Minister Fantino Focussing on Veterans' Transition to Civilian Life

OTTAWA, Sept. 20, 2013 /CNW/ - The Honourable Julian Fantino, Minister of Veterans Affairs, is taking time this week and next to focus on Veterans' transition to civilian life, a key priority for the Government of Canada. By meeting with Veterans, key stakeholders and public and private sector leaders he is working to help partners strive together toward this common goal.

"Our Government understands the importance of the successful transition of our military Veterans and so do our valuable partners," said Minister Fantino. "Helping Veterans start new careers when they leave the military is a goal we all share and we need to work together to learn from each other on this important topic."

Yesterday, Minister Fantino and Parm Gill, the newly-appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, attended the fourth annual Veterans on Bay Street event hosted by the Treble Victor Group (external link, site available in English only). The organization's mission is to enable former military professionals to achieve their full potential in the marketplace by creating unique opportunities to network and develop mentorships with community business leaders.

"Events such as these are crucial in helping Veterans to successfully transition to fulfilling careers outside the military," added the Minister. "I would like to pay tribute to those in the private sector who are reaching out to Canada's Veterans, helping them transition to civilian life and enabling them to keep leading and contributing to the great country that they served so proudly in uniform."

Next week, Minister Fantino will travel overseas to London to join public and private sector leaders from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and France, at the Multinational Symposium on Veteran Transition hosted by Canada's True Patriot Love Foundation. The two-day symposium will serve as a launching point for a multinational dialogue to address Veteran transition issues faced by all nations.

Later next week, Minister Fantino will meet with representatives of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers during its leadership conference in Ottawa. At this meeting, he will be speaking about some of the Government of Canada's recent efforts to support Veterans in finding employment after their military service has ended, including:

• the Hire a Veteran partnership between Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) and corporate Canada, which helps to connect Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces with job opportunities in the private sector; and
• the Helmet to Hardhats initiative, which helps Veterans find good, rewarding jobs in the trades and construction industry.

These meetings will build upon the Veterans Transition Action Plan launched by the Government last fall. The plan consists of new measures for cutting red tape for Veterans, enhancements to service delivery, post-military career opportunities for Veterans, ground-breaking research on the needs of releasing Canadian Armed Forces personnel, and enhanced cultural awareness.

More information on the benefits and services provided by Veterans Affairs Canada can be found at veterans.gc.ca.

Veterans Affairs Canada's support and services offer the right care at the right time to get the best result for the new generation of Veterans and their families. Find out more at veterans.gc.ca.

SOURCE: Veterans Affairs Canada