DEFINITION OF A VETERAN

There has never been a definition of a veteran, prior to year 2000 for the Legion and year 2001 for Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). Even the Pension Act did not have a definition for them!

Accordingly, at the 26 of November 1999 Sub-Executive meeting, a motion was introduced to adopt a definition of a veteran which reads as follows:

“A veteran is any person who is serving or who has served in the Armed Forces of Canada, the Commonwealth or its wartime allies or;
who has served in the Merchant Navy or Ferry Command during wartime”.

This was eventually drafted into a resolution, approved by the Dominion Executive Council DEC and the 38th Dominion Convention held in Halifax in June year 2000.

As for the Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), they adopted a definition of a veteran in year 2001 which read as follows:

“VAC and the Department of National Defence (DND) have extended veteran status to former Canadian Forces members and Reserve Force members who:
meet DND’s Military Occupational Classification requirements (MOC qualified); and
have been released from the Forces with an Honourable Discharge”.

LEGION STATEMENT ON THE NEW VETERANS CHARTER

http://www.legion.ca/News/05_Apr25_e.cfm