Veterans Affairs committee  I've been with Veterans Affairs Canada now for over 15 years.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, certainly. I'll touch on a couple of things and then turn it over to Nathan. With respect to the tax credit, that is delivered by the Canada Revenue Agency, so we do not have the information readily available. However, we can follow up to see if that would be available. On the second note, Wounded Warriors Canada has actually worked with a group of service providers and health care providers to develop a service dog prescriber guideline.

Veterans Affairs committee  I can start, and then I'll turn it over to Nathan for further comment around the specifics. As you noted, and as I noted in my remarks, Veterans Affairs Canada previously had a contract with the Canadian General Standards Board to establish a set of national standards and provide assurance that the service dogs being provided to veterans are properly trained and meet standardized behaviour requirements.

Veterans Affairs committee  As we mentioned, we are continuing to follow what's happening with our allies, including largely the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Australian Department of Veterans' Affairs, to help inform where we want to go in the future, because, as noted, there has been research done.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's a mental health service dog.

Veterans Affairs committee  Sure. Certainly, one thing is that it actually assisted in leading to the expansion of that medical expense tax credit. I will ask Nathan Svenson, our director of research, to provide more insight into the 2018 study.

Veterans Affairs committee  Through the veteran and family well-being fund, we were able to fund, starting in 2019, Wounded Warriors, to expand their post-traumatic stress disorder service dog program. They have actually worked with health care professionals and service providers in this realm to develop prescriber guidelines and service dog guidelines.

Veterans Affairs committee  I would just reiterate the work that we did to attempt to develop standards using the Canadian General Standards Board. Unfortunately, there was no consensus.

Veterans Affairs committee  As you noted, the Government of Canada expanded the medical expense tax credit in 2018 to recognize, among others, mental health service dogs. This measure directly benefits veterans and others in the disability community who rely on mental health service dogs. This tax credit is delivered by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for your question. Overall, as I indicated, we did engage with the Canadian General Standards Board to develop national standards. They have failed to come to a consensus. I will ask Mr. Nathan Svenson, our director of research, to speak to some of the research aspects, how that is informing the position we are taking today and where we are at with our work in the department.

Veterans Affairs committee  What's important to note here as well is the role of the provinces, which are at various levels of maturity. For example, British Columbia has a legislative framework around guide dogs and service dogs and training and certifying them. They also—

Veterans Affairs committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. I'm pleased to be with you today. I will begin by acknowledging that the land I am speaking with you from is the traditional and unceded territory of the Abegweit Mi’kmaq First Nation. I welcome the opportunity to speak with you today about mental health service dogs.

Veterans Affairs committee  There is training being provided within the department. We're also working quite closely with our colleagues at WAGE, who are supporting us with some training and some new tools. To Mr. Harris's point as well, as part of any new policy, program or service, there is a GBA+ analysis done.

Veterans Affairs committee  Sure, and I believe it will be beneficial as well when we send the formal definitions of caregiver and family members. That will certainly assist. As Mr. Harris indicated, when we changed the name of the benefit to caregiver recognition benefit, it was done to ensure that we recognize those informal caregivers.

Veterans Affairs committee  As Mr. Harris indicated, the benefit is focused on those with the most serious service-related physical and/or mental health disabilities. When we look at the criteria as set out in the regulations we follow, there is reference, of course, to veterans being unable to carry out most activities of daily living.