Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for proposing this bill. As a veteran myself and as a member of the government side that counts, I believe, nine veterans in its midst, including the member to my right for Winnipeg North, who served in the Armed Forces with pride, the Minister of National Defence, my colleague and friend from Kelowna—Lake Country, and my colleague in the Quebec caucus, who is the Minister of Transport, in the riding right beside me in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, we are all honoured to be part of this party, to be in this Parliament, and to have served our country with pride and glory.
A number of us, only by fate alone, have escaped the hardships of war. However, we stand together with the veterans who have faced it and have faced other adversity insofar as we were all prepared to lay down our lives for our country. It is something that unites us quite deeply and unites us with members who have served across the way, indeed the extended family of those people a few generations ago, including members of the Second World War, the First World War, and other wars in which Canadians have proudly served.
This bill focuses the attention of the House on Canada's brave men and women in uniform, for whose skill and sacrifice all Canadians owe a debt of gratitude and esteem. The bill's intentions are admirable. They are goals on which this government is currently delivering.
As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs talked about earlier, on November 2015, this government made a commitment to restore veterans' access to critical services and improve the long-term financial security and independence of veterans and RCMP members with illness or injury, and their families.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs was given a mandate that recognizes the obligation of this government to treat our veterans with the respect and gratitude that they deserve.
From its very first day in office, the government has been committed to offering veterans new career opportunities, making it easier for them to access services, improving mental health services, and doing more to support their families.
In addition, the minister was tasked to work with the Minister of National Defence to ensure a seamless transition for releasing members of the Canadian Armed Forces into civilian life. Since then, this government has invested significant time and resources to ensure that men and women who have served our country in uniform receive the respect, support, care, and economic opportunities they deserve, all in a fair and equitable manner.
Budget 2016 provided funding that allowed Veterans Affairs Canada to reopen the nine offices across the country, which had been closed by the previous government, to open a new one in Surrey, British Columbia, and increase outreach to veterans in Canada's north. The department hired more than 400 new staff to deliver services to veterans, including more case managers.
In budget 2016, this government invested $5.6 billion in improved benefits to veterans and their families. We increased the value of the disability award, increased the earnings loss benefit to 90% of a veteran's pre-release salary, and indexed them, importantly, to inflation.
Additionally, updates to the career impact allowance now ensure that each individual veteran is compensated appropriately for the impact of a service-related impairment on his or her career.
We also increased the value of the Last Post Fund to appropriately commemorate the service and sacrifice of our veterans, and increased the estate exemption to make it easier for the families of veterans to provide a dignified burial for their loved ones. That was just the beginning.
The department continued investing in veterans for the next year. To help military members find a new career and put their skills to use in civilian life, we introduced the veterans' education and training benefit that would give veterans up to $80,000 to cover tuition and other costs depending on years of service.
Veterans Affairs is also overhauling the career transition services program so that more people can benefit from it, including survivors, spouses, and partners.
However, a successful transition is about more than just a new career. The department has introduced a series of new initiatives to address well-being, many of which involve family. Recognizing the vital support families provide to serving military personnel and veterans, the government has expanded access to the military family support program. Previously reserved for serving members, all 32 military family resource centres will be opened up to veterans with illness or injury, as well as their families.
A new veterans emergency fund was also introduced, which provides immediate financial relief to veterans and their families facing an unexpected or urgent financial need.
We are improving recognition and support for spouses, partners, and caregivers who provide support to our veterans with illness or injury every day. The family caregiver benefit will rise to $1,000 per month, tax-free, paid directly to the caregiver.
We are removing time limits for spouses and survivors to apply for rehabilitation services and vocational assistance so they can re-enter the workforce.
The department is looking for new ideas as well and is investing $14 million over four years in a new veteran and family well-being fund for research on issues and new initiatives that may further support or improve the lives of veterans. That is in addition to the centre for excellence on PTSD and related mental health conditions it is setting up.
Veterans Affairs and the Department of National Defence are doing everything possible to improve the coordination of pre-release services, another essential and critical component in successful transition.
We are aware that some medically released members of the Canadian Armed Forces experience delays in receiving benefits, and that is unacceptable. Under the seamless transition plan, both departments are taking substantial steps to ensure that all releasing members and veterans, and their families, have timely, easy access to the programs and services they deserve.
The vision we are collectively working toward will be to have all releasing military members have all the benefits in place before they are released. Not only is Veterans Affairs adding new services and benefits for veterans and their families and enhancing existing ones, the department has made an important change in the way it delivers them.
A veteran-centric approach addresses the individual needs of each veteran and their families.
As our colleague mentioned, following a comprehensive review of how services are delivered, the department's “Delivering Service Excellence” report made far-reaching recommendations to ensure that the programs are efficient and valued and meet the needs of our veterans. The department is taking action and will accomplish 90% of the recommended changes within the next three years.
The government is honouring the memory of our brave men and women in uniform and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in times of conflict and peace.
I do not think any of us will forget the power of the commemorations held in Canada, France, and Belgium to mark the centennials of the battles of Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele during the First World War, and the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe raid during the Second World War, all events that have shaped our identity and our country. Nor will we forget the lnvictus Games for servicemen, servicewomen, and veterans with injuries or illness. They were a great success in promoting awareness, understanding, and respect for those who have served and continue to serve.
This government is committed to ensuring that all veterans and their families receive the care, compassion, and respect they have earned through their service. We have restored services and programs that were cut by the previous government and have invested in mental health care, services for families and caregivers, long-term financial security, and career opportunities, all with the utmost dignity, respect, and equality for former military and RCMP members.
As I go back to Montreal, I will be taking the VIA train. VIA has undertaken to hire veterans. I meet them every time I take the train, and I thank them for their service.
We will never cease striving to improve the lives of all our brave men and women in uniform.
