Kent Hehr

Calgary Centre, AB - Liberal
Sentiment

Total speeches : 98
Positive speeches : 81
Negative speeches : 16
Neutral speeches : 1
Percentage negative : 16.33 %
Percentage positive : 82.65 %
Percentage neutral : 1.02 %

Most toxic speeches

1. Kent Hehr - 2016-02-03
Toxicity : 0.266302
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be with a government that sees energy and the economy as two sides of the same coin. Here we have a time where Canadians have lost confidence in our system and now we are reintroducing principles that will allow us to get access to markets, something that the former government failed miserably to do.
2. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Toxicity : 0.207234
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Mr. Speaker, I have been clear. This government understands the importance of commemoration and recognizing the men and women who have served in our armed forces. We will treat them with care, compassion and respect, not only getting them the services they need but also the commemoration they deserve. We will not continue with the Fantino follies of the last 10 years and will do things better on this side of the House.
3. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-19
Toxicity : 0.191161
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Mr. Speaker, our government is acting aggressively on a mandate letter given by our Prime Minister.In budget 2016, we have $5.6 billion in financial benefits to those men and women who need our help and support. We are expanding our earnings loss benefit, improving access to the career impact allowance, and making the disability award more generous.We are delivering for veterans, and we will continue to do so. It is really above the height of hypocrisy, these questions regarding this file from the former government.
4. Kent Hehr - 2017-11-09
Toxicity : 0.178635
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Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to our Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans and their families. We continue to build upon the supports we have in our mandate letter, including reopening offices, investments in front-line staff, delivering on financial security, improving supports for mental health. I will let the member know that we are investing in a centre of excellence for mental health for our veterans and their families to get the help that they need. We are standing by our veterans and their families, unlike the Conservatives, who ignored them in the 10 years that they were in office.
5. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-09
Toxicity : 0.150911
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Mr. Speaker, there is a saying in my neighbourhood, “You lie to your friends, I'll lie to my friends; let's not lie to each other.”Here is the true record of what the Conservative government has done over the last 10 years. The Conservatives closed Veterans Affairs offices and cut staff by 800 people. For the last 10 years, it has really been a shame. We are working hard to ensure that we treat our men and women with care, compassion, and respect. I have an aggressive mandate letter from the Prime Minister that will result in more employment opportunities for veterans and support for their families. We plan on following through exactly with that.
6. Kent Hehr - 2017-10-31
Toxicity : 0.149713
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to seeing our carded athletes succeed at the highest level. That is why I am very pleased we are investing $25 million over the next five years in our athletes. This will allow us to put $265 more a month in the pockets of these athletes. This will allow them to pay for rent and food, so they can concentrate on their athletics. This is their first raise in 14 long years.Our government is committed to seeing them succeed in PyeongChang and beyond. We are committed to our athletes.
7. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-19
Toxicity : 0.122449
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I find it ironic, Mr. Speaker, that the member opposite can stand and accuse this government of anything. This came about because of years of neglect by the former government on this file. We are delivering $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans and their families. We have an aggressive mandate from our Prime Minister to do things better than the former government, and this includes a return to an option for a lifelong pension.
8. Kent Hehr - 2016-01-27
Toxicity : 0.122114
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Mr. Speaker, I can say that I have an aggressive mandate from my Prime Minister in dealing with Veterans Affairs. We have 15 different commitments that we have made to veterans to see them get the care, compassion, and respect they deserve for serving our country, whether that is through more opportunities in the workforce, more opportunities for education, or more opportunities for their families to succeed. That is what we promised and that is what we are going to deliver.
9. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Toxicity : 0.121918
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that we have to honour the men and women who have served our country bravely and honourably in our Afghan mission. We will do that in my work with Canadian heritage and, in fact, with the members who served on that mission. I will remind that party that it announced the project twice and did not get it built under its watch. We will do this and continue to honour those men and women who have served our great nation boldly and bravely.
10. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Toxicity : 0.121571
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Mr. Speaker, I will point out that the former government announced this project, not only once but twice, and failed to get it done in its 10 years in government.In our work with Canadian Heritage, we will continue to work closely with the men and women involved in both that theatre and otherwise to move forward on this project in a timely manner.
11. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-21
Toxicity : 0.120771
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Madam Speaker, we respect the tremendous sacrifices that occurred with Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo when they made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.It is at events, in Ottawa, on November 11, and throughout the world, where we pay tribute to those who have made that ultimate sacrifice, to our Canadian Armed Forces members, and to others who serve and secure this country daily. We will honour them. We will respect them. We understand the tremendous sacrifice made by them and their families, and we will respect them going forward.
12. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-11
Toxicity : 0.12047
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Mr. Speaker, I can inform the member that it is Veterans Affairs' bailiwick to respect and honour those men and women who have served in our armed forces and, in particular, those who took part in the Afghan mission.It was very important to this country, their service and their sacrifice, and we will dutifully go about doing that. We are currently working with Canadian Heritage to find a way to get this project done, and it will be moving forward in due course in a respectful and dignified manner.
13. Kent Hehr - 2017-06-09
Toxicity : 0.118758
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Mr. Speaker, our government takes seriously the issues men and women face from their military service.In fact, our doors are open for any member of the Canadian Armed Forces who is now a veteran and who needs needs services and can tie their injury to their service. We encourage any one of these members to come forward and work with the 4,000 mental health professionals we work with from coast to coast to coast.We have expanded access to our military family resource centres and we are investing in a centre of excellence on PTSD and mental health issues. Our government is delivering for veterans.
14. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-17
Toxicity : 0.115686
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has been on me since day one about opening these offices, so I am glad to report that budget 2016 is a great one for veterans.Not only will we be reopening the nine offices closed by the previous government, including in Sydney, Victoria, but we will be opening a new office in Surrey, B.C., and bringing mobile services to the north. This, along with hiring more staff to reduce the veteran case manager ratio toward 25:1, will mean better in-person service, including in Cape Breton, for our veterans.
15. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Toxicity : 0.112536
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to us on this side of the House that we honour and respect the men and women who have served our great nation boldly in the Canadian Armed Forces. That is through any theatre we have participated in, from Juno Beach to our peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and the like. We will continue to do that. We have restored that in budget 2016, with a committed and dedicated program to fund our community war memorial programs and community events.
16. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-03
Toxicity : 0.111474
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Mr. Speaker, honouring the service and sacrifice of our veterans is at the heart of what we do. Many of our ill and injured soldiers receive benefits through our department. Delivering timely benefits is an area we can and must do better at. Since coming into office, we have received a 22% increase in applications for benefits. This is a good thing.I can also say that we have plowed through much of the backlog left to us by the former government as a result of it cutting one-third of our front-line staff.We will continue doing better. We will continue to deliver on behalf of veterans and their families.
17. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-05
Toxicity : 0.10171
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Mr. Speaker, again, my heart goes out to thalidomide survivors. I know our government, led by the Minister of Health, is taking these concerns very seriously. I will continue to advocate on behalf of all Canadians with disabilities.As someone with a disability myself, it was certainly not my intention to offend anyone. While some of my comments were misconstrued, as soon as I learned that my comments were felt to be offensive, I immediately called the organization directly and apologized.
18. Kent Hehr - 2016-01-25
Toxicity : 0.100811
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Mr. Speaker, Veterans Affairs is working hard to rectify many of the situations that she has put forward. We are going to be reopening offices. We are hiring more front-line staff. We are going to get a handle on our mental health issues. We are ensuring that our front-line staff is delivering the services in a timely manner for our men and women who have fought for this nation. I can assure the member that we are working hard and we will see a better Veterans Affairs going forward than the one we saw under the former government.
19. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-05
Toxicity : 0.100561
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Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to thalidomide survivors. I know our government, led by the Minister of Health, is taking their concerns very seriously. I will continue to advocate on behalf of all Canadians with disabilities.As someone with a disability myself, it was certainly not my intention to offend anyone. While some of my comments were misconstrued, as soon as I learned that my comments were felt to be offensive, I immediately called the organization directly and apologized.
20. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-11
Toxicity : 0.0991219
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Mr. Speaker, my apologies, but I would like to take this opportunity to talk about what we are doing in the Veterans Affairs Department. We are working very hard to ensure that our veterans are getting the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. We are finding ways to find them more employment opportunities, more opportunities to go back to school, and to have the ability to better their lives for their families as well as themselves.
21. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-03
Toxicity : 0.0966251
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Mr. Speaker, we accept all the Auditor General's recommendations and are working toward them through the programs that we deliver. My mandate letter says to get working on our suicide prevention, as well as our PTSD and mental health centres. That is exactly what we are going to do. We are going to deliver this care in a forthright and profound manner that makes the lives of veterans and their families better.
22. Kent Hehr - 2016-11-03
Toxicity : 0.0964521
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Mr. Speaker, it is important this week that we honour and respect the 2.3 million Canadians who have served in our armed forces. We will continue to do that each and every day as a government.We have an aggressive mandate to do things better for veterans and their families. We have delivered a great deal in budget 2016, delivering $5.6 billion in new financial security and resources to veterans and their families. We remain committed to creating a pension option for life for our veterans.
23. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Toxicity : 0.0926838
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Mr. Speaker, we understand on this side of the House that we do have a sacred obligation to our veterans, and we are doing that daily.We are fulfilling our mandate commitments. We are fulfilling our obligations to increase financial security for our veterans and for those who are most severely disabled. We did that in budget 2016, and we are going to continue to work on our mandate items, including an option for a lifetime pension. I would ask the member to understand that what he did was merely kick this problem down the road, and we are actually dealing with it at this time.
24. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-08
Toxicity : 0.092112
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Mr. Speaker, our department is committed to getting our soldiers, sailors, and aviators the care they need when and where they need it. We go through a complex array of systems of care to get them mental health supports and physical supports, whether that is through our 11 OSI clinics, whether it is through our 4,000 mental health care professionals and the like, to go forward, to build a system that ensures they are able to build their lives.With respect to this particular member's concern, we can go back and look at it as a department.
25. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-01
Toxicity : 0.0920201
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Mr. Speaker, in budget 2016 we fulfilled our mandate commitment to increase earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary, up from 75%. We committed $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans in budget 2016. No veteran will receive less as a result of these changes, and I am looking forward to many, many more veterans having more money in their pocket to build their lives.
26. Kent Hehr - 2017-05-04
Toxicity : 0.0915565
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Mr. Speaker, at Vimy Ridge, I thought of the brave Canadians who fought to defend our freedom; those soldiers had partners, parents, and siblings. It is true that when members serve, their entire family serves along with them. The families are the strength behind the uniform. In budget 2017, we announced a centre of excellence on mental health and PTSD, to advance research, education, and outreach services. This would lead to better mental health outcomes for our veterans and their families.
27. Kent Hehr - 2019-05-01
Toxicity : 0.0912298
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Mr. Speaker, it is a busy time for farmers and their families across our country as they start spring seeding. We know farmers are looking for more certainty and security as we work to maintain full access to China and create new opportunities for them to grow their business. Can the Prime Minister tell us what our government will do for canola producers to help them through this challenging time?
28. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-18
Toxicity : 0.0911793
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Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The last 10 years under the Conservative government were nothing but a sham in terms of treating veterans with care, compassion, and respect. We have delivered on this extensively in budget 2016. We are moving on financial security for our most disabled veterans. We are expanding the career impact allowance and the disability award. We remain committed to our mandate letter. We will be returning to the table to ensure that veterans and their families are treated with care, compassion, and respect, and in a better fashion than they were under the former government.
29. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Toxicity : 0.0895811
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that we do have a duty to honour and respect those men and women who have served in Afghanistan. This government understands the importance of commemoration, whether through Vimy Ridge, World War II, our peacekeepers, and also Afghanistan. We will be working closely with those men and women who have served, as well as with the organizations who want to see this project go forward.I ask the member to give us time. His government could not get it done in 10 years. However, we will get it done.
30. Kent Hehr - 2017-11-24
Toxicity : 0.0885351
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Madam Speaker, for 105 years CFL athletes have been inspiring our kids to participate in sports. Kids have dreamed of emulating their CFL heroes, from Jackie Parker to Jon Cornish, from Bruce Covernton to Ricky Ray, from Dave Sapunjis to S.J. Green. This is important, because we want kids to live active, healthy lives and to dream big and be proud of who they are.I am proud of our CFL athletes, teams, and organizations but on Sunday, I will be cheering for my hometown Calgary Stampeders. Go Stamps Go.
31. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Toxicity : 0.0817243
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government demonstrated its commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of our Canadian Armed Forces by closing nine Veterans Affairs offices and by cutting 800 front-line workers. We will treat our veterans with care, compassion, and respect. As well, we will take their commemoration forward in a dignified fashion.
32. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-07
Toxicity : 0.0802028
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to improving the lives of all Canadians. I recognize that when speaking to people, I tend to be straightforward. However, I regret my comments as I know they were brash and inappropriate, and I apologize. I remember the conversation with Ms. McCrea. It was a difficult conversation, and that is no excuse. I will take this opportunity to better myself as both an individual and as a parliamentarian.
33. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-27
Toxicity : 0.0771674
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Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to do things better for our veterans and their families. I was given an aggressive mandate from our Prime Minister to do just that. Included in that is working on our transition for all members leaving the Canadian Armed Forces. Our department's job is to assist them in getting to a better place. I know I am working very hard with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul the system of service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. We are making progress on that front and we will continue to do so.
34. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-08
Toxicity : 0.0757091
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Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at the question because I thought I answered it very clearly yesterday.It is important to honour the men and women who served in Afghanistan. In 2014, an all-party motion was put forward, and it was accepted by the House. I am working closely with the Minister of Canadian Heritage to see this memorial built.
35. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-09
Toxicity : 0.0756986
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to veterans and their families, full stop. After the previous 10 years with the former government frankly ignoring veterans' concerns by the fact that it closed offices, that it reduced one-third of the front-line staff, it is shocking that we are actually getting this question. Our government is working hard to ensure that veterans receive the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. Budget 2016 saw us put $5.6 billion in more resources to veterans and their families. We are going to continue to deliver on their behalf.
36. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Toxicity : 0.0728324
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Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, the lawsuit started under the previous administration. The Conservatives merely kicked the can down the road for our government to deal with, and that is exactly what we are doing.We are delivering on our commitments to veterans. We are going to fulfill our mandate letter, and we are going to return an option for veterans on a lifelong pension.I will remind the member that, in budget 2016, we expanded the community impairment access. We expanded opportunities for the earnings loss benefit. We are delivering on behalf of veterans and we will continue to do so.
37. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-11
Toxicity : 0.0725574
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park for his question, and the care and compassion he shows to veterans each and every day.The Invictus Games are a great opportunity for our injured soldiers to take part in competition, as well as to rebuild their lives with camaraderie. It was a great honour to be in Toronto with the Prime Minister and Prince Harry where we saw our injured soldiers head off to Orlando, where they did us proud.I am also proud to announce that we are supporting the 2017 Invictus Games to the tune of $10 million.
38. Kent Hehr - 2018-09-27
Toxicity : 0.0712072
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
39. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-09
Toxicity : 0.0708152
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Mr. Speaker, in the Department of Veterans Affairs, we understand that it is very important for us to commemorate those men and women who have served in our armed forces. We have done that as a country through Vimy Ridge, through World War II, through our Korean peacekeepers, through our role in Bosnia, and we will do so for Afghanistan. That is an important part of what we do in this department and what we do on this side of the House. We will continue to show in a meaningful way the respect that our men and women deserve who have served this great country.
40. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-21
Toxicity : 0.0700749
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Madam Speaker, all of Canada remembers the tragic events on October 20 and 22, 2014. We mourn the passing of Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo and extend our sympathies to their families.It is at events, in Ottawa, on November 11, and others across Canada and the world, where we will join together as a nation and as a people to recognize and pay tribute to all those brave Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in wartime and in peace, at home and abroad, to safeguard our values and our way of life. We will remember.
41. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-27
Toxicity : 0.0699792
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank each and every member of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans in this country, who have supported this nation for a long time. I know we are working actively toward getting veterans the benefits they need for financial security, for employment, and for other retraining initiatives. At the core of my mission is assisting that transition. We are working hard to do so with the Minister of National Defence, as well as ensuring that as many veterans as possible receive the benefits that are due and owing to them for their service.
42. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-02
Toxicity : 0.069666
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that after a decade of veterans not being heard, we are listening and addressing their concerns.In budget 2016 we addressed our promise to move the earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary from a 75% level under the former government. Veterans have been asking for this change for a decade. We moved on it and we delivered on it, increasing financial security for those veterans who are most disabled and those veterans who have served our armed forces with great honour and great dignity. We are there for them.
43. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Toxicity : 0.0692736
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Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely not true. The Conservatives had a piecemeal approach, where they had to go back from time to time, year after year, to reinstate it, and, in fact, it had run its course. This government is so committed to honouring the men and women who have served our great nation that we have committed to this in our full budget cycles, so we can honour and respect those in a regular ongoing fashion. That is what this government will continue to do.
44. Kent Hehr - 2016-01-26
Toxicity : 0.0691393
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her concern for Albertans because I, too, am concerned. The people I am talking to are actually refreshed by the new approach of this government. We have a Prime Minister who is willing to engage with first nations people, a Prime Minister who has willingly engaged with premiers and other people on the ground to see that these projects get consensus. I suspect the member should come down to Calgary and talk to the people to whom I am not talking. They are happy we are in charge.
