Business of Supply  Madam Chair, I would invite the hon. member to speak to her colleagues who sit on that side and ask what they were doing as men and women were returning from Afghanistan. It was considered to be a way of thanking our veterans by gutting the department, by cutting benefits and ser

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I would say it is still very much a challenge. The way the previous government treated veterans and their families was nothing short of deplorable, and it will take some time to get over this damage. Of the 1,000 people who the Conservatives let go from that depa

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, as I said in my statement, lapsed funding is necessary. Lapsed funding is a way for us to ensure we always have the money available for veterans when and where they need it. It is money that we have consistently reinvested back into veterans and their families sinc

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I will start this evening by sincerely thanking the member for Courtenay—Alberni. The motion we are discussing today, cloaked in the guise of financial reporting standards, cuts to the core of this government's commitment to the men and women who have bravely serve

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), Veterans Affairs Canada, through the commemorative partnership program, provides program funding, but does not have a capital vote. Veterans Affairs Canada has operating and management funding. With regard to (b), the commemorative partnership p

Veterans Affairs  Madam Speaker, our benefits are demand-driven, so whether there are 10 veterans or 10,000 eligible veterans who come forward, they receive benefits. They are based on estimates, and they provide us some guarantees. Whether a veteran comes forward this year or the next year or the

Veterans Affairs  Madam Speaker, benefits are demand-driven, so whether there are 10 or 10,000 eligible veterans who come forward, they receive benefits. We estimate the number of people who will claim benefits to ensure that the resources are there for these veterans, no matter which year they fi

Remembrance Day  Mr. Speaker, at this time of year, we all struggle to find appropriate words to commend something that most people simply cannot comprehend. From battlefields that are oceans away to the cenotaph outside this very House, Canadian soldiers have stood and fallen in defence of this

Committees of the House  Madam Speaker, I am tabling responses to Order Paper Questions Nos. 1881 to 1894 and revised responses to Questions Nos. 1532 and 1680.

Public Services and Procurement  Madam Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that this government has put more money into national defence in the past three years. We will continue to investigate that inquiry. I will be sure to take that back to the minister.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the safety of our women and men in uniform is our government's top priority. We always try to mitigate as best as possible the level of risk our people face while on operations. We will always ensure our troops have the right training and the right equipment to carry

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, indeed, at the many town halls I have held right across this country, this is something that has come up time and time again. I know that it is important to many veterans and many of their families. I can assure that member and the House that we are indeed working d

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, let me inform the hon. member that privacy for this government is not an excuse; it is a responsibility and a responsibility that we take very seriously. We have looked into this case. I am happy to discuss it with the member outside of the chamber. It is a private

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of veterans in their post-military lives is very important to us, and gainful employment and a sense of purpose can ease the stress that veterans and their families feel during the transition from military to civilian life. Both healthy an

Veterans  Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, for privacy reasons we cannot comment on the details of this case. I will say, though, that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we do understand that when a veteran serves, their entire family serves with them. We take their mental health and the