Veterans Affairs committee  No cuts.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, there is not.

Veterans Affairs committee  I won't get into speculating about how veterans should or should not feel; but again, I reiterate that there have been no cuts.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is in the order of hundreds of millions of dollars. I don't have the figure. I've been with the department for a number of years. In recent years there have been no reductions; there has actually been an increase in budgets over a number of years.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think there are two things that have driven the budget. Certainly there have been new programs. As I noted in my opening comments, Mr. Chair, there were changes to the permanent impairment allowance, and so on. There's a minimum threshold for injured veterans. Also, we have see

Veterans Affairs committee  It's $3.5 billion.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, they're contracted beds, of a total of about 10,000 roughly across Canada altogether.

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, that's an issue that is beyond my scope to respond. It's an issue of a policy for government. I know the honourable member is referring to some issues around eligibility for post-Korean War veterans. That's a matter for government to address.

Veterans Affairs committee  Again, Mr. Chair, that's a policy issue. The Government of Canada has established programs for Canada's veterans. If there are to be any changes to those programs, then in fact that would be a matter for the government to deal with.

Veterans Affairs committee  Sorry, could you repeat the question?

Veterans Affairs committee  I don't have that right at my fingertips. I'll certainly get back to you on that, as we do have the numbers.

Veterans Affairs committee  The forecasts are done with regard to the RPP. They're done about a year and a half before the time they actually make it through the cycle. With regard to how we ensure that we are going to have the money to—

Veterans Affairs committee  First of all, there are fewer veterans. We track this on a quarterly basis. As I noted in my opening remarks, we are seeing the number of Canadian Forces veterans increasing, passing for the first time the number of war veterans. I don't want to get into a lesson on the governm

Veterans Affairs committee  No.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good morning. My name is Keith Hillier. I am the assistant deputy minister of service delivery at Veterans Affairs Canada. I am here with my colleague James Gilbert, the assistant deputy minister for policy, communications and commemoration. We welcome this