Laying the groundwork

Our commemorative mandate

On behalf of the people of Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is the lead department responsible for commemorating the country’s war dead since Confederation and for recognizing the achievements of former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). We fulfil this core responsibility through two distinct programs: the Canada Remembers Program and the Funeral and Burial Program.

The Canada Remembers Program keeps alive the achievements and sacrifices of those who served Canada in times of war and peace. We engage communities in remembering these achievements and sacrifices, and promote an understanding of their significance in Canadian life as we know it today. We ensure Canadians are aware of and value the contributions of all those who served. We tell the story of our military history and of Canadians who served in uniform. Communities across the country receive program funding to lead a wide range of commemorative initiatives. Veterans and those who died in service are publicly recognized through ceremonies and events, honours and awards, and the preservation and perpetual care of memorials, cemeteries and grave markers.

The Funeral and Burial Program provides financial assistance for the funeral, burial and grave marking expenses of qualified Veterans to recognize their service to Canada. VAC provides funding for Second World War and Korean War Veterans as well as CAF Veterans (Veterans with service post-Korean War) whose deaths were service-related or whose estates lack funds for a dignified funeral, burial and grave marking.

Changing demographic landscape

The Canadian Veteran population is evolving and VAC’s December 2021 Facts and Figures report^{Footnote 1} estimates there are 617,800 Veterans in Canada, about 96% of whom are CAF Veterans with an average age of 59.

By comparison, the average age for War Service Veterans (who served in the Second World War and/or the Korean War) is 94. By 2026, one third of Veterans with service since 1954 will be older than age 70.^{Footnote 2}

Not everyone who served Canada sees themselves as a Veteran, nor do they necessarily identify with the idea of commemoration. Many younger individuals who served in the CAF more recently, those who did not serve for very long, and some who were in the Primary Reserve, often do not see themselves as Veterans despite the fact that they are indeed Veterans. This may be attributed to the social perception that people have of what a Veteran is (i.e., a ‘traditional’ Veteran of the World Wars or the Korean War), rather than as defined by VAC, which considers ‘any former member of the CAF who releases with an honourable discharge and who successfully underwent basic training’ to be a Veteran.^{Footnote 3}

Canada’s diverse population is reflected not only in race and ethnicity, but also in sex, gender, language, religion, age, disability, geography, culture, income, sexual orientation, and education^{Footnote 4}. Approximately one million people in Canada (or 4% of Canada’s population) belong to the 2SLGBTQI+ community, with bisexual women making up the largest portion of this group.^{Footnote 5} More than 450 ethnic and cultural origins, 200 places of birth, 100 religions and 450 languages were reported in the 2021 census.^{Footnote 6} Thousands of people immigrate to Canada each year. The 2021 census found that just under 6.4 million people born in Canada had at least one foreign-born parent in 2021, representing 17.6% of the total Canadian population.^{Footnote 7} Some immigrants may have limited or no connection to Canada’s military history. Recent user testing of our website shows new Canadians would like to learn more about the topic. Given Canada’s diversity, we must adapt and target our programming to reach more segments of the Canadian population in a way that is relevant to them.

Canadian youth form an important population for our programming – and that population is changing. According to Statistics Canada’s, A portrait of Canadian youth,^{Footnote 8} today’s youth are unlike any previous generation. They are more diverse, digitally connected, socially engaged and educated. The report emphasizes an important consideration for us. Today's youth will become Canada's future parents, prime age workers and seniors. Forty percent of Canadian youth are first or second generation immigrants and many do not have a familial connection to Canadian Veterans. We can develop their interest in commemoration and foster a lifetime appreciation for those who served by highlighting Canada’s contributions to international peace, security and humanitarian efforts in different regions of the world.

Digital technology is changing our economy and our society. How we access information, work and connect with each other is very dynamic. In 2021, 88.1% of Canadians owned smart phones – broken down by age group, as follows: 97.9% aged 15-24 year-old, 97.1% aged 25-44 year-old, 87% aged 45-64 years-old, and 60.4% aged 65 years and older.^{Footnote 9} Facing these changes, we are modernizing our approach and processes to support commemoration and recognition, and to explore innovative ways to design and deliver our initiatives. Doing so will help meet the evolving needs and expectations of Canadians, especially youth.

Reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and the Government of Canada is a priority and VAC’s commemorative programming includes an Indigenous commemorative approach. “There is a higher share of First Nations people, Métis and Inuit in Canada’s military and Veteran population than among the total population aged 17 and over.”^{Footnote 10}

VAC’s Commemorative Partnership Program provides greater support to Indigenous Communities, including remote and northern communities, to honour all those who served. Culturally appropriate commemorative initiatives must resonate with Indigenous Veterans, through increased inclusion of Indigenous Veterans, survivors and their communities in commemorative activities in Canada and internationally.

We are learning

Canadians, Veterans and educators are helping us plan our way forward. Across the board, we learned that Canadians want to hear Veterans’ personal stories, experiences and achievements.

A November 2019 Angus Reid Institute study found:

• The vast majority of Canadians (80%) say that Canada should do more to honour Veterans. Four-in-five Canadians (79%) say that they feel proud when they think about this nation’s armed forces.
• More than 60% of Canadians have had conversations with someone who serves, or who has served recently, about their experience.^{Footnote 11}

A May 2020 IPSOS study found:

• 75% of the Canadians surveyed agree that it is important to hold ceremonies in remembrance of the Second World War.
• 48% of the Canadians surveyed report that some of their relatives or ancestors served in the armed forces during the Second World War.^{Footnote 12}

The Minister of Veterans Affairs’ Commemoration Advisory Group^{Footnote 13} wants us to recognize Veterans’ service in the different regions of the world, and here at home, across all eras of our military history. They want us to tell the story of the diversity of the different jobs and roles our Veterans filled in the army, navy and air force. The advisory group remains in support of commemorating the First World War and prefer that we maintain the five-year cycle of commemorating the Second World War and Korean War milestones. They want us to renew our focus on youth and bring commemoration to the wider Canadian public with events in Canada being more prominent in our programming.

Between May and July of 2021, VAC invited all Canadians including Veterans, CAF members, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), other persons involved in international peace support operations, their families, Veterans organizations, and the general public to share their thoughts on the future of remembrance in Canada. Over 1,800 Canadians responded to our “Let’s Talk Veterans” consultation and provided their ideas on how we can evolve our remembrance programming.^{Footnote 14} The top three themes from the consultations on the future of remembrance were:

• Highlight diversity and shared experience in service in commemorative efforts.
• Expand the scope of remembrance to emphasize modern missions and service.
• Educate Canadians, especially youth in schools, through personal and compelling Veteran stories and interactive digital experiences.

We consulted over 750 Canadian teachers and other educators in October 2020. We asked them to identify their needs and interests related to remembrance programming.^{Footnote 15} Educators seek content about modern conflicts and younger Veterans. Given the increase of newcomers to Canada, more youth are coming from areas where CAF has served and some may have family members or know Veterans who served in areas such as Afghanistan. Providing additional resources and content on more recent operations will help young Canadians make even stronger connections with the Veterans we serve. Additionally, every fall we consult educators who ordered our Veterans’ Week learning resources. Educators agree or strongly agree (99%) that VAC learning resources contribute to students’ understanding and appreciation of remembrance.

The bottom line

The Canadian population is evolving and diverse. There are more and more new citizens with connections to Canada’s military contribution to peace and security in the world. Building on the success of our current practices, we will expand and adapt our programming to engage more Canadians in remembrance.