Veterans Affairs Committee on April 27th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

I call this meeting to order.

Welcome to meeting number 32 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.

Pursuant to the motion adopted on November 25, 2025, the committee is meeting for its study of the main estimates 2026‑27, as well as the subject matter of the supplementary estimates (C) 2025‑26.

Before we continue, I would like to ask all in-person participants to consult the guidelines written on the cards on the table. These measures are in place to help prevent audio and feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including our esteemed interpreters, whom I thank.

First, allow me to welcome the Honourable Jill McKnight, Minister of Veterans Affairs, who is joining us for the first hour. She is joined by the following officials.

From the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have Nancy Gardiner, deputy minister; Mr. Pierre Tessier, assistant deputy minister, chief financial officer and corporate services; Ms. Jane Hicks, acting senior assistant deputy minister, service delivery; and Mr. Mitch Freeman, acting assistant deputy minister, strategic policy, planning and performance branch.

Thank you for taking the time to appear today. We will begin with opening remarks.

Minister McKnight, you have the floor for five minutes.

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Good morning, esteemed colleagues. Thank you for inviting me to provide updates on some of the work underway at Veterans Affairs Canada.

I welcome the opportunity to share the progress we are making to strengthen service delivery and reaffirm our commitment to veterans and their families.

At its core, our mandate is simple. When a veteran comes forward, the support they are eligible for must be there without any uncertainty. The most recent supplementary estimates (C) reflect this commitment, with $300.4 million in additional funding for the 2025-26 fiscal period.

Looking ahead, Veterans Affairs Canada is forecasting an $8.2-billion budget for 2026-27, an increase of $340 million, or 4%. This departmental budget is higher than the opening budget from last year and in alignment with the closing 2025-26 fiscal estimates.

The government remains focused on improving service delivery. Budget 2025 included investments of more than $184 million over four years to stabilize processing capacity for disability benefit applications and build a new path to addressing existing wait times. This investment, combined with the ongoing modernization of VAC’s operational processes and IT infrastructure, will ensure that veterans can continue to receive timely, responsive and accessible support. Budget 2025 commits an additional $40.1 million annually to sustain this progress.

Even as we align certain benefits and programs to reflect market realities such as the adjustment in the rate of reimbursement for the cannabis for medical purposes benefit, we are maintaining full access to the supports veterans are eligible for. This delivers on the government’s commitment to Canadians to invest more, reduce red tape and protect access to services and benefits.

It's important to be clear. Veterans Affairs Canada is not facing cuts. In fact, it's quite the opposite. We will ensure that funds are always available for veterans to receive the benefits and supports for which they are eligible.

We will ensure funds are always available for veterans to receive the benefits and supports for which they are eligible.

The government's responsibility also extends to remembrance. Next week, we will break ground to start construction of the national monument to Canada's mission in Afghanistan. Upon completion, this solemn space will offer veterans, Canadian Armed Forces members and Canadians a place to reflect on the service and sacrifice of all those who served in the mission, those who supported them from home and the 158 Canadian soldiers and seven civilians who gave their lives.

It is a place of remembrance, a place of respect, a place to remember the 165 lives we will never forget.

In light of this responsibility for remembrance and recognition, along with the Minister of National Defence, I commend the advocacy of colleagues in both the House and the Senate in championing issues of foundational importance to the Canadian Armed Forces—past, present and yet to come.

Our government welcomes the opportunity to work with parliamentarians on the recognition of service, be it the individual or the mission. We look forward to working collaboratively to maintain this ongoing conversation as the mission or missions evolve.

With regard to e-petition 6661, the government looks forward to tabling a clear, unambiguous response presently. Likewise, regarding Bill S-246, the importance of getting this review and assessment process right the first time can't be overstated. Current and future veterans need the assurance that the process put in place will speak to concerns for today and tomorrow.

For all Canadians, we must ensure that commemoration, commendation and ultimately recognition of Canada's women and men in uniform remain robust and mature.

In closing, Madam Chair, I reaffirm the Government of Canada's commitment to supporting veterans and their families. More than 90% of the total estimates are delivered as direct payments to veterans, their families and other program recipients.

These investments in Veterans Affairs Canada represent one of the most significant contributions to our government's mission objectives, including being the second-largest contributor to meeting the government's NATO spending target. This is not incidental. It is intentional.

Our commitment is clear: We will always be there, for today and for tomorrow.

To the veteran community, your service matters, your sacrifice is recognized and your future remains our responsibility.

Thank you very much. I am now ready to answer your questions.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Minister McKnight. It's always a pleasure to have you here.

We will open our first round of questions with six minutes.

Mr. Richards, you have six minutes.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

Minister, just as you did when you were before the finance committee back in February, this morning you indicated that Veterans Affairs isn't facing cuts, yet everybody else in the entire country seems to understand and be well aware that there are cuts happening to veterans' services—massive ones, in fact.

There is a cloud of uncertainty around them. You said in your opening remarks that you want to make sure those services are there, “without any uncertainty”. Well, there is a lot of uncertainty right now. What they're hearing from you and what veterans are seeing in reality are very different. Let's dig into that.

You were at the finance committee back in February. About a week later—it was less than a week later, in fact—the president of the Union of Veterans' Affairs Employees came forward and raised the alarm about the cuts that were happening at the bureau of pensions advocates.

