Veterans Affairs committee  I really appreciate the information. This is for veterans who are on the income replacement benefit. They're allowed to make $20,000, as an incentive to find purpose. I'm thrilled to hear that people are using it to its best advantage. This is the first I've heard of a case of t

Veterans Affairs committee  The marriage after 60 clause is a really challenging policy. Again, it is directly linked to the superannuation of the Canadian Armed Forces. What the department has been given through the budget process is the creation of the veterans survivor benefit, which is, I believe, as yo

Veterans Affairs committee  I'll just say, sir, that we certainly are working with the veteran stakeholders and the commemoration advisory group in recognizing a number of events. This is the year when the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong is coming up, on April 22 and 23. We have National Peacekeep

Veterans Affairs committee  Sir, we have found that the efficiency of our call centres has actually improved during the pandemic. With our employees working from home, they have actually been reaching a higher level of productivity than we saw prior to the pandemic. We're learning in this regard. I'll ask M

Veterans Affairs committee  Sir, we're going to adjust our position based upon the local health protocols in all the areas. Again, Veterans Affairs doesn't own any real property. We're the tenant everywhere we go. All we own is two cemeteries, just so you know, and Vimy Ridge. Besides that, we work with PSP

Veterans Affairs committee  Sir, thanks very much. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the committee for the recommendations that have come before and that have assisted us in getting the horsepower—the staff horsepower—and developing the plan, as we did, in order to move forward. I'll ask Steven

Veterans Affairs committee  They're accessible. All of the offices are accessible in the same way that our headquarters buildings are accessible. We're not providing services out of those facilities, but our employees can come and go. We are using multiple channels to provide services to our veterans, but a

Veterans Affairs committee  That is correct, sir.

Veterans Affairs committee  It was those same nine. In addition to the nine, we opened a 10th office in Surrey, British Columbia, and, in addition to that, created a capacity for our service delivery operations people to visit northern communities across the country, not fixed in any one location but actua

Veterans Affairs committee  To my absolute knowledge, they have been fully staffed and continue to be staffed across the board. Steven, do you want to make a comment in that regard?

Veterans Affairs committee  Sir, all of our offices remain accessible across the country. Again, we want to adhere to the local public health protocols in each location, but they are accessible for our employees. In terms of in-person access, that is on an exceptional basis only, again, both in following

Veterans Affairs committee  Sir, thanks very much. There were nine offices that were reopened in the time frame of, I believe, 2015 to 2016. A total of nine offices were opened across the country.

Veterans Affairs committee  Again, sir, our culture is one of care, compassion and respect, and where there's an issue—

Veterans Affairs committee  That's why, sir, if there's an issue, we'll need to do a deep dive on it, because, again, our culture is one of caring, of exercising compassion and respect. I do appreciate that this has been the experience of the veteran, and we need to make it better, absolutely, sir.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you very much for the question, Mr. Chair I am not aware of Wellness Together in terms of the greater whole-of-government approach with regard to Homewood. What I can say to you is that we have referred our veterans to Homewood for their therapy, as we have to other mental