Issue
Veterans & Military Families
Federal veterans framework under the Pension Act, the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act (the 'New Veterans Charter' of 2006), and the Veterans Well-being Act. Veterans Affairs Canada administers disability benefits, education and training, mental-health support, and the pension-for-life regime (replaced the lump-sum disability award in 2019). Active 2024-2025 files: the Auditor General's repeated findings of long disability-claim wait times, the Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations (Bill C-386, 44-1), the Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989) recognizing Cold War-era service (Bill C-335, 44-1), the proposed Peacetime Service and Sacrifice Memorial Day (Bill C-333, 44-1), and Bill C-417 (national framework on animal-assisted services for veterans, especially for PTSD support). The 2024 Defence Policy Update committed to reaching 2% of GDP on defence by 2032 (current ~1.37%); federal-veteran transition support is part of that strategy.
Where parties stand
Compare side-by-side- Bloc QuébécoisBLOC
The Bloc Québécois supports the Auditor General's 2022 finding (Report 2 on Processing Disability Benefits at Veterans Affairs Canada) that VAC's first-time disability-claim processing time of approximately 47 weeks on average exceeds the legislated 16-week target. Calls for full federal-Quebec coordination on veterans' mental-health and long-term-care services, increased per-veteran Veterans Independence Program funding, and Quebec administrative control over the VAC service-delivery network for Quebec-resident veterans (approximately 130,000 veterans in Quebec per VAC data). Supports the Pension Act and Veterans Well-being Act benefit indexation to inflation.
Source - Conservative Party of CanadaCONSERVATIVE
The federal Conservative Party under Pierre Poilievre has called for major reform of Veterans Affairs Canada disability-claim processing (the Auditor General's 2022 Report 2 found 47-week average vs the legislated 16-week target), full implementation of the Pension for Life framework introduced by the previous Conservative government's Veterans Well-being Act 2017 amendments, expansion of the Veterans Independence Program for aging-at-home benefits, restoration of the office of the Veterans Affairs ombudsman to pre-2014 capacity, faster mental-health-service waitlists at the federal Operational Stress Injury clinics network (currently 11 clinics nationally), and improved transition support for medically released CAF members.
Source The federal Green Party calls for restoring the Veterans Affairs ombudsman's office to the budgetary capacity it held before the 2014 cuts under the Harper government, automatic pension-adjustment indexation to inflation under the Pension Act and the Veterans Well-being Act, expanded mental-health-services funding for OSI (Operational Stress Injury) clinics, increased access to a Veterans Independence Program for veterans aging in place, and a binding requirement that Veterans Affairs Canada decision-timelines on disability claims not exceed 16 weeks (the current target average is 32 weeks per VAC backlog reports).
Source- Liberal Party of CanadaLIBERAL
The federal Liberal Party under Mark Carney has reduced the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) disability-claim backlog from approximately 47,000 in 2018 to roughly 15,000 in 2024 per VAC reporting (still missing the 16-week statutory target with an average closer to 32 weeks). Implemented the Pension for Life framework (in force April 2019 under the Pension Act and Veterans Well-being Act amendments), expanded the Veterans Independence Program for aging-at-home benefits, opened 11 Operational Stress Injury clinics nationally, and committed to permanent indexation of veterans' disability benefits to inflation. Maintains the office of the Veterans Affairs Ombudsman with expanded authority.
Source The federal NDP under Jagmeet Singh calls for major reform of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) disability-claim processing (the Auditor General's 2022 Report 2 found 47-week average vs the 16-week statutory target), restoration of the office of the Veterans Affairs Ombudsman to pre-2014 capacity, federal funding parity for VAC mental-health services with Department of National Defence Operational Stress Injury services, expanded Veterans Independence Program for aging-at-home benefits, and faster mental-health-service waitlists at federal OSI clinics. Supports the Royal Canadian Legion's advocacy for federal recognition of military-family caregiving as compensable service.
Source
Bills affecting this issue
- S-246Federal45-1In committee
An Act respecting the recognition of wartime service
Recognition of wartime service.
- C-256Federal45-1First reading
An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to survivor pension benefits
Pension Protection Act expansion. Adds Canadian Armed Forces survivor pension reforms.
- C-252Federal45-1First reading
An Act respecting a national day of remembrance to honour Canadian Armed Forces members who have lost their lives in peacetime in Canada
Designates a CAF Suicide Remembrance Day to recognize members who took their own lives.
- C-417Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish a framework on animal-assisted services for veterans
Federal framework on animal-assisted services for veterans. PTSD, anxiety, and depression supports.
- C-50Federal44-1Royal assent
An Act respecting accountability, transparency and engagement to support the creation of sustainable jobs for workers and economic growth in a net-zero economy
Sustainable Jobs Act covers veterans transitioning out of military careers as part of the broader workforce shift.
- C-386Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations
Special Service Medal for Domestic Emergency Relief Operations.
- C-66Federal44-1Second reading
An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts
National Defence Act and other Acts amendments.
- C-362Federal44-1First reading
An Act to establish the Office of the Ombud for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, to make related amendments to the Contraventions Act and to make consequential amendments to certain Acts
Statutory DND/CAF Ombud office.
- C-335Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting the establishment and award of a Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989)
Defence of Canada Medal (1946-1989) for Cold War-era service.
- C-333Federal44-1First reading
An Act respecting a national day of remembrance to honour Canadian Armed Forces members who have lost their lives in peacetime in Canada
Peacetime Service and Sacrifice Memorial Day.
- C-221Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend certain Acts in relation to survivor pension benefits
Survivor pension benefit reforms (Gold-digger clause).
- C-206Federal44-1First reading
An Act to amend the National Defence Act (maiming or injuring self or another)
Removes the National Defence Act offence of self-harm to avoid duty (19th-century conscription-era provision).