Stéphane Lauzon

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the Campbell family. Once again, I want to take this opportunity to say that this petty politics is insensitive. It shows a lack of compassion for the families. We answered the question. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, their whole family serves with them. We will always stand by our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to providing the Royal Canadian Air Force with the critical equipment it needs to be fully operational, now and in the future. Our government believes it is unacceptable to take risks with respect to Canada's ability to simultaneously meet its commitments to NORAD and NATO.We are convinced that the Australian aircraft can meet interim needs while the CF-18 permanent replacement is being carried out.

Madam Speaker, on the basis of this week's decision, the charge against Vice-Admiral Norman has been stayed.As confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada this week, every decision was made completely independently. No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge.Any accusation to the contrary is absurd.

Madam Speaker, on the basis of this week's decision, the charge against Vice-Admiral Norman has been stayed. As confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada this week, every decision was made completely independently. No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. Any accusation to the contrary is absurd.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to fighting tax fraud and tax evasion. To ensure the integrity of our tax system, the agency's out-of-court settlement process takes place entirely at arm's length.We know that settlements can be used appropriately in certain situations, but we are concerned about the resulting lack of transparency. The Minister of National Revenue has the matter in hand.

Mr. Speaker, those who serve Canada are a priority for our government. We do not play political games when it comes to our responsibilities or paying tribute to our veterans. The memorial will be built. The commemoration will occur. The families will have access. I assure the House that we care about commemorating this event, which is so important for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. We have reviewed the funding and directed the department to ensure that the services received by family members of veterans are related to the veteran's service and, when they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official, and that the policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as convictions for serious crime, be addressed. This will ensure that we continue to support veterans and their families when they need help.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to improve on service delays. Since our government came to power, we have hired more than 460 front-line workers. We have also reopened 11 clinics that were shut down by the Conservatives. We have also hired a lot of mental health clinicians and have continued to work with more than 4,000 professionals.There is still work to be done, but we will do it.

Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear that a modern fighter jet fleet is essential to defending Canada and Canadian sovereignty. That is why we are acquiring 88 fighter jets to replace the aging CF-18 fleet. We welcome the Auditor General's advice in this matter, and look forward to his report. When? Tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about respect. We on this side of the House fully understand what families go through every time the Conservatives rake up a situation like this. Imagine what these families must be going through. Imagine how painful it is to recall each of these cases.For privacy reasons, we cannot comment directly on a specific case, as my colleague opposite is well aware.We will always stand with our veterans, but with respect.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is very important in the House to respect the rules, laws, and regulations.We know that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner will answer all these questions. Any problems should be reported to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and we will take responsibility for our actions.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the health and well-being of all veterans without exception. No veteran, male or female, will receive less under our new pension for life. A male veteran and a female veteran with the same level of disability who submit a claim on April 1, 2019, will receive exactly the same pain and suffering compensation. We will always be there to support women.

Mr. Speaker, our colleagues opposite are telling us that we do not have any figures, but we do. As I mentioned earlier, nearly 1,400 veterans received this service through all agencies. We work tirelessly to provide veterans and their families with the care that they need. Unlike the Conservatives, we believe that when veterans serve their country, their whole family serves with them. Veterans remain the focus of the services we deliver. For any determination regarding the services delivered to members, we will be there. We know that this was the case for about 1,400 veterans last year. I am not sure that the intention of the members opposite is to say that it is a bad thing to—

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her interest in this file.The well-being of veterans and Canadians is our top priority. Ninety-six percent of applications of post-traumatic stress disorder are approved, and we are working to provide veterans with the mental health support they need as quickly as possible.The opposition had 10 years to provide that support and work on the mefloquine and mental health files, as veterans wanted. Instead, they spent their time in office slashing services and balancing the budget while veterans suffered.

