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30-401: Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs , Ministry of Veterans' Affairs , Department of Veterans Services , or the like, which oversees issues relating to veterans' affairs. These departments provide

60-565: A temporary base in Qatar . Force Mobile Command also sent a large field hospital to Qatar to deal with casualties from the expected ground war. During the Gulf War, Canada's CF-18 squadrons were integrated with Coalition air resources and provided combat air patrols as well as being involved in attacks of ground and water targets. This was the first time since the Korean War that

90-660: A CC-144 Challenger in a command-and-liaison role for the deployed Commander of the Canadian Forces. On the day that the US Operation Desert Storm component of the Gulf War began, January 16, 1991, Canada announced that it would send a field hospital to the Persian Gulf region. As a result, 1 Canadian Field Hospital from CFB Petawawa , Ontario, joined the British land forces and was deployed in

120-703: A Canadian province in 1949. Thus, World War I and World War II veterans who served in Newfoundland (with Royal Newfoundland Regiment and Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve ) are considered by Veterans Affairs to be "overseas veterans" (and as such may be referred to the British Service Personnel and Veterans Agency ). In the late 1970s, Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau undertook an initiative to decentralize government away from Ottawa. He and his Minister of Veterans Affairs, Daniel J. MacDonald (Member of Parliament for Cardigan ) devised

150-536: A Veteran's re-establishment". Departments for Veteran Affairs in country or state jurisdictions include: Veterans Affairs Canada During World War I , it became clear that a coordinated approach was needed to deal with ill and injured soldiers. On February 21, 1918, the Department of Civil Re-establishment was created for that purpose. Subsequently, on June 11, 1928, the Government for Canada created

180-526: A factor in its very limited role in the 1991 Gulf War. While the military had been asked about the feasibility of sending 4 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (4 CMBG) from Germany to the Gulf to participate in direct combat operations, the Canadian Forces were forced to report that Operation "Broadsword", a theoretical deployment, would likely be a failure. The headquarters of the Canadian Forces in

210-454: A major economic contributor to PEI, and has had an important impact on Charlottetown's cultural landscape. Veterans Affairs Canada is the only major federal department whose headquarters is located outside of Ottawa. The department is largely responsible for medical care, rehabilitation, commemoration, and disability pensions and awards for Veterans. Appeals from departmental decisions on disability pensions and awards are presented by Veterans to

240-400: A variety of services for veterans. The particular services provided can vary by jurisdiction, but can include things such as: In a survey of benefits and services offered to Veterans in four English-speaking countries, Veterans Affairs Canada noted that "[w]hile each country's suite of programs is very different, there is general consistency in the services and benefits available to support

270-574: The Veterans Review and Appeal Board ; mainly with the assistance of lawyers from the semi-autonomous Bureau of Pensions Advocates free of charge. In 2007, the Veterans' Bill of Rights was passed by the Harper government . The bill included a statement that Veterans Affairs Canada must show veterans respect. In her October 2010 report, resulting from formal complaints made by a veteran of

300-629: The 1991 Gulf War in Afghanistan , who had become a vocal critic of Veterans Affairs, federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart uncovered evidence of widespread privacy issues at the VAC. Her report found that the privacy former Captain Sean Bruyea, who had been medically-released from the military, had been violated by VAC when his "medical and financial details had been circulated" to numerous departmental officials, after he had criticized

330-654: The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands in early 1995, the 60th anniversary of D Day on June 6, 2004). The Government of Canada declared 2005 the Year of the Veteran. Its purpose was to teach, remember, thank, honour and celebrate. The image of a poppy overlapping a gold maple leaf became a special symbol during the campaign, on posters, pamphlets, bookmarks and documents. On November 9, 2008,

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360-579: The Canadian military had participated in offensive combat operations. Operation Friction saw approximately 4,500 CF personnel deployed to the Persian Gulf from August 1990 – February 1991 with a peak deployment of 2,700 personnel during the Gulf War in January 1991. Personnel were primarily attached to four units in the Persian Gulf region: The limited capabilities of the Canadian Army had been

390-416: The Department of Pensions and National Health, which took over responsibility for caring for ill and injured soldiers Following World War II , the volume of soldiers returning home made it clear that the Government of Canada would require a department dedicated entirely to serving ill and injured veterans. Consequently, in 1944 Prime Minister Mackenzie King's government passed a motion that officially created

420-594: The Department of Veterans Affairs. Canada operated a benefits program similar to the American G.I. Bill for its World War II veterans, with a strong economic impact similar to the American case. A war veteran's eligibility for certain benefits depended on the veteran's "overseas" status, defined by Veterans Affairs as having served at least two miles offshore from Canada. In the Second World War (1939–45) Canada did not yet include Newfoundland , which became

450-544: The Government of Canada for its privacy breach and settled the suit in November 2010. In 2018, controversy arose when it was discovered that convicted murderer, Christopher Garnier, was receiving Veterans Affairs Canada funded treatment for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Garnier had been convicted of the 2015 murder of off-duty Police Constable Catherine Campbell in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The controversy stemmed from

480-551: The Gulf. Five Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King helicopters based at CFB Shearwater and CFB Patricia's Bay were also attached to the Naval Task Group, performing reconnaissance, mine search and destroy , air-to-ship naval interdiction , utility and command-and-liaison tasks. Another Canadian destroyer, HMCS  Huron arrived in theatre after hostilities ceased and was the first allied ship to visit Kuwait. The Canadian Forces Air Command provided combat air patrols in

