Department of Veterans Affairs (Canada)
| Anciens Combattants Canada | |
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1944 |
| Type | Department responsible for Veterans |
| Jurisdiction | Canada |
| Employees | 3,188 |
| Minister responsible | |
| Deputy Minister responsible | |
| Website | www |
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is the department within the Government of Canada with responsibility for pensions, benefits and services for war veterans, retired and still-serving members of the Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, their families, as well as some civilians.
Following World War I, in 1928, the Departments of Pensions and National Health became responsible for caring for ill and injured soldiers returning from that war. Following World War II, the volume of soldiers returning home made it clear that the Government of Canada would require a department dedicated to serving ill and injured veterans. This first came by changing the department to the "Department of Pensions" and creating Health Canada under a separate Ministry. That same year, Prime Minister Mackenzie King's Parliament passed a motion that officially created Veterans Affairs Canada.
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 a Canadian province only in 1949. Thus World War I or 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).
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