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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Ms. Rachel Blaney (North Island—Powell River, NDP)

Jun/12/24 2:17:31 p.m.
Watch

Mr. Speaker, today is an important day, one where Parliament will finally have a report that lays out the issues of women veterans. This matters because it is the first of its kind. Over a year ago, when I put forward a motion to study women veterans, with my friend from the Bloc Québécois adding a section on MST, I found out that there had never been a study focused solely on women veterans before. Twenty-three sessions later, today, that report will be tabled, and the women veterans will be seen. I hope this place is listening to the women who served us and who spoke repeatedly about being made invisible. The recommendation set a baseline that women veterans will be watching closely. This place needs to move forward with action. I want to thank every witness who came forward. I want to thank every person who wrote to the committee. I want to acknowledge the dedication and the solidarity of the women who came to stand with one another. Their strength and dignity has made me a better parliamentarian.

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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Mr. Sean Casey (Charlottetown, Lib.)

Jun/12/24 3:08:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. We know that people in vulnerable situations struggle to find affordable housing that meets their needs. We need to build more homes and make the housing market fairer for everyone. Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs tell us what the government is doing to ensure that Canadians can access safe, affordable housing?

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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Mr. Emmanuel Dubourg (Bourassa, Lib.)

Jun/12/24 3:51:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages the 15th report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. On behalf of the committee members and myself, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the women veterans who appeared before the committee and told us their stories. By tabling this unanimous report with its 42 recommendations, we hope that women veterans will no longer be invisible and that they will no longer feel invisible. I thank the committee members for working on this study in a collaborative, non-partisan manner. The committee would like to sincerely congratulate analyst Jean-Rodrigue Paré, who did an outstanding job.

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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Mr. Fraser Tolmie (Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, CPC)

Jun/12/24 3:53:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as a veteran myself, I am honoured and privileged to present a supplemental report on behalf of the common-sense Conservative members of the veterans affairs committee. This historic report on the experience of women veterans has long been overdue and covers many important issues that face the women who answer the call of service. We were disappointed, though, that there were parties at the committee who intentionally avoided issues that reflected poorly on the government by omitting testimony and recommendations on the issues of the housing crisis and the cost of living crisis affecting more veterans each year; the unique medical needs of women veterans and all veterans; the backlog at Veterans Affairs keeping our women veterans and all veterans from receiving the care and support they needed; and education, training, and family support for women veterans, all veterans and their families. These issues are important, and the women who had the courage to come and share their experiences with the committee on these issues deserve to have their voices heard, even if the government does not want to hear them.

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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Ms. Rachel Blaney

Jun/12/24 3:54:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent for the Bloc and the NDP to present their supplementary opinion to the report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs entitled ”Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans.”

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Context: House Hansard - 330 - Jun/12/24

Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)

Jun/12/24 3:54:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am truly honoured to have participated in this study. I am also very pleased with the participation of the 100 or so witnesses that we brought in. Approximately 40 or 50 of them are here in the gallery today. They spoke on behalf of 75,000 Canadians, including 15,000 Quebeckers. What remains to be done is the most challenging, most demanding, most important and most crucial step: implementing these 42 recommendations. Among other things, I personally would like to see a work of art erected to honour women veterans. This is one of the report's recommendations. The Government of Canada has only contributed one work of art, whereas there are closer to 100 for male Canadian veterans. We hope that the government will take a step in this direction. We hope that these women, who were once invisible, can now take their place with honour.

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