Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

House of Commons

Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA)

In November 2020, the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs tabled its 3^rd report, Backlog of Disability Benefit Claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The report took the form of a single line statement, which expressed to the House of Commons the committee’s disappointment in the backlog of applications for Veterans’ disability benefits and requested that the government respond.

• Report 3 - Backlog of Disability Benefit Claims at the Department of Veterans Affairs was presented in the House on November 25, 2020.
  • The Government Response to the Committee was tabled on March 25, 2021, and outlined some of the main initiatives developed to reduce wait times.

In December 2020, the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs tabled its 4^th report, Clearing the Jam: Addressing the Backlog of Disability Benefit Claims at Veterans Affairs Canada. The report examined the causes of the backlog of disability benefit claims at Veterans Affairs Canada and provided recommendations on how the government might resolve the ongoing backlog challenges.

• Report 4 - Clearing the Jam: Addressing the Backlog of Disability Benefit Claims at Veterans Affairs Canada was presented in the House on December 11, 2020.
  • The Government Response to the Committee was tabled on March 25, 2021, and provided a themed response on the progress made to address concerns.

Standing Committee on Public Accounts (PACP)

In February 2021, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled its 11^th report, Request for Government Response to the 70th Report from the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session: Call Centres, Report 1 of the 2019 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada. The Auditor General’s report examined whether Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and Veterans Affairs Canada provided clients with accessible and timely call centre services, and whether these departments reported on their call centre performance in a way that was relevant to clients, was transparent and consistent, and was verified to confirm accuracy. Veterans Affairs Canada shared responsibility for two of the recommendations, alongside ESDC and IRCC.

• Report 11 - Request for Government Response to the 70th Report from the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session: Call Centres, Report 1 of the 2019 Spring Reports of the Auditor General of Canada was presented in the House on February 18, 2021.
  • The Government Response to the Committee was tabled by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat on June 17, 2021, and provided responses to the recommendations organized by department.

Standing Committee on Status of Women (FEWO)

In March 2021, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women tabled its 5^th report, Request for Government Response to the 18th Report from the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session: A Force for Change: Creating a Culture of Equality for Women in the Canadian Armed Forces. The report examined the treatment of women within the Department of National Defence and provided recommendations, one of which related to Veterans.

• Report 5 - Request for Government Response to the 18th Report from the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session: A Force for Change: Creating a Culture of Equality for Women in the Canadian Armed Forces was presented in the House on March 22, 2021.
  • A government response is due by July 20, 2021.

Senate

There were no Senate committee reports requiring a response by Veterans Affairs Canada in 2020–21.

There were no audits in 2020–21 requiring a response.

There were no audits in 2020–21 requiring a response.