Veterans Affairs committee  Veterans Affairs Canada administers benefits and services on behalf of the RCMP. However the RCMP would make any decisions on changes in benefits and services, or in this case, changes to priority hiring entitlement, so I cannot speak to that. That question would have to be posed

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes. As I understand, the amendment you're proposing would significantly broaden the definition of survivor, so it would extend preference in the external appointment processes to survivors of veterans who died during service or who had a disability award or a disability pension,

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Stoffer. Yes, the definition of survivor is a spouse or a common-law partner. I would note, however, that the Public Service Employment Act currently gives a regulatory priority to survivors of members of the Canadian armed forces whose death is attributable to

Veterans Affairs committee  That's correct.

Veterans Affairs committee  No. The definition of survivor in the act is a spouse or common-law partner.

Veterans Affairs committee  The act does not address other survivors.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, not a priority entitlement through the Public Service Commission priority system.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, I think as we're working through the implementation plan for the bill, supposing that the bill will pass, we will be looking at all of those exceptional circumstances to see that we can adequately address the concerns of the individual veteran, if in fact their release statu

Veterans Affairs committee  Can you just repeat the circumstance that you're...?

Veterans Affairs committee  As the bill is written now—and I will ask my colleague from the Public Service Commission to comment if I am incorrect—no, there would not be that opportunity. As my colleague noted the other day, there are other programs and services through Veterans Affairs Canada, such as the

Veterans Affairs committee  Sorry, could you repeat that once more?

Veterans Affairs committee  With this bill, the surviving spouse of a Canadian Armed Forces member whose death is attributable to performance of duties would be eligible for the regulatory priority.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's a good question. Unfortunately, I can speak only to what is in the bill before us. I can certainly take that point back, but the five—

Veterans Affairs committee  To officials in our department.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's correct. There is not a change in the regulatory priority period for surviving spouses. However, the bill does propose that the surviving spouses of all Canadian Armed Forces personnel who are killed in the line of duty have access to the regulatory priority—so all classes