- Member of Parliament
- Minister of Veterans Affairs
Associate Minister of National Defence
- Liberal
- Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe
- New Brunswick
- Voting Attendance: 66%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $101,260.44
- Government Page
- Apr/19/24 11:59:13 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my friend and colleague for her important question and for her hard work on behalf of veterans in her community.
Budget 2024 increases our support for veterans and their families. Telemedicine services are available across the country for veterans and their families. That is one of the important measures for veterans in this new budget. The pilot project has been successful, and we know that expanding the telemedicine program will help improve access to health care during their transition period. Our government will always be there to support our veterans and their families.
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- Apr/19/24 11:41:24 a.m.
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Madam Speaker, that is a bit rich coming from the party opposite. Let us take a walk down memory lane.
When the Conservative Party of Canada was in government under Stephen Harper, let us see what the Conservatives did to veterans. They slashed the veterans affairs budget. They closed nine veterans affairs offices, and they cut the workforce by 1,000, individuals who provided direct services to veterans.
We will take no lessons from the Conservative Party of Canada.
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- Apr/16/24 3:14:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to thank my colleague for her important work on the veterans affairs committee.
Our government has always been there for veterans, and will continue to be there. Since 2015, we have invested more than $11 billion in additional funding to support veterans and their families. In contrast to the Conservative Party of Canada, when it closed the Veterans Affairs offices, on this side of the House, we opened them immediately because we recognized they provided direct services to veterans.
We will always be there to help support our veterans and their families in their time of need.
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- Dec/11/23 3:07:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her continued advocacy on this matter.
When a veteran serves in the military, their family serves with them. Our government is extremely sensitive to the situation of widowed spouses of veterans who married after the age of 60. In budget 2019, we announced an amount of money to make sure we put in place a program, and I am looking forward to making sure that the program rolls out in the very near future.
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- Dec/6/23 3:06:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, let me be very clear: The Department of Veterans Affairs made the final decision to support the Stimson design because, as I said, we chose to listen to veterans. We put together a survey or questionnaire. More than 12,000 Canadians responded to the survey, and the vast majority of them were veterans.
I do not understand why my hon. colleague does not want to listen to veterans, because, once again, they made the ultimate sacrifice of reporting for duty on the mission in Afghanistan.
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- Dec/6/23 3:05:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear: It was the Department of Veterans Affairs that made the decision to support the Stimson design. Why? Because we chose to listen to veterans. More than 12,000 Canadians responded to a questionnaire or survey, and the vast majority of them were veterans. They made it clear that, for them, the Stimson design best represented the bravery, sacrifice and loss of veterans. That is why we made this decision.
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- Dec/4/23 2:57:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, here is what really happened. The government chose to listen to veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs conducted a survey using a questionnaire to hear what Canadians had to say. Over 12,000 Canadians responded. Most of them were veterans or their family members.
The message was clear. For them, the Stimson concept better represented the courage, sacrifice and loss of veterans. That is why we went with that concept.
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- Dec/4/23 2:56:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his important question.
The creation of a national monument to Canada's mission in Afghanistan will at last recognize the commitment of the Canadians who served in that mission.
The Department of Veterans Affairs conducted a survey or questionnaire. More than 12,000 Canadians, most of whom were veterans, responded to the survey.
The Stimson concept was chosen because we were told that it better reflected the sacrifice, bravery and loss of our veterans.
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- Nov/2/23 10:04:13 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Veterans' Week begins this Sunday, and I wish to encourage all Canadians to participate in activities and ceremonies in honour of those who have served our country and those who continue to serve.
This week, I will be thinking of all of the veterans across the country. We will remember the 1.7 million Canadians and Newfoundlanders who fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century to defend peace, freedom, democracy and human rights.
We will remember the 12,000 first nations, Métis and Inuit veterans. We will remember the hundreds of Black men who took part in the No. 2 Construction Battalion. They risked their lives to support Canada's war efforts, even as they faced systemic racism and discrimination at home and abroad. We must remember them and we must honour them.
