Veterans Affairs committee  In terms of VIP, currently there are 74,000 veterans and a further almost 29,000 survivors receiving VIP, for a total of around 103,000. The issue of others being eligible for programs is really a matter for the government. That's the prerogative of the government to put forward

Veterans Affairs committee  I can add to the deputy's comments, particularly with respect to the Quebec region. I spent two days last week at Valcartier. I had the opportunity to meet with the VAC-DND team that's actually located on the base. I also had the opportunity to meet with the director and the clie

Veterans Affairs committee  February 2.

Veterans Affairs committee  With respect to the handling of individuals and some of the challenges, it really starts when the members are coming back--from Afghanistan, for example--and they have a decompression time in Cyprus. There are actually DND caseworkers and some people who formerly served in Afghan

Veterans Affairs committee  Generally, with regard to the war veterans allowance--I can use that as an example--which is available to traditional veterans, people who are in receipt of the guaranteed income supplement would be people who would be eligible for the war veterans allowance. That's the income--

Veterans Affairs committee  That's the range we're in.

Veterans Affairs committee  First of all, with regard to the cenotaph restoration program, this is a program whereby the Government of Canada will cost share on a 50% basis with organizations, municipalities, etc., for the repair of existing monuments or cenotaphs. It does not include the construction of an

Veterans Affairs committee  Just to give you a sense of the clients, there are approximately 800,000 people in Canada potentially eligible for our benefits and services. The most used program today is the disability pension program, with 178,000 Canadians in receipt of a disability pension. As for the disab

Veterans Affairs committee  Really, when you look at it, the veterans organizations and the various advisory committees, which are made up of representatives and veterans, are quite capable of informing us of the concerns they're experiencing themselves as veterans or about what they're hearing from their c

Veterans Affairs committee  For all veterans who have health-related travel needs, there is a reimbursement that would include things such as transportation costs. It would include things such as meals and accommodation. So if a veteran has a need to get medical service that is not readily available in the

Veterans Affairs committee  This is the first I've heard of that particular concern, because we have been working on a reimbursement basis. But I believe there are certain circumstances when basically a special needs fund could look after certain expenditures when the veteran is in what I would say consider

Veterans Affairs committee  I could add to that. I don't have it in front of me, but there are some security measures that may not be actually obvious to people when they pass by. For example, there are video cameras on the site that are being monitored, so that if inappropriate behaviour is seen at the sit

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the invitation to come and meet with you. Last week, the minister had the honour of hosting several of you in Charlottetown. We found your visit to be enormously valuable. It allowed us to meet face to face to talk about our mutual concerns and explore opportunit

Veterans Affairs committee  I think the department was very positive, from my standpoint, and of course I was very close to the file. Hopefully, Mr. Chair, your members would have seen this in Charlottetown. The employees of the department are very committed to veterans. I've been a public servant for a lon

Veterans Affairs committee  I would classify that as a work in progress. The meetings at the staff level continue, notwithstanding some discussions that have been out in the media. Our regularly scheduled meetings on a quarterly basis will continue. I would like to characterize that while there have obvio