45. Kent Hehr - 2017-11-09
Toxicity : 0.0673949
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to our veterans. We have shown that since we came into power. We are investing in financial security. We have reopened offices. We have invested in front-line staff. We are delivering on mental health services to better support our troops, and we will continue to find ways to help them build their lives after service. Our government believes in our veterans and will be there with them every step of the way.
46. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-27
Toxicity : 0.066585
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Mr. Speaker, at the core of my mandate is the health and wellness of our veterans and their families.I am of the understanding that our veterans are testifying at committee, and I would like to hear from them and feed that information into the work we are doing. We will continue to work with our health care professionals throughout our department, the 4,000 who are on standby, ready, willing, and able to assist. We will continue to work on health and wellness issues for our veterans, full stop.
47. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-02
Toxicity : 0.066482
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Mr. Speaker, today we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion. Tomorrow morning we will commence debate on Bill C-15, the budget legislation. Following question period tomorrow, we will begin consideration at third reading of Bill C-6 on citizenship.On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week, we will resume debate on the budget bill. We are presently in discussion with the opposition House leaders on the length of debate. Hopefully we will be able to find agreement.Next Thursday, June 9, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for next Friday, we will proceed with second reading of Bill C-13, the implementation of the WTO agreement.
48. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-18
Toxicity : 0.0662462
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Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the significant contributions veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members have made and continue to make in protecting peace and security for all Canadians. I was given a mandate to re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for veterans and remain committed to this, as to all items in my mandate letter. Veteran stakeholders have asked us to get this right, not rushed. As this matter is currently before the courts, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.
49. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-15
Toxicity : 0.0657105
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Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the family and friends and those impacted by this tragedy. It is deeply saddening to hear of anyone taking his or her own life. When it comes to suicide prevention, we always need to do better. Our government is committed to expanding access to support for veterans, RCMP, and their families. That is why we are working with over 4,000 registered mental health professionals, operate 11 operational stress injury clinics, and have been hiring front-line staff, 360 to date, to work with individuals. We have also opened nine offices and are expanding health and support care.
50. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-11
Toxicity : 0.0652611
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that commemoration is important to this government. We will continue to honour those who have served from Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach, through peacekeeping efforts in the seventies, eighties, and nineties, from the Gulf War to the Afghan theatre, in a dignified fashion.We are working closely with the ministry of heritage to see this project through, and rest assured it will be done.

Most negative speeches

1. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Polarity : -0.6
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government demonstrated its commitment to recognizing the sacrifices of our Canadian Armed Forces by closing nine Veterans Affairs offices and by cutting 800 front-line workers. We will treat our veterans with care, compassion, and respect. As well, we will take their commemoration forward in a dignified fashion.
2. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-24
Polarity : -0.166667
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his advocacy on behalf of veterans and their families and his constituents. I know this is an extremely difficult situation. Any time Veterans Affairs is notified of an untimely or unexpected death we undertake a review of that file, and this will be the case.Our government is committed to expanding access to support the veterans and RCMP and their families. That is why we are working with over 4,000 registered mental health professionals, we are expanding our outreach capability by having nine points of contact reopened, as well as hiring front-line staff. We will continue to support veterans and their families.
3. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Polarity : -0.166667
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Mr. Speaker, I will point out that the former government announced this project, not only once but twice, and failed to get it done in its 10 years in government.In our work with Canadian Heritage, we will continue to work closely with the men and women involved in both that theatre and otherwise to move forward on this project in a timely manner.
4. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-05
Polarity : -0.146825
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Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to thalidomide survivors. I know our government, led by the Minister of Health, is taking their concerns very seriously. I will continue to advocate on behalf of all Canadians with disabilities.As someone with a disability myself, it was certainly not my intention to offend anyone. While some of my comments were misconstrued, as soon as I learned that my comments were felt to be offensive, I immediately called the organization directly and apologized.
5. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-05
Polarity : -0.146825
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Mr. Speaker, again, my heart goes out to thalidomide survivors. I know our government, led by the Minister of Health, is taking these concerns very seriously. I will continue to advocate on behalf of all Canadians with disabilities.As someone with a disability myself, it was certainly not my intention to offend anyone. While some of my comments were misconstrued, as soon as I learned that my comments were felt to be offensive, I immediately called the organization directly and apologized.
6. Kent Hehr - 2016-02-03
Polarity : -0.14
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be with a government that sees energy and the economy as two sides of the same coin. Here we have a time where Canadians have lost confidence in our system and now we are reintroducing principles that will allow us to get access to markets, something that the former government failed miserably to do.
7. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-10
Polarity : -0.125
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Mr. Speaker, it is often difficult to hear about veterans who believe they are not getting the services they need. What we have done is that when a veteran believes his claim has been incorrectly assessed, we have set up an independent review process, the Veterans Review and Appeal Board. This has two levels of appeal and we provide the member with a lawyer to properly go through that.
8. Kent Hehr - 2017-06-09
Polarity : -0.104762
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Mr. Speaker, our government takes seriously the issues men and women face from their military service.In fact, our doors are open for any member of the Canadian Armed Forces who is now a veteran and who needs needs services and can tie their injury to their service. We encourage any one of these members to come forward and work with the 4,000 mental health professionals we work with from coast to coast to coast.We have expanded access to our military family resource centres and we are investing in a centre of excellence on PTSD and mental health issues. Our government is delivering for veterans.
9. Kent Hehr - 2016-02-03
Polarity : -0.0958333
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Mr. Speaker, I am also the Associate Minister of National Defence, which means that I am working hard with my partners in National Defence to look at ways to ensure there is a seamless transition between National Defence and Veterans Affairs. We are identifying those possibilities where we can work forward and allow our veterans and people serving to get the assistance they need in place.
10. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-09
Polarity : -0.0885417
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to veterans and their families, full stop. After the previous 10 years with the former government frankly ignoring veterans' concerns by the fact that it closed offices, that it reduced one-third of the front-line staff, it is shocking that we are actually getting this question. Our government is working hard to ensure that veterans receive the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. Budget 2016 saw us put $5.6 billion in more resources to veterans and their families. We are going to continue to deliver on their behalf.
11. Kent Hehr - 2017-11-09
Polarity : -0.0666667
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Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to our Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans and their families. We continue to build upon the supports we have in our mandate letter, including reopening offices, investments in front-line staff, delivering on financial security, improving supports for mental health. I will let the member know that we are investing in a centre of excellence for mental health for our veterans and their families to get the help that they need. We are standing by our veterans and their families, unlike the Conservatives, who ignored them in the 10 years that they were in office.
12. Kent Hehr - 2016-04-14
Polarity : -0.0666667
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Mr. Speaker, what I can say is that Veterans Affairs takes all applications to review veterans' issues seriously. There is a process whereby it comes into the department, and then our veterans also have a chance to appeal at the Veterans Review and Appeal Board at two separate levels. We also provide legal assistance to veterans who are looking to get their benefits, allowing those claims to go forward.I thank the member for his question, and we will continue to monitor the situation going forward.
13. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Polarity : -0.0592593
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Mr. Speaker, we understand on this side of the House that we do have a sacred obligation to our veterans, and we are doing that daily.We are fulfilling our mandate commitments. We are fulfilling our obligations to increase financial security for our veterans and for those who are most severely disabled. We did that in budget 2016, and we are going to continue to work on our mandate items, including an option for a lifetime pension. I would ask the member to understand that what he did was merely kick this problem down the road, and we are actually dealing with it at this time.
14. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Polarity : -0.0537037
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Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, the lawsuit started under the previous administration. The Conservatives merely kicked the can down the road for our government to deal with, and that is exactly what we are doing.We are delivering on our commitments to veterans. We are going to fulfill our mandate letter, and we are going to return an option for veterans on a lifelong pension.I will remind the member that, in budget 2016, we expanded the community impairment access. We expanded opportunities for the earnings loss benefit. We are delivering on behalf of veterans and we will continue to do so.
15. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-27
Polarity : -0.028125
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank each and every member of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans in this country, who have supported this nation for a long time. I know we are working actively toward getting veterans the benefits they need for financial security, for employment, and for other retraining initiatives. At the core of my mission is assisting that transition. We are working hard to do so with the Minister of National Defence, as well as ensuring that as many veterans as possible receive the benefits that are due and owing to them for their service.
16. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-07
Polarity : -0.0194444
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Mr. Speaker, as a parliamentarian, I know my job is to meet with constituents and stakeholders across the country and work as hard as I can to represent their issues. I try to represent their interests in a real and fair manner. I will work hard to improve both myself as an individual and as a parliamentarian to continue to try and address their concerns. I am taking this very seriously.

Most positive speeches

1. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-11
Polarity : 0.6625
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park for his question, and the care and compassion he shows to veterans each and every day.The Invictus Games are a great opportunity for our injured soldiers to take part in competition, as well as to rebuild their lives with camaraderie. It was a great honour to be in Toronto with the Prime Minister and Prince Harry where we saw our injured soldiers head off to Orlando, where they did us proud.I am also proud to announce that we are supporting the 2017 Invictus Games to the tune of $10 million.
2. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Polarity : 0.646667
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that we have to honour the men and women who have served our country bravely and honourably in our Afghan mission. We will do that in my work with Canadian heritage and, in fact, with the members who served on that mission. I will remind that party that it announced the project twice and did not get it built under its watch. We will do this and continue to honour those men and women who have served our great nation boldly and bravely.
3. Kent Hehr - 2017-10-30
Polarity : 0.566667
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Mr. Speaker, in last week's municipal election, I was very proud of the fact that my father, at 74 years of age, stepped up to run to be the trustee for wards eight and nine. I am proud to report that he did win that election. He can take his 40 years of teaching experience to work for people in public education and better the lives of people in their communities. I am very proud of this work. I am very proud to have supported my father. I look forward to following any advice at all that the Ethics Commissioner has to offer.
4. Kent Hehr - 2017-06-20
Polarity : 0.56
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Mr. Speaker, the health and wellness of veterans and their families is at the core of what we do. I am proud of the fact that committee members looked at all of these issues, because they, too, are committed to the health and wellness of veterans.I can tell the member that I have not yet had an opportunity to review the whole report. I will be doing so and looking into how we can fold in some of the ideas to best support veterans and their families that lead to better outcomes for their success.
5. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-09
Polarity : 0.555
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Mr. Speaker, in the Department of Veterans Affairs, we understand that it is very important for us to commemorate those men and women who have served in our armed forces. We have done that as a country through Vimy Ridge, through World War II, through our Korean peacekeepers, through our role in Bosnia, and we will do so for Afghanistan. That is an important part of what we do in this department and what we do on this side of the House. We will continue to show in a meaningful way the respect that our men and women deserve who have served this great country.
6. Kent Hehr - 2017-10-30
Polarity : 0.519481
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Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the work that I am doing on behalf of the constituents of Calgary Centre. As was pointed out in this House, we are focused on growing the economy and making sure things are better for people in our community. I can tell the member that I was very proud to be at the Amazon announcement last week where over 750 new jobs are being reported in our community. I hope the member continues to concentrate on better things for his community members and going forward in that fashion. We will follow all rules that are established by the Ethics Commissioner, and I look forward to working with her going forward.
7. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-21
Polarity : 0.515
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the ombudsman and his staff for their dedicated service and their very good report.I always value his feedback. The report makes three key recommendations on items in my mandate. In budget 2016, we acted upon recommendations from this ombudsman to increase the disability award, expand access to the permanent impairment allowance, and increase the earnings loss benefit, all measures that the ombudsman was very supportive of.We will continue to work through the recommendations and make things better for veterans and their families in this country.
8. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Polarity : 0.511111
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to us on this side of the House that we honour and respect the men and women who have served our great nation boldly in the Canadian Armed Forces. That is through any theatre we have participated in, from Juno Beach to our peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan and the like. We will continue to do that. We have restored that in budget 2016, with a committed and dedicated program to fund our community war memorial programs and community events.
9. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Polarity : 0.5
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that we do have a duty to honour and respect those men and women who have served in Afghanistan. This government understands the importance of commemoration, whether through Vimy Ridge, World War II, our peacekeepers, and also Afghanistan. We will be working closely with those men and women who have served, as well as with the organizations who want to see this project go forward.I ask the member to give us time. His government could not get it done in 10 years. However, we will get it done.
10. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-31
Polarity : 0.5
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Cambridge for his dedication to veterans.This government recognizes the service and sacrifice of Canada's veterans by making it easier for families to access the funeral and burial program for a dignified burial. We are expanding the program eligibility to more families of lower-income veterans by increasing the estate exemption from $12,000 to $35,000 and applying an annual cost-of-living adjustment.We are committed to delivering services veterans need and this includes a dignified burial.
11. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Polarity : 0.5
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Mr. Speaker, our government supports veterans in more than 1,500 long-term care facilities across this nation. We support veterans at whatever care level they need, and we pay for that care, and of course, we work with our provincial government partners to ensure they have access to these long-term care facilities. We are committed to veterans and the long-term care that they need and that they get.
12. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-07
Polarity : 0.473333
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Mr. Speaker, it is very important to honour the men and women who served in Afghanistan. In 2014, a motion for a memorial to this mission received unanimous support in the House. Also, the dates of the mission were inscribed on the National War Memorial. Veterans Affairs is working closely with Canadian Heritage to advance this initiative. More information regarding the project will be available in the coming months.
13. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-09
Polarity : 0.401389
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Mr. Speaker, the well-being of veterans and their families is at the heart of all we do at Veterans Affairs. Delivering timely benefits is an area where we can and must do better. In 2015-16, we saw a 19% increase in the number of disability benefit claims. This is a good thing. It means more people are coming forward to get the help they need when they need it. In order to address this, we are streamlining the disability benefits process, hiring more staff, and simplifying the decision-making process. We know we are doing better for veterans, and we will continue to work hard to provide them with the services they need.
14. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-11
Polarity : 0.4
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that commemoration is important to this government. We will continue to honour those who have served from Vimy Ridge to Juno Beach, through peacekeeping efforts in the seventies, eighties, and nineties, from the Gulf War to the Afghan theatre, in a dignified fashion.We are working closely with the ministry of heritage to see this project through, and rest assured it will be done.
15. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-29
Polarity : 0.391667
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Mr. Speaker, our government acknowledges the significant contributions of veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members and what they have given to this country in protecting our peace and security.Our sacred obligation to those members is outlined in our mandate letter from the Prime Minister. We remain committed to each and every line item in that, including an option for a lifetime pension.We delivered greatly in budget 2016, increasing financial security for veterans and their families. We will continue to work forward aggressively on this file.
16. Kent Hehr - 2016-04-14
Polarity : 0.381818
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Mr. Speaker, I can tell the member that budget 2016 was a great day for our veterans. We delivered on many different aspects of our mandate items, including increasing the earnings loss benefit, increasing access to the impairment allowance, and increasing the disability award. We will continue to work with our veterans with care, compassion, and respect to get them the services they need when they need them and where they live. Part of that budget is for opening up nine new offices and hiring more staff to allow veterans' issues to be handled in a timely and effective manner.
17. Kent Hehr - 2016-01-27
Polarity : 0.375
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Mr. Speaker, I can say that I have an aggressive mandate from my Prime Minister in dealing with Veterans Affairs. We have 15 different commitments that we have made to veterans to see them get the care, compassion, and respect they deserve for serving our country, whether that is through more opportunities in the workforce, more opportunities for education, or more opportunities for their families to succeed. That is what we promised and that is what we are going to deliver.
18. Kent Hehr - 2016-11-03
Polarity : 0.367273
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Mr. Speaker, it is important this week that we honour and respect the 2.3 million Canadians who have served in our armed forces. We will continue to do that each and every day as a government.We have an aggressive mandate to do things better for veterans and their families. We have delivered a great deal in budget 2016, delivering $5.6 billion in new financial security and resources to veterans and their families. We remain committed to creating a pension option for life for our veterans.
19. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-02
Polarity : 0.3375
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that after a decade of veterans not being heard, we are listening and addressing their concerns.In budget 2016 we addressed our promise to move the earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary from a 75% level under the former government. Veterans have been asking for this change for a decade. We moved on it and we delivered on it, increasing financial security for those veterans who are most disabled and those veterans who have served our armed forces with great honour and great dignity. We are there for them.
20. Kent Hehr - 2017-05-18
Polarity : 0.325455
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Mr. Speaker, we are committed to veterans and their families in delivering the services they need where and when they need them. We have been showing that commitment since day one of our election by improving financial benefits and by improving access to services. In fact, we followed up on that commitment in budget 2017.I am very proud of the fact that we will be opening a centre of excellence on PTSD and mental health issues to better support veterans and their families. We are moving forward in a positive direction. We will continue doing this throughout the rest of our mandate.
21. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-27
Polarity : 0.325
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Mr. Speaker, at the core of my mandate is the health and wellness of our veterans and their families.I am of the understanding that our veterans are testifying at committee, and I would like to hear from them and feed that information into the work we are doing. We will continue to work with our health care professionals throughout our department, the 4,000 who are on standby, ready, willing, and able to assist. We will continue to work on health and wellness issues for our veterans, full stop.
22. Kent Hehr - 2019-05-01
Polarity : 0.317273
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Mr. Speaker, it is a busy time for farmers and their families across our country as they start spring seeding. We know farmers are looking for more certainty and security as we work to maintain full access to China and create new opportunities for them to grow their business. Can the Prime Minister tell us what our government will do for canola producers to help them through this challenging time?
