Veterans Affairs  First, Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the hon. member on winning her nomination. As everybody in this House knows, I also very much welcome the opportunity, in any instance, to compare the record of this government in two years to the record of the previous government. I commend the other side for the vim and vigour it brings to this debate.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, an increased pain and suffering award, an increased income replacement, increased estate exemption for veterans funerals and burials, an education benefit of up to $80,000, redesigned career transition, a recognition benefit for caregivers, a centre for excellence for PTSD, 460 more staff, 10 offices, and a pension for life, for everything the Conservatives took away that I listed yesterday, we are delivering on real benefits and services.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, in Corner Brook, Newfoundland; Sydney, Nova Scotia; Charlottetown, P.E.I.; Thunder Bay, Ontario; Brandon, Manitoba; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Kelowna; Windsor; Prince George; all offices were closed by the previous government. All offices were reopened by this government.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we have delivered on our promise for a pension for life. It is a plan to ensure that veterans have a full and productive life post-service. It is monthly, it is tax free, and it is for life. It provides income replacement payable at 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the best way to show respect to our veterans is through actions and not just words anymore. As many in the House know, I relish the opportunity to compare the record of this government versus the record of the previous government. I enjoy talking about examples of how this pension for life will benefit people, like a retired aviator with five years of service who is 50% disabled, who would receive over $170,000 in pain and suffering compensation alone over her lifetime.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, veterans' homelessness is unacceptable, which is why we have identified it as a priority of this government. Our government is investing $2.2 billion over 10 years to tackle homelessness through our redesigned and expanded federal homelessness program, complemented by NHS initiatives, including the national housing co-investment fund and the Canada housing benefit, as well as VAC initiatives, like the $4 million investment in the veterans emergency fund, providing immediate and flexible financial support for those veterans in crisis.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member this. Maybe he could ask the member for Barrie—Innisfil why he said the Conservatives lost the trust of veterans. Was it the nine offices they closed? Was it all the front-line staff they fired? Was it all the balancing of budgets on the backs of our veterans?

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the well-being of veterans and their families. We have kept our promise. The new lifetime pension option is a monthly non-taxable benefit for life that recognizes pay and suffering and provides income replacement up to 90% of a soldier's pre-release salary indexed annually for life for those who need it.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, I am always glad to have the opportunity to speak to the government's record on veterans and to compare it to those on the other side. Let me take our new pension for life proposal and talk about a 30-year-old veteran, with 12 years of service, with osteoarthritis of his spine and multiple joints, and hearing loss, who is 60% disabled.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, a corporal who served five years in the regular forces and suffered 100% disability is entitled to nearly $6,000 a month in benefits; an additional $1,000 a month for caregiver support; nearly $72,000 through the critical injury benefit; an additional financial assistance to modify her vehicle and her home to meet her needs.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, as many on this side of the House know, I relish the opportunity to compare the record of this government in two and a half years on our veterans with the 10 years by the previous government. To say that budgets were not cut, we know they were cut. Why? Because we restored them.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we made a promise to veterans. We made a promise to veterans that they had heard for a long time. In 2006, all sides of the House sat down with veterans and decided on a new veterans charter. They decided that it would be a living document, that it would be something that would provide for our veterans in the future.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we have provided $10 billion in new money for our veterans, for Veterans Affairs offices, for their budgets, for the lives of our veterans. There are so many examples that are given to me when I walk into the House, a retired major with 25 years of service with an 100% disability assessment who will now receive nearly $9,000 a month in both pain and suffering compensation and income replacement.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, they cut budgets, ignored voices, and closed offices. Let me tell the House about someone else. A retired major with 25 years of service, 20% disabled, which basically means they may have a loss of hearing or perhaps a bad knee or ankle, will now receive over $70,000 in pain and suffering benefits alone, not to mention education and training benefits to help them transition to a civilian life.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker—