News Release

New Health Regulations Assist Wartime Civilians and Present-day Canadian Forces Members

Ottawa - The Honourable Ron J. Duhamel, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Francophonie), announced today that Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada, has signed a package of regulatory health amendments into law that will allow Veterans Affairs Canada to extend veterans’ benefits and services to civilian groups who served overseas in the Second World War (e.g. Ferry Command, Newfoundland Overseas Forestry Unit, Overseas Fire Fighters and the Red Cross). It also includes a number of improved benefits to serving and former members of the Canadian Forces.

"These changes are in keeping with our commitment to provide the right service at the right time to ensure that needs are being fully met," noted Minister Duhamel. "I am very pleased that we are now able to offer additional programs and services to the men and women of this country who have sacrificed so much on behalf of us all."

These amendments to the Veterans Health Care Regulations will accomplish a number of objectives, including:

• the extension of the Veterans Independence Program (VIP) to income-qualified civilians who served overseas in wartime;
• the extension of VIP to Canadian Forces (CF) clients for their pensioned conditions (in response to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs (SCONDVA) report, tabled October 1998);
• the extension of community-based chronic care to CF clients for their pensioned conditions and Canada Service Veterans;
• the provision of health care for both pensioned and non-pensioned conditions for seriously disabled wartime veterans and civilians; and
• ensuring uninterrupted eligibility for health care for income-qualified clients.

Individuals who may benefit from these changes are encouraged to contact their nearest Veterans Affairs District Office for information on how to apply.

Backgrounders

New Health Regulations Assist Wartime Civilians and Present-day Canadian Forces Members

Explanation of Terms

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