Meeting 32 · April 27, 2026 · 11:01–16:54 (5h 53m)
45-11 witness · 161 interventions · 10,004 words
The committee was studying the main estimates for 2026-27, and the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Jill McKnight, appeared alongside Mitch Freeman, Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs.
Minister McKnight stated that Veterans Affairs Canada is not facing cuts, that its budget is forecast to increase to $8.2 billion for 2026-27, and that over 90% of the total estimates are delivered as direct payments to veterans and their families. She said the government is investing $184 million over four years to stabilize processing capacity for disability benefits and modernize service delivery, and that the reduction in the cannabis for medical purposes reimbursement rate aligns with market rates while maintaining access. She confirmed that the government will break ground on the national monument to Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, with completion expected in 2028, and that an independent review of the PCVRS program is being scoped, with more details to come in the coming months.
Mitch Freeman did not deliver opening testimony but answered one question from a member. He said he is not a fan of the hypothetical five-year delay for appeals processing at the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, and that the department takes the situation seriously from application through decision.
During debate on a Conservative motion to study the effects of budget 2025 cuts over 10 meetings, the Bloc Québécois moved an amendment to reduce the study to five meetings. The Liberal member then moved that the committee proceed to main estimates votes, which led to procedural debate on whether that motion could supersede the one already under discussion. The meeting was suspended when bells rang in the House, and the committee resumed debate on the amendment at a later date.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.
Mitch Freeman
Acting Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy, Planning and Performance Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs
Opening remarks
I would highlight a couple of things in this regard. First, I'm not a big fan of the hypothetical aspect of a five-year explanation in that regard. In fact, the Department of Veterans Affairs takes the situation very seriously, end to end, from a veterans' benefits point of view, including from the time of application through decision....