Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs

Comité permanent des anciens combattants

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 8, 2018 -

For the first time, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs is undertaking a study on Indigenous veterans. To that end, the Committee plans to hold seven meetings in Ottawa until mid- June, and a delegation of MPs will travel to meet with Indigenous veterans in late May. According to the preliminary itinerary, the delegation will be in:

• Halifax, Nova Scotia, on May 28;
• Millbrook, Nova Scotia, on May 28;
• Indian Brook, Nova Scotia, on May 28;
• The Six Nations Reserve in Ohsweken, Ontario, on May 29;
• Beauval, Saskatchewan, on May 30; and
• Victoria, British Columbia, on May 31.

In a second part of this study, the Committee also hopes to travel in the fall of 2018 to meet with Indigenous veterans living in the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

The topics of the study of Needs and Issues Specific to Indigenous Veterans will include:

• Support offered to Indigenous veterans by their communities during the transition process;
• Quality of services offered to Indigenous veterans by Veterans Affairs Canada;
• Specific needs of Indigenous veterans living in remote areas;
• Specific issues affecting:
  • First Nations veterans (on- and off-reserve);
  • Métis veterans;
  • Inuit veterans;
  • Modern-day Indigenous veterans; and
  • Indigenous reservists.
• Treatment of Indigenous veterans who served in the Second World War and the Korean War;
• Issues concerning veterans who served with the Canadian Rangers; and
• Services offered to Indigenous veterans who served with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by Veterans Affairs Canada.

At the conclusion of this study, a report will be tabled in the House of Commons containing recommendations to the government on the benefits and services offered to Indigenous veterans. Organizations and veterans interested in taking part in this study are invited to express their interest by email to acva@parl.gc.ca by May 22, 2018. For more information on the study of Needs and Issues Specific to Indigenous Veterans: https://bit.ly/2wjWMAI.