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Michael Barrett

Conservative on Business of Supply

Replying to Caroline Desrochers (Liberal)
“Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for his service. I am just wondering if the member is aware that, under our government, we have done so much in support of veterans, including over these last few months, such as the disability benefit, which we have invested in for over four years. Just last week, we launched a veteran employer recognition initiative, which is going to help veterans with finding a job. We are making health care more accessible. The parliamentary secretary has done a great deal of work on this file during her tenure. How does the hon. member feel about the fact that when the Conservatives were in power, they closed nine Veterans Affairs offices across the country? We reopened them under this government. I would like to know how he feels as a former member of the Armed Forces.”

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Madam Speaker, as a legislator today, who has committed himself to serving veterans and to serving all Canadians, I can tell members that what I am hearing from veterans is that they are not interested in focusing exclusively on the rearview mirror. If we want to compare outrages on where the government has fallen down over the last 11 years, I think it is a damning indictment of the government and our service to veterans. If we want to compare the government before that, I think it is a damning indictment of how this place has served our veterans, and the government before that as well. I think that we can commit ourselves today to doing better for veterans. That is what I am asking for. Is there some good news for veterans that the government has announced? Sure, there is. Is there more to do? Do we need to get wait times down? Do we need the government to meet even just its own service delivery standards, which are far too long? Absolutely, we do. Let us commit collectively to doing better today.