Mr. Speaker, any discussion regarding Parliament's finances has to be held in accordance with the rules and standards. This is a new file on the table. We will forward any information the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner might need and we will follow up to ensure we are a transparent and neutral government.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the Campbell family. For privacy reasons, we cannot discuss ths particular case.All I am asking our colleagues opposite is to show some compassion and to think of what families must go through every day. They are putting back on the table a very sensitive and delicate file. I am asking them to show a bit of compassion for our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, commemorating the service of the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces and those who made the ultimate sacrifice is extremely important to our government.That is why intend to build the monument. It will reflect the needs of the community, veterans, the Canadian public and families. Veterans and their families will be invited in due course to visit this beautiful monument, which will be public and open to everyone soon.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Madawaska—Restigouche for his question.This is National AccessAbility Week, which is a time to celebrate, emphasize, and promote inclusion and accessibility across Canada. We also invite all those who may be eligible to apply for funding through the enabling accessibility fund call for proposals we are launching today.Our government wants more Canadians with disabilities who face challenges every day to participate fully in their communities and the economy. That is why we have increased our investments in the program to over $80 million. This historic investment will remove barriers for many Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite spoke about accessibility, but the monument proposed by the Conservatives to commemorate the Afghanistan mission was not accessible 12 months of the year.We are proposing a public monument accessible to all that recognizes the service to Canadians throughout the Afghanistan war. We held broad consultations with veterans, their families and our stakeholders. It may take us some time, but we will move forward in the right way.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate that the previous government made cuts for 10 years to everything we did for veterans.We reopened the offices, we rehired the front-line workers and we consulted veterans about their needs instead of making cuts to balance the budget at their expense.We have nothing to learn from the Conservatives from the past 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that autism spectrum disorder has a significant impact on individuals and families.Federal investments in research, improved data, monitoring, skills, and training support those already diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.The minister is currently touring Canada to develop a first piece of legislation on accessibility. I can assure the House that autism will be included in this new legislation.

Mr. Speaker, our government consulted Canadians across the country regarding a new law on accessibility. We want to hear from all Canadians on this subject in order to develop new legislation.We met with over 6,000 Canadians and groups during the consultation process. We are always open to suggestions so that we can create the best possible legislation for all Canadians. I look forward to working with them.

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Oakville North—Burlington for her question.Our government is committed to ensuring better accessibility for Canadians with disabilities and better opportunities in their communities and their workplaces from coast to coast to coast. Many Canadians have already participated in one of the 19 public consultation sessions, in addition to the consultations held by their MPs. The public portion of the consultation is now complete. I encourage all those who have not yet participated to do so online at Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada by February 28.Better is always possible.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her dedication to this file.The government made a commitment to people with disabilities across Canada to table new legislation. In fact, that was part of the mandate letter from the Prime Minister. We have consulted nearly 6,000 Canadians across the country, and the input we received will inform the content of the new bill. We are making great progress on the drafting of the legislation.I have some good news to announce: the bill will be introduced soon.My door is open, and I invite my colleagues to work with me on this file in the future.

Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to serve Canada's veterans and to provide them with the care and support they need.We have invested over $10 billion in additional funding for Canadian veterans and their families, particularly by launching the pension for life, creating an education and training benefit, and restoring access to critical support, access that the Conservatives had cut for 10 years. They made cuts to PTSD treatment centres and doctor positions. We have restored the confidence of veterans.

Mr. Speaker, our priority is the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans. We have invested $10 billion of new money in our veterans. We are not saving money at the expense of veterans. More veterans are expected to choose the tax-free monthly payment for life over the lump sum payment. This means that the cost is spread out over a longer period of time.

Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the net is tightening. We have done a lot of work. We know that settlements can be used appropriately in certain situations, but we are concerned about the resulting lack of transparency, as the minister said to the House. That is why the minister gave the CRA clear instructions to rework the process to ensure greater transparency about why the settlements are reached. I would note that the agency's out-of-court settlement process takes place entirely at arm's length.

Mr. Speaker, the delegation's travel itinerary is not yet finalized, but it will visit Canada House in Bernières-sur-Mer during a ceremony in Normandy.On June 6, the delegation will attend two large ceremonies on Juno Beach. The main Canadian ceremony will be held in the afternoon, and the international ceremony is to be held on the Saturday evening. There are indeed some details to be ironed out; that is what we are working on at the moment.