510-770: The Honourable Greg Thompson , the-then Minister of Veterans Affairs, attended a Service of Remembrance at the Canada Memorial in Green Park, London, England, which Canada had recently assumed responsibility for; the memorial pays tribute to the nearly one million Canadian men and women who served in the United Kingdom during the First and Second World Wars. The benefits program administered by Veterans Affairs Canada to ill and injured soldiers

540-595: The Middle East was a joint headquarters established on November 6, 1990, and commanded by Commodore Kenneth J. Summers . It included a communications unit and various joint military staffs. Before the war began on January 16, 1991, Canadian naval forces patrolled the central Persian Gulf. When hostilities commenced, Captain Duncan "Dusty" Miller, Commander of the Canadian Naval Task Group, became

570-552: The New Veterans Charter and the way Afghanistan veterans were being treated by the government. Stoddart said that this was "deeply concerning" and a violation of the Privacy Act. A 2010 VFC conference call transcript revealed that a senior veterans official had responded to Bruyea's actions by saying, "It's time to take the gloves off." Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn , apologized on behalf of

600-506: The New Veterans Charter, an ill or injured member may receive a lump sum payment of a maximum of $ 550,000 tax-free, ($ 300,000 lump sum and $ 250,000 disbursement insurance) as well as a maximum monthly, taxable pension of $ 9685. In July 2013, Prime Minister Stephen Harper appointed Julian Fantino as the Minister of Veterans Affairs . Fantino quickly indicated that he was open to amending the New Veterans Charter to ensure veterans received

630-399: The Persian Gulf, and Canadian CF-18 jets carried out 56 bombing sorties against Iraqi forces. Canadian Forces in the Gulf were supported by Air Command’s Transport Group, providing personnel and cargo transport using a fleet of 27 CC-130 Hercules and five CC-137 Boeing 707, one of which was used in the Gulf as an air-to-air refueler for Coalition air forces. The Transport Group also provided

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660-573: The benefits and support they deserved. In the spring of 2014, the all-party Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs met to discuss updates to the New Veterans Charter. The result was the unanimously-supported report titled The New Veterans Charter: Moving Forward, which was tabled in Parliament in June 2014. The committee made 13 recommendations to update the New Veterans Charter to close loopholes and ensure Canada's veterans would continue to receive

690-553: The fact Garnier had never served in the Canadian armed forces or RCMP and the PTSD was said to be brought on by the murder for which he was convicted. Garnier was eligible for Veterans Affairs Canada benefits as his father had served in the armed forces. The Canada Remembers program is responsible for all war commemoration activities, such as Remembrance Day , and coordinates and funds various " pilgrimages " for Canadian war veterans to foreign battlefields and international ceremonies (e.g.

720-488: The multinational coordinator for a large naval combat logistics area established in the southern Persian Gulf. Two Canadian destroyers, HMCS  Terra Nova and Athabaskan escorted the United States hospital ships, USNS  Comfort and Mercy , the latter with CF medical staff on board. HMCS  Protecteur , an auxiliary oil replenishment ship, serviced all nations involved in naval operations within

750-513: The north and central areas of the Persian Gulf. These patrols worked with the coalition air forces to protect coalition naval forces and land bases from Iraqi air attacks. As the conflict progressed, the Canadian Air Task Group took on other combat roles, such as sweep and escort for coalition bombing missions and later, air-to-ground bombing missions. Canadian pilots were credited with partially destroying an Iraqi patrol boat in

780-667: The plan to move the headquarters of the Department of Veterans Affairs from Ottawa to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island . The department's head office has been located in the Daniel J. MacDonald Building in PEI's capital since 1980. In the early 21st century, a second building two blocks from the DJM, the Jean Canfield Building, was constructed to house Veterans Affairs and other federal government offices. The department has become

810-884: The support and care that they deserve. In October 2014, the government responded, saying they agreed with the "spirit and intent" of all 13 recommendations and would begin working on the recommendations immediately. Veterans Affairs Canada has recently launched a suite of mobile applications aimed at aiding Veterans with accessing services offered by VAC. These include Veterans Matter , OSI Connect , and PTSD Coach Canada . Ministers of Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment Ministers of Pensions and National Health Ministers of Veterans Affairs Deputy Ministers of Soldiers' Civilian Re-establishment Deputy Ministers of Pensions and National Health Deputy Ministers of Veterans Affairs Operation Friction Coalition intervention Naval operations Air campaign Liberation of Kuwait Post-ceasefire Operation Friction

840-535: Was a Canadian military operation that saw the contribution of 4,500 Canadian Forces personnel to the 1991 Gulf War . The larger US components were Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm . Operation Friction initially saw Canadian Forces Maritime Command order the destroyers HMCS  Terra Nova and HMCS  Athabaskan to assist with enforcing the United Nations trade blockade against Iraq . The supply ship HMCS  Protecteur

870-758: Was deployed with the destroyers to provide underway replenishment as well as command/control and at-sea medical services to the small task force which operated in the Persian Gulf , Straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman . Canada suffered no casualties during the conflict but since its end many veterans have complained of suffering from Gulf War syndrome . Following UN authorization of military force to remove Iraq from occupied territory in Kuwait , AIRCOM deployed two CF-18 Hornet (24 aircraft) squadrons with support personnel from CFB Baden-Soellingen in Germany to

900-642: Was rarely changed since its creation after World War I. The result was a number of out-dated policies that no longer suited the needs of Canada's veterans. This program gave a life-time pension to an individual who was ill or injured due to military service. In 2005, all parties in the House of Commons passed the New Veterans Charter. This Charter replaced the life-time pension award with a lump sum payment award and used life-time pension payments much more sparingly. The Charter came into force on 1 April 2006 under Prime Minister Stephen Harper's minority government. Under

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