QUESTION PERIOD — Veterans Affairs
National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan
November 9, 2023
Government leader, although you claimed that your government has not mismanaged the creation of the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan, there are many who would disagree.
Former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour gave an interview on Monday in which she said the Trudeau government chose to “cheat” the winning design team by ignoring their own rules in awarding the design contract to another team. Justice Arbour served as an adviser to the team chosen by a jury.
Leader, I hope you would agree with me that a former Supreme Court Justice using the word “cheat” to describe your government’s actions should not be taken lightly. Who made the decision to overturn the jury’s decision, and did that directive come from the Office of the Prime Minister?
I’m not sure that there is anybody in this chamber who has any greater respect for former Justice Louise Arbour than me. We were colleagues and friends, and our relationship goes back half a lifetime.
However, as I have said in this chamber on many occasions in response to this question, the design that was chosen — notwithstanding the recommendation of the jury — was the one that the veterans and their families preferred and felt better honoured their role and, indeed, their sacrifice.
It is, I think, appropriate to underline that fact as we celebrate Veterans’ Week, and as we anticipate Remembrance Day. Let’s remember what this is supposed to honour. It is supposed to honour those men and women — those Canadians — who served and sacrificed. Their views counted in this decision, as they properly should have.
I agree about honouring our veterans and their service, which is why this is such an important project.
It is about the process, senator, and our Afghan veterans deserve better than this, as do the families of the fallen. Now there are delays.
A House of Commons committee has voted to further investigate the mismanagement of this monument over the objections of its Liberal members.
Leader, does the Trudeau government commit to providing all relevant, unredacted documents to the House committee?
I’m sure that the committee will do its work in the spirit of honouring the veterans, and will do so with dignity, integrity and a non-partisan approach to our veterans’ demands. I’m sure that they will have the appropriate level of cooperation from the government in that regard.