For those who aren't familiar with the bureau of pensions advocates, they are the folks who actually help when Veterans Affairs denies someone. They help them get the benefits they need, and 90% of the time, as a result of what's happening through the bureau of pensions advocates at the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, there's an improvement in the services that veterans receive.

As I sit here, I'm not even sure what to ask you. You seem to not be in reality here. Everyone understands that there are cuts to veterans, including what I just indicated with the bureau of pensions advocates. Can you square that circle for me somehow? I don't know how you can sit here and tell us there aren't cuts, when everybody else is well aware that there are cuts. Explain that to us.

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Madam Chair, through you, I would like to correct the record. My colleague is stating something that is inaccurate. There is not a cut to services and benefits for veterans. My colleague has—

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

You would take the position that the bureau of pensions advocates is not a service to veterans.

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

My colleague has stated something that I disagree with. The bureau of pensions advocates is—

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

What exactly do you disagree with? Do you disagree that there's a cut, or do you disagree that it's a service to veterans?

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

I would like the member to allow the minister to answer, please.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

I just needed to clarify what she was saying.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Yes, I know. That's fine, but let's allow the minister to speak.

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I agree that the bureau of pensions advocates is a service to veterans. We are not cutting the service. The bureau offers free legal advice and representation to a veteran pursuing the appeals process. There was temporary funding as part of budget 2023, which was sunsetting on March 31, 2026. At this point, we are now transitioning back to steady-state operations, which was prior to the temporary funding of 2023.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

That sounds to me like Liberal-speak. I mean, cutting funding, not renewing funding, neglecting programs, maybe sunsetting—they all mean the same thing. They all have the same result on veterans. Veterans are losing those services. The Association of Justice Counsel, which represents the BPA, has said that this is not just a cut; it's a devastating one—a devastating one. They say that this means veterans could wait up to five years—five years—to get the result they need.

How can you sit there and tell us that this isn't going to impact services to veterans? They're going to wait five years to even get a decision. Tell us how that doesn't impact them. It's a major impact. It's a devastating cut. No matter how you want to explain it, that's what it is. Tell us how it's not going to impact veterans when they have to wait five years.

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

We are returning to our steady-state operations to continue offering to veterans the service of support with their appeals process. We are also, at the same time, as mentioned, with the budget investment of the $184.9 million, modernizing our service delivery and reviewing processes so that we can make investments in technology and tools to equip frontline staff to make decisions for veterans.

All of this will enhance the service delivery we offer across Veterans Affairs Canada, including through the Bureau of Pensions Advocates.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

I can only imagine what veterans must be feeling watching this. I find this incredibly frustrating. Everybody else knows this is a cut, and you're sitting there trying to tell us it's not. It is just shocking.

I guess there's not much point continuing down that line. You're just going to continue to read your talking points, and veterans are going to continue to be frustrated.

Let me ask this instead. You mentioned in your opening remarks, almost in code, the military honours review board. There have been calls, unanimously from this committee, and also from the Senate and from various provinces in this country, for this military honours review board. You mentioned that there was going to be a comprehensive response to the petition. You didn't indicate whether that would be a positive response or not.

Does the government plan to create a military honours review board so that heroes like Jess Larochelle and others can finally have the chance to receive the Victoria Cross, which they deserve?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Honouring the bravery and service and sacrifice of our Canadian Armed Forces is sacred and a deeply held commitment that we will be continuing to move forward with. Military honours are fully considered by the Canadian Armed Forces' chain of command. It involves a comprehensive and rigorous review.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Airdrie—Cochrane, AB]

So there's no response there either.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Mr. Richards. I appreciate it. Thank you.

Next, we have Monsieur St-Pierre.

You have six minutes.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Thank you.

Minister, thanks for being here today.

Is there anything from the questions you just received from my colleague that you'd like to clarify while you have a few minutes here?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Thank you very much.

I think I was very clear, with regard to the bureau of pensions advocates, that this was funding that was coming to a sunset and that we are returning to our steady-state operations so that we can continue to make investments in service delivery, which will include through the services delivered through the bureau of pensions advocates. We will continue to offer this free service to veterans to support them in their reviews, if they undertake them.

Thank you.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Can you quickly comment on whether the Veterans Affairs Canada's budget is fully included in the calculation of the 2% of GDP that was set out by NATO?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

Certainly. Over 90% of VAC's total budget does count towards the NATO 2% GDP calculation. As I mentioned in my remarks, that funding is delivered directly to veterans as services and benefits to their families, and that does contribute to that 2% calculation.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Minister, the comprehensive expenditure review was, I'm sure, an intensive process, and while I don't want to ask you to break confidences, I think veterans affairs committee members would appreciate knowing the mindset that you took when making decisions on how to advance that review. Can you clarify how many Veterans Affairs Canada programs are being cut?

[Jill McKnight, Liberal, Delta, BC]

The comprehensive expenditure review was a very large project to be undertaking. It took a lot of time and intentionality to ensure that we could maintain all services and benefits for veterans. That is core to the foundation of our mission and the work we do, and it is front and centre in the decisions we are making. That was the centre point of undertaking that process.

As part of that process, while maintaining the benefits and the accessibility of the cannabis for medical purposes benefit, we reduced the rate of reimbursement to better align with the market rate, while still allowing veterans to maintain access to the program and to their daily per-gram limit, so that they would not have a change or a cut. There were no cuts made to the benefits and programs for veterans.

[Eric St-Pierre, Liberal, Honoré-Mercier, QC]

Maybe on that line of thinking, were any Veterans Affairs Canada benefits cut?