23. Kent Hehr - 2017-11-24
Polarity : 0.311448
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Madam Speaker, for 105 years CFL athletes have been inspiring our kids to participate in sports. Kids have dreamed of emulating their CFL heroes, from Jackie Parker to Jon Cornish, from Bruce Covernton to Ricky Ray, from Dave Sapunjis to S.J. Green. This is important, because we want kids to live active, healthy lives and to dream big and be proud of who they are.I am proud of our CFL athletes, teams, and organizations but on Sunday, I will be cheering for my hometown Calgary Stampeders. Go Stamps Go.
24. Kent Hehr - 2017-05-04
Polarity : 0.291667
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Mr. Speaker, as the member is well aware, we are committed to a pension-for-life option for our veterans. We made that announcement this year, and those details will be forthcoming. Further to that point, we have augmented and strengthened financial security for our veterans. In budget 2016, we raised the ELB to 90% of a soldier's pre-release salary and we raised the disability award. The veterans' ombudsman and many veterans were highly supportive of these changes. It meant more money in veterans' pockets, for them and their families.
25. Kent Hehr - 2017-03-21
Polarity : 0.285714
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his commitment to veterans across Canada. We are committed to finding veterans more work in both the public sector as well as the private sector. Since the passing of the Veterans Hiring Act in 2014, we have brought on board a mandate, through me, to the rest of my cabinet colleagues, as well as the deputy ministers, to look at more ways to hire more veterans. We are also investigating opportunities with the private sector to build those bridges and get those opportunities for our veterans and their families to better their lives. We will continue to do that in our department.
26. Kent Hehr - 2016-02-19
Polarity : 0.283766
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Avalon for his advocacy on behalf of veterans and their families.The Prime Minister gave me a mandate to ensure that veterans receive the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. Families are the cornerstone of a return to wellness. We were proud to announce two new tools, the OSI resource for caregivers and the veterans' mental health tutorial. These online resources will help to better understand veterans' mental health issues and reduce stigma. These are just the first steps in a better approach.
27. Kent Hehr - 2018-09-27
Polarity : 0.28
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
28. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-02
Polarity : 0.274306
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Mr. Speaker, as the member is aware, this lawsuit emerged under the former government. We are delivering on behalf of veterans and their families. Just in this budget we delivered $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans and their families. We will continue to address the mandate items to ensure veterans and their families have more opportunities to build their lives and find more success. We are proud of what we are doing and we will continue to go down a forward-thinking path.
29. Kent Hehr - 2017-10-31
Polarity : 0.27
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to seeing our carded athletes succeed at the highest level. That is why I am very pleased we are investing $25 million over the next five years in our athletes. This will allow us to put $265 more a month in the pockets of these athletes. This will allow them to pay for rent and food, so they can concentrate on their athletics. This is their first raise in 14 long years.Our government is committed to seeing them succeed in PyeongChang and beyond. We are committed to our athletes.
30. Kent Hehr - 2016-04-14
Polarity : 0.267273
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that Veterans Affairs has an excellent process to review veterans' claims. To reiterate, when a veteran has a claim, it goes through to my department. If that claim is rejected, a member can go to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board not once but twice.We also have the opportunity to provide them with legal counsel to assist them in any and all processes along the way. I also point out that these are de novo application processes whereby they can present new evidence at all points along the process.
31. Kent Hehr - 2019-01-29
Polarity : 0.266667
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is investing in renewable energy technologies to reduce carbon emissions and create good middle-class jobs for Canadians.Could the Minister of Natural Resources provide the House with an update on the solar energy project he recently announced in Suffield, Alberta?
32. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-18
Polarity : 0.258333
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Mr. Speaker, I am uncertain if my critic has been paying attention to what this government has done, so I will remind him. In budget 2016, we delivered significantly for our veterans and their families. We delivered on extending the earnings loss benefit from 75% to 90% of pre-release salary. We expanded the career impact allowance. We retroactively paid the disability award. We are opening the nine offices that his government closed, and restoring staff to the front lines. We are doing things better. The member should applaud us for what we are doing.
33. Kent Hehr - 2016-02-22
Polarity : 0.257273
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Mr. Speaker, one of the first things I did was to consult with many veterans and veterans organizations. What they confirmed to me was that the former government fumbled the ball 47 ways to Sunday on dealing with their issues. We are taking a new approach to this. We are working on getting veterans the benefits as well as the help they need when they need it, and that includes fighting issues around homelessness.
34. Kent Hehr - 2016-11-17
Polarity : 0.255
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Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more that when a man or woman serves, their entire family serves along with them.That is why it is very important that any individual who needs help and assistance reach out to our department and go through the processes. We will work diligently to process those claims.If there is an issue with Veterans Affairs Canada, we also have a robust appeal process that is an arm's-length appeal where people can get their claims rectified in that manner.I encourage them to continue to reach out to Veterans Affairs Canada to get the help they need where and when they need it. We are here to listen.
35. Kent Hehr - 2017-12-12
Polarity : 0.25
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to improving the lives of veterans and their families. We are aware of the concerns of Ms. Davis. That is why we have improved financial security. That is why we have improved the front-line services. That is why we have opened offices. That is why we have improved caregiver benefits.I am working on meeting with as many Canadians as we can to improve their lives. I am also working on myself to improve interaction on a go forward basis.
36. Kent Hehr - 2017-02-15
Polarity : 0.25
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Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the family and friends and those impacted by this tragedy. It is deeply saddening to hear of anyone taking his or her own life. When it comes to suicide prevention, we always need to do better. Our government is committed to expanding access to support for veterans, RCMP, and their families. That is why we are working with over 4,000 registered mental health professionals, operate 11 operational stress injury clinics, and have been hiring front-line staff, 360 to date, to work with individuals. We have also opened nine offices and are expanding health and support care.
37. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-04
Polarity : 0.248148
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was a historic day for our veterans. We invested in earning loss benefits, the community impact allowance, and allowing for more access and more supports for our veterans by reopening the nine offices that were closed under the previous administration and rehiring more staff to give more support where and when they need it. It is included in the budget because it has financial measures that will make our veterans and their families' lives better.
38. Kent Hehr - 2017-05-18
Polarity : 0.233636
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Surrey Centre for his passion and advocacy for veterans and their families. Next week is a big week for Veterans Affairs as we will be reopening the last of the nine offices closed by the former government. We will be opening up the Prince George office. I can also say it is exciting that we will be opening up a brand new office in Surrey, B.C., where we will be able to serve 7,000 veterans and their families. We then will be able to get our programming, one-on-one help they need to help build their lives. We are very proud of this.
39. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-01
Polarity : 0.229167
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Mr. Speaker, in budget 2016 we fulfilled our mandate commitment to increase earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary, up from 75%. We committed $5.6 billion in financial security to veterans in budget 2016. No veteran will receive less as a result of these changes, and I am looking forward to many, many more veterans having more money in their pocket to build their lives.
40. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-16
Polarity : 0.226667
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to our sacred obligation to Canada's veterans, and this is outlined in the strong mandate given to me by the Prime Minister to repair the relationship with those men and women who have served this great nation. We made a commitment in our platform to restore the option for a lifelong pension for veterans, and that is what we will do. Budget 2016 took historic steps getting financial security to veterans and their families by investing $5.6 billion. I committed to work with all veterans and stakeholders to make this happen. We will fulfill our mandate commitments to our veterans.
41. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-11
Polarity : 0.224167
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Mr. Speaker, my apologies, but I would like to take this opportunity to talk about what we are doing in the Veterans Affairs Department. We are working very hard to ensure that our veterans are getting the care, compassion, and respect they deserve. We are finding ways to find them more employment opportunities, more opportunities to go back to school, and to have the ability to better their lives for their families as well as themselves.
42. Kent Hehr - 2019-05-27
Polarity : 0.219907
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Mr. Speaker, it is National AccessAbility Week, and this is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the contributions of Canadians with disabilities, and to help raise awareness about the need for greater accessibility and inclusion in our society.While our government is breaking down barriers, many still exist. Can the Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility inform the House how our government is taking action to ensure an inclusive, accessible Canada for all?
43. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-11
Polarity : 0.212333
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Mr. Speaker, I can inform the member that it is Veterans Affairs' bailiwick to respect and honour those men and women who have served in our armed forces and, in particular, those who took part in the Afghan mission.It was very important to this country, their service and their sacrifice, and we will dutifully go about doing that. We are currently working with Canadian Heritage to find a way to get this project done, and it will be moving forward in due course in a respectful and dignified manner.
44. Kent Hehr - 2016-03-08
Polarity : 0.21
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Mr. Speaker, I am surprised at the question because I thought I answered it very clearly yesterday.It is important to honour the men and women who served in Afghanistan. In 2014, an all-party motion was put forward, and it was accepted by the House. I am working closely with the Minister of Canadian Heritage to see this memorial built.
45. Kent Hehr - 2016-09-27
Polarity : 0.206944
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Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to do things better for our veterans and their families. I was given an aggressive mandate from our Prime Minister to do just that. Included in that is working on our transition for all members leaving the Canadian Armed Forces. Our department's job is to assist them in getting to a better place. I know I am working very hard with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul the system of service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence. We are making progress on that front and we will continue to do so.
46. Kent Hehr - 2017-01-30
Polarity : 0.2
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Mr. Speaker, I am extremely proud to be reopening doors that were previously closed to veterans and their families. Veterans have selflessly served our country and our government is recognizing their service by enhancing financial benefits and restoring and expanding access to critical services not just in Thunder Bay, but in Corner Brook, Brandon, Sydney, Kelowna, Saskatoon, and Charlottetown, where we also opened offices. We will open three more offices in Windsor, Prince George, and Surrey, B.C., all by May of 2017. We are getting it done.
47. Kent Hehr - 2016-06-09
Polarity : 0.195
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Mr. Speaker, that is absolutely not true. The Conservatives had a piecemeal approach, where they had to go back from time to time, year after year, to reinstate it, and, in fact, it had run its course. This government is so committed to honouring the men and women who have served our great nation that we have committed to this in our full budget cycles, so we can honour and respect those in a regular ongoing fashion. That is what this government will continue to do.
48. Kent Hehr - 2017-03-24
Polarity : 0.185795
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2017 focuses on the overall well-being of veterans and their families by investing in mental health supports, educational opportunities, and career transition services. I can say we remain committed to a pension-for-life option, and this too will better serve veterans and their families. This builds on the momentum we saw in budget 2016, when we delivered $5.6 billion in new financial security for veterans, bettering our earnings loss benefit as well as our disability award. To that end, 67,000 veterans will be receiving more money in their pockets very soon and bettering outcomes for their families.
49. Kent Hehr - 2016-05-17
Polarity : 0.18572
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has been on me since day one about opening these offices, so I am glad to report that budget 2016 is a great one for veterans.Not only will we be reopening the nine offices closed by the previous government, including in Sydney, Victoria, but we will be opening a new office in Surrey, B.C., and bringing mobile services to the north. This, along with hiring more staff to reduce the veteran case manager ratio toward 25:1, will mean better in-person service, including in Cape Breton, for our veterans.
50. Kent Hehr - 2016-10-21
Polarity : 0.177778
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Madam Speaker, we respect the tremendous sacrifices that occurred with Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent and Corporal Nathan Cirillo when they made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.It is at events, in Ottawa, on November 11, and throughout the world, where we pay tribute to those who have made that ultimate sacrifice, to our Canadian Armed Forces members, and to others who serve and secure this country daily. We will honour them. We will respect them. We understand the tremendous sacrifice made by them and their families, and we will respect them going forward.