Mr. Speaker, as we said earlier in our first answer, we have figures, and they are simple. Last year, 1,400 veterans received services. We will continue to deliver them. Our priority is to provide benefits to veterans and their families. Last year, 1,400 veterans out of 129,143 ill veterans received them. We are there to meet their needs. Veterans remain the focus of the services we deliver. Any determination regarding the services available to the family members of veterans is made in consultation with case managers. This will continue to be the case.

Mr. Speaker, the well-being of veterans and their families is a priority for us, as my colleague opposite is well aware. Benefits and indexation are also part of that. We are taking this issue very seriously and we will compensate all veterans fairly.

The Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities is very proud of his father.At the age of 74, after 40 years in education, he decided to campaign for school trustee in Calgary to make a positive difference. The minister makes no apology for supporting his father's campaign. However, looking back, the minister admits that there should have been two separate tables for literature.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question.I can report to the House today that Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes are ready to rise to the challenge, with the support of our national sports committees and organizations and our sports partners, as they focus on their final preparations.Canadian Heritage is working with Global Affairs Canada, the Public Health Agency, the RCMP, and officials with the mission in Brazil in order to put the appropriate plans in place for another successful games.I encourage all Canadians to support our athletes, who are a source of inspiration for everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, it is by investing money that we can solve the problems that our veterans are having with their disability pensions and pensions for life. With the new pension for life, veterans themselves asked for a monthly payment instead of a lump sum payment. The pension for life is a complete package that provides pain and suffering compensation and income replacement benefits. There has been a significant increase in the workload. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to keep our promises.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her excellent question.I watched both the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games. Saying that our athletes made us proud is an understatement. The Canadian paralympic team finished 14th, and our Olympic team finished 10th. Both teams exceeded expectations.On behalf of all Canadians, I thank our athletes for their hard work, perseverance, and courage. This past summer, they gave us memories of a lifetime.

Madam Speaker, no other factors were considered in this decision. Based on this week's decision, the deputy minister has reviewed the policy in place regarding the request to have his legal fees paid as they relate to this case.We agreed with their advice.

Madam Speaker, no other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence, on the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman.Based on this week's decision, the charges against Vice-Admiral Norman have been stayed. Every decision was made completely independently.

Mr. Speaker, the well-being of our veterans is our number one priority, and our government is committed to moving forward on mental health. We have opened a centre of excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder, and Veterans Affairs Canada is working with more than 4,000 health professionals. It is also important to note that, thanks to the streamlined process we have put in place, the current approval rate is 97%. The opposition had 10 years to provide mental health support to veterans, but it was too busy axing essential services and trying to balance the budget at the expense of veterans.

Mr. Speaker, we have made sure to inform veterans and their families of the benefits and programs available to them. It is important to explain what the pension for life is all about. That is why our minister held more than 40 public consultations in order to tell people about the pension for life. I can say that we have had excellent results.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising the subject. Gender equality is very important to us. The provision of our benefits is based on demand. Regardless of whether 10 veterans or 10,000 submit claims, they are all eligible and all subject to the same provisions.

Madam Speaker, based on this week's decision, the deputy minister has received the policy in place regarding Vice-Admiral Norman's request to have his legal fees paid as they relate to this case. We agreed with that advice.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that autism spectrum disorder has a significant impact on those affected and their families. That is why our government allocated nearly $39 million to the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.We have also enhanced benefits for young people with disabilities. We invested $8 million in 2015 and 2016 for autism and $5.3 million for research at Toronto's SickKids hospital. We are involved and will become even more involved as we draft and study the bill to be introduced by the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Brampton Centre for his question.This year, we mark the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Canada is proud to be one of the first countries to sign the convention.This year the theme of the international day is achieving 17 goals for the future we want. In line with these goals, we have had consultations across the country for establishing a new law on accessibility.This would ensure that all Canadians are able to participate equally in their communities and workplaces, and make a better Canada.

Mr. Speaker, our priority is to provide veterans and their families with the benefits and support they need. These benefits apply to 129,143 veterans with service-related illnesses or injuries. Last year, 1,400 veterans received benefits and, to the extent that it helped their recovery, services for their families. We also know that our investments in financial security, career transition, training and hiring new staff will ensure that veterans and their families receive the best services.

