Veterans  Mr. Speaker, it is very important for us to honour the men and women who have served this country valiantly in Afghanistan. This government is aware of the motion put forward in 2014 supported by all members of the House. We are working very hard with the Minister of Canadian Heritage to see that is put through.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, there is a saying in my neighbourhood, “You lie to your friends, I'll lie to my friends; let's not lie to each other.” Here is the true record of what the Conservative government has done over the last 10 years. The Conservatives closed Veterans Affairs offices and cut staff by 800 people.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at the question because I thought I answered it very clearly yesterday. It is important to honour the men and women who served in Afghanistan. In 2014, an all-party motion was put forward, and it was accepted by the House. I am working closely with the Minister of Canadian Heritage to see this memorial built.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government demonstrated its commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of our Canadian Armed Forces by closing nine Veterans Affairs offices and by cutting 800 front-line workers. We will treat our veterans with care, compassion, and respect. As well, we will take their commemoration forward in a dignified fashion.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that we do have a duty to honour and respect those men and women who have served in Afghanistan. This government understands the importance of commemoration, whether through Vimy Ridge, World War II, our peacekeepers, and also Afghanistan.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, I have been clear. This government understands the importance of commemoration and recognizing the men and women who have served in our armed forces. We will treat them with care, compassion and respect, not only getting them the services they need but also the commemoration they deserve.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, I will point out that the former government announced this project, not only once but twice, and failed to get it done in its 10 years in government. In our work with Canadian Heritage, we will continue to work closely with the men and women involved in both that theatre and otherwise to move forward on this project in a timely manner.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, it is very important to honour the men and women who served in Afghanistan. In 2014, a motion for a memorial to this mission received unanimous support in the House. Also, the dates of the mission were inscribed on the National War Memorial. Veterans Affairs is working closely with Canadian Heritage to advance this initiative.

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, one of the first things I did was to consult with many veterans and veterans organizations. What they confirmed to me was that the former government fumbled the ball 47 ways to Sunday on dealing with their issues. We are taking a new approach to this. We are working on getting veterans the benefits as well as the help they need when they need it, and that includes fighting issues around homelessness.

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL  Mr. Speaker, I would say very easily. General Vance has explained the mission very well. He explained how it is going to be a coordinated approach with the CAF and how they are going to go about their business and take part in a different fashion, help support what we are doing there in retraining and getting the systems up and running for the local forces to do a better job of taking the fight to ISIL.

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that it may be difficult for the member to understand that Canada has a role to play in the world and that entails being involved in a meaningful way in the Middle East. We are taking that approach. We are going forward with a well-thought-out mission that will allow us to do the things necessary to support local retraining efforts, that will allow us to build capacity in the region, that does service to Canadian values and how we are going to bring stability to the region in the long term.

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL  Mr. Speaker, it should not be much of a surprise to anyone in the House, or anyone in Canada for that matter, that the role of the CF-18s was going to change. We have been clear on that. We have come up with a plan that will allow us to do things better in the short term and the long term.

Canada's Contribution to the Effort to Combat ISIL  Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time this afternoon. I would like to begin this debate with a statement of gratitude to the many men and women who are serving in our military in the Middle East and elsewhere around the world, and the many public servants who have offered and will continue to offer their service and dedication in the Middle East on our behalf and on behalf of all Canadians.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2014-15 annual report of the veterans ombudsman.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Avalon for his advocacy on behalf of veterans and their families. The Prime Minister gave me a mandate to ensure that veterans receive the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. Families are the cornerstone of a return to wellness.