The quality of life for 640,000 Canadian veterans and their families is priority for Veterans Affairs
Lara Rooke, Director at Veterans Affairs Canada, provided for Stittsville Rotarians on Sep 30th 2020, an interesting and comprehensive overview of the activities of this federal department whose headquarters is in Charlottetown, PEI. This concise statement from the website best describes their focus: “Veterans Affairs Canada fulfills its mandate and role through the delivery of programs such as disability benefits, financial benefits, rehabilitation, pension advocacy, education, and training supports. The Department also works to commemorate the achievements and sacrifices of Canadians during periods of war, military conflict and peace.” www.veterans.gc.ca
Calling upon her extensive experience, Lara described the opportunities for partnerships with volunteer community groups such as our club to better serve veterans. Information about existing Ottawa-based organizations that focus on veterans’ issues such as homelessness, employment and integration into the community is available online. The Royal Canadian Legion, well-known for its poppy fundraising campaign, is an example of one charitable, community-driven group that supports our veterans.