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about respect. We on this side of the House fully understand what families go through every time the Conservatives rake up a situation like this. Imagine what these families must be going through. Imagine how painful it is to recall each of these cases.For privacy reasons, we cannot comment directly on a specific case, as my colleague opposite is well aware.We will always stand with our veterans, but with respect.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate that the previous government made cuts for 10 years to everything we did for veterans.We reopened the offices, we rehired the front-line workers and we consulted veterans about their needs instead of making cuts to balance the budget at their expense.We have nothing to learn from the Conservatives from the past 10 years.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. We have reviewed the funding and directed the department to ensure that the services received by family members of veterans are related to the veteran's service and, when they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official, and that the policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as convictions for serious crime, be addressed. This will ensure that we continue to support veterans and their families when they need help.

Mr. Speaker, our colleagues opposite are telling us that we do not have any figures, but we do. As I mentioned earlier, nearly 1,400 veterans received this service through all agencies. We work tirelessly to provide veterans and their families with the care that they need. Unlike the Conservatives, we believe that when veterans serve their country, their whole family serves with them. Veterans remain the focus of the services we deliver. For any determination regarding the services delivered to members, we will be there. We know that this was the case for about 1,400 veterans last year. I am not sure that the intention of the members opposite is to say that it is a bad thing to—

Madam Speaker, on the basis of this week's decision, the charge against Vice-Admiral Norman has been stayed.As confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada this week, every decision was made completely independently. No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge.Any accusation to the contrary is absurd.

Madam Speaker, on the basis of this week's decision, the charge against Vice-Admiral Norman has been stayed. As confirmed by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada this week, every decision was made completely independently. No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. Any accusation to the contrary is absurd.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the Campbell family. For privacy reasons, we cannot discuss ths particular case.All I am asking our colleagues opposite is to show some compassion and to think of what families must go through every day. They are putting back on the table a very sensitive and delicate file. I am asking them to show a bit of compassion for our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is very important in the House to respect the rules, laws, and regulations.We know that the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner will answer all these questions. Any problems should be reported to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and we will take responsibility for our actions.

Mr. Speaker, we have made sure to inform veterans and their families of the benefits and programs available to them. It is important to explain what the pension for life is all about. That is why our minister held more than 40 public consultations in order to tell people about the pension for life. I can say that we have had excellent results.

The Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities is very proud of his father.At the age of 74, after 40 years in education, he decided to campaign for school trustee in Calgary to make a positive difference. The minister makes no apology for supporting his father's campaign. However, looking back, the minister admits that there should have been two separate tables for literature.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her excellent question.I watched both the Paralympic Games and the Olympic Games. Saying that our athletes made us proud is an understatement. The Canadian paralympic team finished 14th, and our Olympic team finished 10th. Both teams exceeded expectations.On behalf of all Canadians, I thank our athletes for their hard work, perseverance, and courage. This past summer, they gave us memories of a lifetime.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Madawaska—Restigouche for his question.This is National AccessAbility Week, which is a time to celebrate, emphasize, and promote inclusion and accessibility across Canada. We also invite all those who may be eligible to apply for funding through the enabling accessibility fund call for proposals we are launching today.Our government wants more Canadians with disabilities who face challenges every day to participate fully in their communities and the economy. That is why we have increased our investments in the program to over $80 million. This historic investment will remove barriers for many Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that autism spectrum disorder has a significant impact on those affected and their families. That is why our government allocated nearly $39 million to the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.We have also enhanced benefits for young people with disabilities. We invested $8 million in 2015 and 2016 for autism and $5.3 million for research at Toronto's SickKids hospital. We are involved and will become even more involved as we draft and study the bill to be introduced by the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, our priority is to provide veterans and their families with the benefits and support they need. These benefits apply to 129,143 veterans with service-related illnesses or injuries. Last year, 1,400 veterans received benefits and, to the extent that it helped their recovery, services for their families. We also know that our investments in financial security, career transition, training and hiring new staff will ensure that veterans and their families receive the best services.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Brampton Centre for his question.This year, we mark the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Canada is proud to be one of the first countries to sign the convention.This year the theme of the international day is achieving 17 goals for the future we want. In line with these goals, we have had consultations across the country for establishing a new law on accessibility.This would ensure that all Canadians are able to participate equally in their communities and workplaces, and make a better Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her dedication to this file.The government made a commitment to people with disabilities across Canada to table new legislation. In fact, that was part of the mandate letter from the Prime Minister. We have consulted nearly 6,000 Canadians across the country, and the input we received will inform the content of the new bill. We are making great progress on the drafting of the legislation.I have some good news to announce: the bill will be introduced soon.My door is open, and I invite my colleagues to work with me on this file in the future.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question.I can report to the House today that Canada's Olympic and Paralympic athletes are ready to rise to the challenge, with the support of our national sports committees and organizations and our sports partners, as they focus on their final preparations.Canadian Heritage is working with Global Affairs Canada, the Public Health Agency, the RCMP, and officials with the mission in Brazil in order to put the appropriate plans in place for another successful games.I encourage all Canadians to support our athletes, who are a source of inspiration for everyone in this country.

Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear that a modern fighter jet fleet is essential to defending Canada and Canadian sovereignty. That is why we are acquiring 88 fighter jets to replace the aging CF-18 fleet. We welcome the Auditor General's advice in this matter, and look forward to his report. When? Tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Oakville North—Burlington for her question.Our government is committed to ensuring better accessibility for Canadians with disabilities and better opportunities in their communities and their workplaces from coast to coast to coast. Many Canadians have already participated in one of the 19 public consultation sessions, in addition to the consultations held by their MPs. The public portion of the consultation is now complete. I encourage all those who have not yet participated to do so online at Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada by February 28.Better is always possible.

Mr. Speaker, it is by investing money that we can solve the problems that our veterans are having with their disability pensions and pensions for life. With the new pension for life, veterans themselves asked for a monthly payment instead of a lump sum payment. The pension for life is a complete package that provides pain and suffering compensation and income replacement benefits. There has been a significant increase in the workload. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to keep our promises.

Madam Speaker, based on this week's decision, the deputy minister has received the policy in place regarding Vice-Admiral Norman's request to have his legal fees paid as they relate to this case. We agreed with that advice.

Mr. Speaker, those who serve Canada are a priority for our government. We do not play political games when it comes to our responsibilities or paying tribute to our veterans. The memorial will be built. The commemoration will occur. The families will have access. I assure the House that we care about commemorating this event, which is so important for Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that autism spectrum disorder has a significant impact on individuals and families.Federal investments in research, improved data, monitoring, skills, and training support those already diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.The minister is currently touring Canada to develop a first piece of legislation on accessibility. I can assure the House that autism will be included in this new legislation.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to improve on service delays. Since our government came to power, we have hired more than 460 front-line workers. We have also reopened 11 clinics that were shut down by the Conservatives. We have also hired a lot of mental health clinicians and have continued to work with more than 4,000 professionals.There is still work to be done, but we will do it.

Mr. Speaker, our government consulted Canadians across the country regarding a new law on accessibility. We want to hear from all Canadians on this subject in order to develop new legislation.We met with over 6,000 Canadians and groups during the consultation process. We are always open to suggestions so that we can create the best possible legislation for all Canadians. I look forward to working with them.

Mr. Speaker, commemorating the service of the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces and those who made the ultimate sacrifice is extremely important to our government.That is why intend to build the monument. It will reflect the needs of the community, veterans, the Canadian public and families. Veterans and their families will be invited in due course to visit this beautiful monument, which will be public and open to everyone soon.

Mr. Speaker, any discussion regarding Parliament's finances has to be held in accordance with the rules and standards. This is a new file on the table. We will forward any information the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner might need and we will follow up to ensure we are a transparent and neutral government.

Mr. Speaker, I want my colleague opposite to know that the net is tightening. We have done a lot of work. We know that settlements can be used appropriately in certain situations, but we are concerned about the resulting lack of transparency, as the minister said to the House. That is why the minister gave the CRA clear instructions to rework the process to ensure greater transparency about why the settlements are reached. I would note that the agency's out-of-court settlement process takes place entirely at arm's length.

