Veterans Affairs Canada’s (VAC) Commemoration Division pays tribute to the achievements and sacrifices made by those who served Canada and promotes an understanding of the significance of these efforts in Canadian life as we know it today. The Canada Remembers Program achieves this through the presentation and perpetual care of memorials, cemeteries and grave markers, providing funding for community led commemorative initiatives, leading and supporting ceremonies and events, and the presentation of honours and awards.
The Canada Remembers Program has two key audiences: Veterans and the Canadian public. Each program component contributes to reaching the audiences by offering and providing support to commemorative and remembrance initiatives and activities throughout the year. Veterans’ Week, held every November, is a key commemorative initiative led by VAC, with many organizations contributing and participating.
The department has developed a Strategic Plan to guide the future of commemoration for 2020-2030. Four goals outlined in the plan are:
- Help Canadians understand how those who served our country have helped advance peace and security around the world.
- Inspire Canadians to actively recognize the service and sacrifices of all who have served our country in uniform.
- Preserve and maintain Government of Canada memorials, including the Books of Remembrance and Veteran grave markers in a sustainable and dignified way.
- Align departmental resources to better serve Canadians.
Evaluation findings
The evaluation team confirmed through interviews, analysis of public opinion research, educator feedback evaluations and program intake that the Canada Remembers Program continues to address a need, with opportunities to evolve to reach more Veterans and Canadians. The program aligns with Government of Canada goals and priorities and also with VAC’s mandate to “promote recognition and remembrance of the achievements and sacrifices of those who served Canada in times of war, military conflict, and peace”.
To support the evolution of the Canada Remembers Program a costed operational plan connected to the strategic vision needs to be developed. The plan should clearly identify key priorities (e.g., 3 to 5), roles and responsibilities, resources required, and oversight and monitoring needs to be developed. Designating initiatives as departmental projects would allow for project management oversight and support.
Performance measures in the Performance Information Profile (PIP) for the program are being collected and key measures are publicly reported in the annual Departmental Results Report. Although progress towards outcomes is measured and overall is being achieved the PIP needs updating to better reflect the program and its evolution. For example, the program can incorporate Gender Based Analysis plus (GBA and align measures to the future direction of commemorative programming.
VAC is responsible for the stewardship of 14 national historic sites in Europe (nine in France, four in Belgium and one in the United Kingdom). Two of the sites in France, the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial off programming for visitors. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Vimy and Beaumont-Hamel ranked in the top ten most visited Canadian National Historic Sites. Vimy was second only to the Quebec Fortifications and Beaumont-Hamel was ranked seventh. Together these sites attracted an annual average of 932,349 visitors over the time period under evaluation (2017-18 to 2020-21).
European Operations’ roles, responsibilities and core functions include:
- Preserving and conserving the memorials, 290 acres of forest, battlefields, original First World War tunnels and trenches;
- Curating the experience of close to 900,000 visitors – continual rotation of museum-grade exhibits; and
- Managing real property of 18 buildings, 10 fleet vehicles, 60-year old septic fields, IT infrastructure, etc.
The evaluation team compared full-time equivalent staffing levels at VAC’s two national historic sites Vimy and Beaumont Hamel with two Parks national historic sites that had similar visitation rates (Halifax Citadel in Nova Scotia and Fort Langley in British Columbia). Maintenance workers and students were excluded from the comparison as they are typically part-time or under contract as in the case of maintenance work for VAC. This comparison used the VAC organizational chart for European Operations and the Government Electronic Directory site for Parks. Overall VAC has seven full time equivalent (FTE) staff focused on their two national historic sites while Parks Canada has 27.Footnote 1 Additionally, Parks Canada has regional field units that offer further support and expertise to the sites, another 75 staff.
VAC’s 2018 Overarching Commemoration Evaluation stated there is a need for “stable long-term funding to allow for efficient planning and implementation . . . to ensure the ongoing commemorative integrity of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial and the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial.” The evaluation team learned from key informant interviews that ongoing stable funding remains a challenge as noted in the last departmental evaluation. Capital investments are needed to conserve the memorials and support infrastructure.
The Commemoration Division relies heavily on operating funds to deliver core elements of the Canada Remembers Program, including European Operations. This presents a risk that core programming could be affected if departmental operating funds are reduced. Also, since operating funds are requested through annual internal integrated business planning, funding levels to meet conservation and visitor experience objectives could be re-allocated based on other departmental needs.
Recommendation #1
The Assistant Deputy Minister, Commemoration and Public Affairs Branch:
- Develop a costed operational plan that clearly identifies resources and technical tools/enhancements required to support the delivery of initiatives within the Commemoration strategic plan or vision. The plan should include European Operations requirements for conservation and visitor experience.
- Implement the operational plan and where required, pursue:
- increasing physical and technical capacity to better manage and deliver projects and initiatives; and
- securing stable long-term funding to efficiently plan and implement day-to-day work in Canada Remembers including European Operations.
Recommendation #2
The Director General, Commemoration Division review and revise the Canada Remembers Program Performance Information Profile (including the logic model) to ensure:
- Activities, outcomes, targets, tools and data sources are updated, and align to the strategic vision for Commemoration;
- Outcomes and performance indicators are developed specific to overseas memorial sites (National Historic Sites), including cultural integrity, conservation and visitor experience; and
- Performance indicators measure the program’s success in supporting reconciliation efforts and incorporate Gender Based Analysis plus.
Recommendation #3
The Director General, Commemoration Division strengthen internal partnerships (Real Property, Procurement, IT, and Policy) to establish clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities to better support the Commemoration Division, including the European Operations Directorate.