Veterans Affairs committee  My fear is that this benefit could essentially create a third class of veteran. My fear right now is that when you look at pre-lump sum, post-lump sum, there's your two, and now we have pre-lump sum, post-lump sum, post-lump sum qualifying CIB as a third. I don't like the separate classes of spouse.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thanks for that. I guess I approach the question this way. Again, I'm happy to see the change. I think it's a move in the right direction. I'd even say it's stronger than that; it might be the right answer on that file. Where I'm troubled in this is that, as a reservist having lost a friend of mine from the reserves overseas and multiple other friends from the regular force overseas, it seems we had to wait until the death of Corporal Cirillo to go public before this got addressed.

Veterans Affairs committee  I guess I'll answer the question this way. I think of the comments of the gentleman who appeared here for the legion, who answered on essentially the same point. If the items placed in front of us today in this bill are going to be enacted and then followed up by a wait-and-see period, then that's not good enough.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you. It will be seven minutes. I timed it earlier. My name is Brian Robert McKenna. I'm a resident in the riding of Newton—North Delta in British Columbia. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today with regard to these matters. The issues in front of us are serious ones.