We will remember the 125,000 members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the over 4,000 civilian police officers who participated in peacekeeping operations around the world. We are grateful to them for that.
We will remember women veterans and the thousands of other veterans and active members who belong to other under-represented groups who had to overcome so many challenges to wear Canada's military uniform.
We will also remember the 4,200 Canadian Armed Forces members and 450 RCMP members who participated in one of the largest domestic military operations in our country's history: the Swissair flight 111 tragedy in September 1998.
No matter where or how they served, every veteran's experience has been unique.
This Veterans' Week is a time to reflect on the many ways in which these brave individuals have made a difference both at home and abroad while wearing the uniform.
In times of war, military conflict and peace, our men and women in uniform have performed the difficult and demanding work required of them, often at great personal risk. At this year's Invictus Games in Germany, I once again saw just how much our veterans have had to overcome. It reminded me that a veteran's support network can change everything.
I was reminded of how, when veterans serve, their families also serve with them. This week, I hope that all are reminded of these veterans and their families too. I hope everyone is reminded of their service, their sacrifices and the battles they still fight today.
In return, we are committed to providing them with the support and services they need, when and where they need them. It is the least we can do for those who have given their all for us.
This Veterans' Week, as we mark 75 years since the first UN peacekeeping mission began and 35 years since the UN peacekeeping forces received the Nobel Peace Prize, we reflect on all that our veterans have sacrificed to uphold peace, democracy and human rights.
We solemnly remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and we pay tribute to veterans and active military personnel for their invaluable contribution to peace and security around the world.
On November 11, we will pause to reflect on the sacrifices they have made and the freedoms we enjoy today as a result.
Lest we forget.
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- Oct/20/23 12:06:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his question. He is absolutely right. Canadians and other veterans are stepping up to help those who have served our country. Through the veteran and family well-being fund, we have been able to invest in innovative projects, such as the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, which will support mental health among veterans.
This fund is helping veterans and their families from coast to coast to coast, with supports in areas ranging from mental health to housing, and we will not stop there.
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- Oct/17/23 3:01:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what can we expect from the Conservative Party of Canada? We can expect cuts and more cuts. Being the minister responsible for Veterans Affairs, I know that, when its members were in power, they slashed our employees by 1,000. They cut nine Veterans Affairs offices, including one in Corner Brook, Newfoundland. When we formed government, that was the first office we opened because we recognize our veterans need the help and the support. We will be there for them.
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- Oct/16/23 3:04:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. I look forward to working with him on the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.
I think all members of the House recognize the importance of listening to our veterans. That is why we conducted this survey. The vast majority of survey respondents were veterans or family members. They felt that Adrian Stimson's design best represented the bravery, sacrifice and loss of veterans. We appreciate the work our artists do day in and day out.
I have a question for my hon. colleague. Would he prefer that we ignore the wishes of veterans?
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- Oct/16/23 3:03:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his question.
I think that we agree on the importance of listening to our veterans. That is why Veterans Affairs conducted a survey. More than 10,000 Canadians responded to the survey. The majority of them were veterans. The design that was chosen is the one from the Stimson team since, to them, it best represented the bravery, sacrifice and loss of veterans.
We are always here to support our veterans. That is why we chose that design.
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- Sep/18/23 3:06:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as Minister of Veterans Affairs, I think it is very important to make sure that we listen to veterans, veterans who served in the Afghanistan mission.
During this process, we heard from 10,000 Canadians. Most of them are people who served during the Afghanistan mission. They told us clearly that the Team Stimson design really represented what they wanted the monument to look like.
We thank the committee for doing an amazing job, but we want to make sure we respect the veterans' wishes.
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- Sep/18/23 3:04:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the memorial to Canada's mission in Afghanistan recognizes the commitment and sacrifice of our soldiers. More than 40,000 people participated in this mission.
The Department of Veterans Affairs received input from more than 10,000 Canadians, particularly veterans, people who participated in the mission. The majority wanted to ensure that the concept would truly meet their needs.
In the end, the concept of the Stimson group more accurately reflected what veterans want. We will always be there to listen to our veterans.
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