Minister of Veterans Affairs (Canada)

The minister of veterans affairs is a member of the Cabinet of Canada and the minister of the Crown responsible for Veterans Affairs Canada. Since 2015, the minister has concurrently been appointed the associate minister of national defence.
VAC is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for administering benefits for members and veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and their family members and caregivers.

History

The position was created in the Canadian Cabinet in 1944. The Department of Veterans Affairs was created out of the Department of Pensions and National Health, and was given the responsibility of administering benefits for war veterans. Its first responsibility was assisting in the reintegration of demobilized soldiers into civilian life and assisting them with health care, education, employment, income support, and pensions.
The department is largely responsible for medical care, rehabilitation, and disability pensions and awards for veterans. Appeals from departmental decisions on disability pensions and awards are presented by veterans to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; Veterans Affairs Canada provides veterans appearing before the Board with the assistance of lawyers from the semi-autonomous Bureau of Pensions Advocates free of charge.

Key:
Prior to 1944, the responsibilities of the current Veterans Affairs portfolio were part of the now-defunct post of Minister of Pensions and National Health.

Many ministers, all of whom were officers, have had prior military experience. The posting does not, however, require prior military service.

Name	Branch	Notable units	Rank	Service period
Milton Fowler Gregg	Canadian Army	Royal Canadian Regiment, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada	Brigadier	World War I, World War II
Hugues Lapointe	Canadian Army	Régiment de la Chaudière	Lieutenant colonel	World War II
Gordon Churchill	Canadian Army	1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment	Lieutenant colonel	World War I, World War II
Marcel Lambert	Canadian Army	King's Own Calgary Regiment	Lieutenant colonel	World War II
Roger Teillet	Royal Canadian Air Force	No. 35 Squadron RAF	Flight lieutenant	World War II
Daniel J. MacDonald	Canadian Army -	The Prince Edward Island Highlanders, Cape Breton Highlanders	Lieutenant colonel	World War II
Allan McKinnon	Canadian Army	Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry	Major	World War II
Gilles Lamontagne	Royal Canadian Air Force	425 Bomber Squadron	Flight lieutenant	World War II
George Hees	Canadian Army	5th Canadian Infantry Brigade	Brigade major	World War II
Gerald Merrithew	Canadian Army	Royal New Brunswick Regiment	Lieutenant colonel	Militia pre-1970s
Fred Mifflin	Royal Canadian Navy	,, deputy commander – Maritime Command	Rear admiral	Cold War 1954–1987
Erin O'Toole	Royal Canadian Air Force	423 Maritime Helicopter Squadron, 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron	Captain	1991–2000s
Harjit Sajjan	Canadian Army	The British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own)	Lieutenant-colonel	1989–2015