Ottawa, ON – Blake Richards, Conservative Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs released the following statement regarding the establishment of a Military Honours and Review Board:
“Conservatives have long called for such a review board to be created and for Canada’s heroes to be properly recognized. Under former Leader Erin O’Toole, Conservatives advanced a motion calling on the government to create an honours and review board with the express purpose of re-examining cases such as Pte Jess Larochelle to award a Canadian hero with the Canadian Victoria Cross.
“Unfortunately, that initial motion was defeated in the House, but now after years of tireless advocating by veterans such as Bruce Moncur and his organization ‘Valour in the Presence of the Enemy’ this issue has gained support once again.
“Conservatives express a cautious optimism over these announcements. They are a step in the right direction, but action needs to be taken, and details need to be provided to Canadian veterans. Conservatives will watch for these details very closely to ensure that action backs up the words spoken today.
“Conservatives in the Standing Committee for Veterans Affairs passed a motion to have the committee express its support for this initiative. I plan to bring this up in the House this coming week and I look forward to hearing more from the Liberal Government on this matter.
“Conservatives are proud to have stood alongside veterans in support of this initiative since the beginning. This effort was included in the Conservative national platform in the last election and Conservative members remain committed to holding the Government to account to see this through to the end.”