P.E.I. Senator Percy Downe is hopeful the role of the Department of Veterans Affairs will be expanded in the future even though the numbers of veterans continue to decline.
Downe said the national headquarters in Charlottetown is not only vital for veterans themselves, but the economy of the province.

"Veterans Affairs is very important for the work they do for veterans, their dependents and current Canadian Forces members,'' Downe said following a presentation by Veterans Affairs Canada to the Senate sub-committee on Veterans Affairs in Charlottetown on Tuesday.

"It's also very important to Charlottetown where they have a large number of employees in Charlottetown - 1,200 people last year worked at the department. They have an annual payroll of $68 million.''

Jack Stagg, deputy minister for Veterans Affairs, and Brian Ferguson, assistant deputy, would only reassure Downe so far, saying there were no plans to downsize or upsize the department.

"He indicated he saw no change,'' Downe said. "I'm hopeful with the new veterans, the increasing number of opportunities for the department and the expertise they've built up on veterans' benefits (and) disabilities.

"(I hope) that they will take over more responsibility for RCMP and current Canadian Forces members and that this will increase the number of employees at the department.''

Stagg said the department will be quite busy over the coming year considering 2005 has officially been proclaimed Year of the Veteran to commemorate, among other things, the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

"We're asking Canadians to surrender their time and their hearts and recognize the sacrifice our veterans have made,'' Stagg said in testimony before the Senate sub-committee.

The Canadian government is flying Hong Kong veterans and prisoners of war over to Canada at its expense.

Ottawa also has plans to fly 100 Canadian veterans, as well as their caregivers, over to Holland.

And, a seven-foot remembrance will be erected on Parliament Hill to honour veterans who have died since the end of the Second World War. A travel subsidy of $1,000 will be paid to veterans wishing to attend ceremonies in the Netherlands to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the country's liberation.

There also exists the possibility of an aboriginal pilgrimage to the First World War battlegrounds.

Robert Mercer, executive director of Canada Remembers, told the committee government plans on declaring a National Peacekeeping Day this year.

Mercer said plans also call for the opening of the Canadian War Museum on May 8, a VJ Day in mid-August to commemorate Victory Day, banners honouring veterans to fly across the country and brief vignettes to play in movie theatres.

Darragh Mogan, executive director of the service and program modernization task force for Veterans Affairs, told the committee that programs and services for veterans need to focus on wellness, rehabilitation, supporting individuals, providing one-time disability rewards.

"Too many are not making a successful transition to civilian life,'' Mogan said.

"Pension encourages unwellness. If a person has a disability we either ignore it or give it a pension.''