ACVA Committee Related Document

Supplementary Report of the New Democratic Party (NDP)

This supplemental report follows the 2019 tabling of the report, “Moving Towards Ending Homelessness Among Veterans” by almost a full three years, and yet very little has changed on this critical issue.

For example, there has been no movement regarding recommendation 7:

That Veterans Affairs Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) sign a memorandum of understanding to make RCMP veterans eligible for the Veterans Emergency Fund under the same terms and conditions as Canadian Armed Forces veterans.

Sandy Glenn, President of the RCMP Veterans Association, has informed New Democrats that there is no action under consideration to have a Memorandum of Understanding respecting the Veterans Emergency Fund. In fact, he goes further to say that the Canadian Government does not recognize the RCMP as Veterans as evidenced by this lack of action, and the fact that RCMP Veterans are not eligible for the Veterans Independence Program.

We also know that there have been piecemeal investments in 2021 under the National Housing Strategy to provide for homeless veterans in Edmonton and Ottawa, but no concrete plan in place as per Recommendation 4 in this report.

This lack of action and lack of attention on the part of the government to the needs of veterans who are at risk of being homeless is disappointing and discouraging. Veterans continue to have to fight for the benefits they earned.

New Democrats suggest the government work with partners in community services and the veterans community to end veteran homelessness for good – because one veteran on the streets is one too many.