NATIONAL COUNCIL OF VETERAN ASSOCIATIONS
IN CANADA
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Association
14th Canadian Field Regiment Association
435-436 & Burma Squadrons Association
Air Force Association of Canada
Aircrew Association
The Algonquin Regiment Veterans’ Association
Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association
of Canada
The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of
Canada Association
Bomber Command Association Canada
Burma Star Association
Canadian Airborne Forces Association
Canadian Association of World War II Veterans from
the Soviet Union
Canadian Corps Association
Canadian Fighter Pilots Association
Canadian Forces Communications and Electronics
Association
Canadian Infantry Association
Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans Association Inc.
Canadian Naval Air Group
Canadian Naval Divers Association
Canadian Paraplegic Association
The Canadian Scottish Regimental Association
Canadian Tribal Destroyer Association
The Chief and Petty Officers’ Association
Dieppe Veterans and Prisoners of War Association
The Dodo Bird Club of Ex-RCAF Flight Sergeants
Ferry Command Association
First Special Service Force Association
Hong Kong Veterans Association of Canada
Jewish War Veterans of Canada
KLB (Koncentration Lager Buchenwald) Club
Korea Veterans Association of Canada
The Limber Gunners
Métis Nation of Ontario Veterans Council
The Military Vehicle Hobbyists Association
National Prisoners of War Association of Canada
Naval Association of Canada, Montreal Branch
Naval Club of Toronto
Nova Scotia Naval Officers Association
Nursing Sisters' Association of Canada
Operation Legacy
The Overseas Club - Canadian Red Cross Corps
(Overseas Detachment)
The Polish Combatants' Association in Canada
The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Association
RCAF Prisoner of War Association
Regimental Association for the Toronto Scottish
Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s
Own)
Royal Air Forces Escaping Society
Royal Canadian Air Force Pre-War Club of Canada
The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Association
Royal Canadian Naval Association
The Royal Canadian Regiment Association
Royal Naval Association - Southern Ontario Branch
Royal Winnipeg Rifles Association
The Sir Arthur Pearson Association of War Blinded
The South Alberta Light Horse Regimental
Association
Submariners Association of Canada (Central Branch)
Toronto Police Military Veterans Association
The War Amputations of Canada
War Pensioners of Canada
War Veterans & Friends Club
The Warriors’ Day Parade Council
White Ensign Club Montreal
Wren Association of Toronto
MEMORANDUM:
Executive Officers
Representatives, Member-Associations
DATE:
December 10, 2015
SUBJECT:
Advisory Group Meeting/Veterans Summit
December 1-2, 2015
Following our NCVA Meeting last month in Toronto, I have had the opportunity to meet
with the new Minister of Veterans Affairs (and Associate Minister of National Defence)
Kent Hehr and senior VAC officials for a series of meetings at the Canadian War
Museum in Ottawa on December 1 and 2, 2015.
On December 1, the Advisory Group on the New Veterans Charter originally created by
the former Minister Erin O’Toole, and newly re-established by Minister Hehr, discussed
in significant detail the Liberal government election platform and “mandate letter.” As
you will be aware, this mandate letter has been received by the new Minister from Prime
Minister Trudeau, outlining outstanding veterans’ issues and setting out fifteen
commitments that the Minister has been directed to complete as priority items in his
tenure with Veterans Affairs Canada.
I believe we should be extremely encouraged by the nature and scope of these
commitments as delineated during the campaign by the Prime Minister reflecting the
intent of his new government. In fact, these commitments represent longstanding
grievances and inequities which are addressed in our 2015 NCVA Legislative Agenda
and which have been identified for many years by various Standing Committees of
Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Ombudsman’s Office and the multiple Advisory Groups
which have studied these matters.
Please address all correspondence to:
2827 Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1V 0C4
Telephone: 613 731-3821 / 1 800 465-2677
Fax: 613 731-3234
2
Through the course of this intensive session with the Advisory Group, chaired by
Deputy Minister Walt Natynczyk, I was able to forcefully advocate that our position on all
material recommendations as described in the mandate letter be incorporated in the
ultimate legislation that will follow in this context.
On December 2, the second Veterans Summit was held, consisting of representatives
from 28 major veteran stakeholder organizations wherein this dialogue was continued
with the Minister, the Deputy Minister and senior staff of the department.
Again, it must be said that a spirit of optimism prevailed throughout the day as the new
Minister and Deputy Minister assured the gathering that positive momentum would be
continued in carrying out the Government’s intended course of action in addressing the
gaps and voids contained in veterans’ legislation.
It is to be noted that this form of “mandate letter” reflects the first time that a Canadian
government has made public its legislative commitments to Canadian veterans and their
families and, as such, presents a unique opportunity to hold the government to account
for their substantive political promises.
After many years of inertia and little action with regard to New Veterans Charter reform,
clearly we now have an opportunity to address the failures of previous administrations
to fulfill the government’s fundamental obligation to provide financial security and
appropriate compensation to Canada’s disabled veterans and the dependants.
As you will know, one of the fundamental tenets of the NCVA Legislative Agenda
emphasizes that the ultimate form of legislation to address the concerns of the modernday veterans should reflect a combination of the best parts of the Pension Act and the
best parts of the New Veterans Charter. This model form of legislation, in my view,
would be an objective that should be pursued by the new Liberal government in
providing a balanced approach to both veteran communities.
Of course, time will tell as to whether the Minister is able to fulfill these political
commitments, but there is little question that there is a sense of progress and that we
may indeed be finally dealing with a “Living Charter” as was originally intended in 2006
when the statute was enacted.
Let me take this opportunity to wish you the best of the Holiday Season and a Merry
Christmas.
Brian Forbes
Chairman
BNF/sc