Mr. Speaker, our priority is the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans. We have invested $10 billion of new money in our veterans. We are not saving money at the expense of veterans. More veterans are expected to choose the tax-free monthly payment for life over the lump sum payment. This means that the cost is spread out over a longer period of time.

Madam Speaker, no other factors were considered in this decision. Based on this week's decision, the deputy minister has reviewed the policy in place regarding the request to have his legal fees paid as they relate to this case.We agreed with their advice.

Mr. Speaker, the well-being of veterans and their families is a priority for us, as my colleague opposite is well aware. Benefits and indexation are also part of that. We are taking this issue very seriously and we will compensate all veterans fairly.

Mr. Speaker, the delegation's travel itinerary is not yet finalized, but it will visit Canada House in Bernières-sur-Mer during a ceremony in Normandy.On June 6, the delegation will attend two large ceremonies on Juno Beach. The main Canadian ceremony will be held in the afternoon, and the international ceremony is to be held on the Saturday evening. There are indeed some details to be ironed out; that is what we are working on at the moment.

Mr. Speaker, the well-being of our veterans is our number one priority, and our government is committed to moving forward on mental health. We have opened a centre of excellence on post-traumatic stress disorder, and Veterans Affairs Canada is working with more than 4,000 health professionals. It is also important to note that, thanks to the streamlined process we have put in place, the current approval rate is 97%. The opposition had 10 years to provide mental health support to veterans, but it was too busy axing essential services and trying to balance the budget at the expense of veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her interest in this file.The well-being of veterans and Canadians is our top priority. Ninety-six percent of applications of post-traumatic stress disorder are approved, and we are working to provide veterans with the mental health support they need as quickly as possible.The opposition had 10 years to provide that support and work on the mefloquine and mental health files, as veterans wanted. Instead, they spent their time in office slashing services and balancing the budget while veterans suffered.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the Campbell family. Once again, I want to take this opportunity to say that this petty politics is insensitive. It shows a lack of compassion for the families. We answered the question. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, their whole family serves with them. We will always stand by our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague opposite spoke about accessibility, but the monument proposed by the Conservatives to commemorate the Afghanistan mission was not accessible 12 months of the year.We are proposing a public monument accessible to all that recognizes the service to Canadians throughout the Afghanistan war. We held broad consultations with veterans, their families and our stakeholders. It may take us some time, but we will move forward in the right way.

Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to serve Canada's veterans and to provide them with the care and support they need.We have invested over $10 billion in additional funding for Canadian veterans and their families, particularly by launching the pension for life, creating an education and training benefit, and restoring access to critical support, access that the Conservatives had cut for 10 years. They made cuts to PTSD treatment centres and doctor positions. We have restored the confidence of veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising the subject. Gender equality is very important to us. The provision of our benefits is based on demand. Regardless of whether 10 veterans or 10,000 submit claims, they are all eligible and all subject to the same provisions.

Mr. Speaker, as we said earlier in our first answer, we have figures, and they are simple. Last year, 1,400 veterans received services. We will continue to deliver them. Our priority is to provide benefits to veterans and their families. Last year, 1,400 veterans out of 129,143 ill veterans received them. We are there to meet their needs. Veterans remain the focus of the services we deliver. Any determination regarding the services available to the family members of veterans is made in consultation with case managers. This will continue to be the case.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the health and well-being of all veterans without exception. No veteran, male or female, will receive less under our new pension for life. A male veteran and a female veteran with the same level of disability who submit a claim on April 1, 2019, will receive exactly the same pain and suffering compensation. We will always be there to support women.

Madam Speaker, no other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence, on the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman.Based on this week's decision, the charges against Vice-Admiral Norman have been stayed. Every decision was made completely independently.

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to fighting tax fraud and tax evasion. To ensure the integrity of our tax system, the agency's out-of-court settlement process takes place entirely at arm's length.We know that settlements can be used appropriately in certain situations, but we are concerned about the resulting lack of transparency. The Minister of National Revenue has the matter in hand.