

Madam Speaker, could my colleague share a little story about the value of veterans in his riding?

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Madam Speaker, my colleague on the other side of the House has caught me off guard a little. However, I can say that when the November 11 memorial ceremony is held every year in my riding, the family of one armed forces member who fought in Afghanistan attends. We lost one former resident of Boucherville, who died while serving. It troubles me because that individual was still in the prime of life, still relatively young, and he never got to see his children grow up or have the good fortune to enjoy a long life like others will. That saddens me. At the same time, I feel that it is important to remember the sacrifice he made every day so that we could enjoy our lives.

I think that ceremonies like the one on November 11 are important and need to be valued even more. That is why it is important on these occasions, which offer us a rare glimpse of military personnel wearing their medals, to congratulate and thank them for their service. We have to do more for them.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his excellent speech and for his answers to our colleagues' questions. I want to put the ball back in his court, as he asked me a very similar question earlier. Why are we once again being forced to move concurrence in a committee report in the House in order to give it further impetus with a unanimous vote when the government could have taken action much earlier? After all, arguments have been presented to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, petitions have been tabled, not to mention all the witnesses who came to tell their stories.

I think it is good that we are doing this today. It is great. However, why are we being forced to proceed this way when it seems so obvious to me that this is something that should have been done a long time ago?