Conservatives Announce Plan to Put Canada’s Veterans First
Ottawa, ON – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced his plan to give Veterans the support they have earned.
The plan begins with ensuring Veterans’ benefits are in place before they leave the military and will:
- Automatically approve disability applications if they are not processed within 16 weeks.
- Give Veterans full control over their medical records.
- Let military doctors assess injuries using one standardized system.
- Ensure PTSD service dogs are available to Veterans who need them, with a consistent national standard for support.
- Make available the Education and Training Benefit to Veterans immediately upon receiving their release date.
“Veterans shouldn’t have to fight their own government for the benefits they earned,” Pierre Poilievre said. “But under the Liberals, they face endless delays and denials—waiting months or even years for disability claims. That is wrong and I will change it.”
A new Conservative government will prioritize Veterans for jobs in the public service, give preference to veteran-owned businesses in federal contracts, double the hiring target at Veterans Affairs and fast-track the renewal of security clearances for those who already have them and need them for a new job. We will also add spouses of Veterans and Canadian Armed Forces Members who want to work for Canada into the Veterans Hiring Act.
For those making the transition back to civilian life in the private sector, we will deliver by:
- Providing Veterans the documentation they need to have their skills recognized by civilian employers upon release through a red-seal system.
- Ensuring Veterans get post-secondary course credits for skills and knowledge they gained while serving in the CAF, such as credit for courses on leadership if they already have a background in leadership positions.
- Reviewing and removing clawbacks of military pensions for Veterans who get jobs, ensuring their new income is on top of their pension, not in place of it.
A new Conservative government will also make sure that our military Veterans get the recognition they deserve for putting their lives on the line, and country before self. This includes recognizing Veteran Service Cards as valid government ID nationwide. We will also immediately complete the National Monument to Canada’s Mission in Afghanistan and officially recognize Persian Gulf War veterans and their wartime service.
“For too long, the Liberals have promised to stand by our Veterans only to let them down again and again. Our heroes deserve better,” Poilievre said. “They fought for us. It’s time for a government that fights for them.”
Despite promising that Veterans would never have to take their own government to court to access the benefits they earned, the Liberal government fought them at every turn. When our Veterans asked for help, the Liberals said, “they’re asking for more than we are able to give right now” after handing millions to a convicted terrorist.
The Liberals promised to bring back lifelong pensions for injured Veterans, but they broke that promise too. They pledged to make it easier for Veterans to access services. Yet, under the Liberals, Veterans were left stranded as the number of case managers was cut and the number of Veterans waiting for disability benefits exploded.
After the Lost Liberal Decade, Canada’s Veterans can’t afford a fourth Liberal term of disrespect and broken promises. We need a new Canadian government that will restore Canada’s promise to our Veterans: where anyone who has served our country can count on a reliable income that buys an affordable house on a safe street under our proud flag.
Only a new Conservative government will respect our Veterans, honour their service, make their lives easier when they return home, and put Canada First–For a Change.