Statement from Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan, and Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Kent Hehr, to recognize the children of military families

April 19, 2017 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

“April is the Month of the Military Child. This presents us with the opportunity to consider the unique circumstances faced by the children of our Canadian women and men in uniform, and the children of Veterans.

“Military families make sacrifices to keep Canada safe. They have to contend with separation from loved ones, and continual change. The adults in the family may be frequently absent, on deployments, training, or exercises. This can be difficult for the children in the home.

“The Department of National Defence (DND) and Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) have worked hard over the years to put in place resources to support our military families. At the same time, greater understanding from the broader community, such as from family doctors and educators, is helping children to cope with the experiences of military life.

“There are over 32 Military Family Resource Centres (MFRCs) located at bases and wings in Canada, along with service points in the U.S., and Europe, providing Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) families with programs and services, information, and referrals to local services and agencies. The MFRCs offer special programs for children, such as deployment workshops and emergency childcare in times of crisis. It was announced in Budget 2017 that the Veteran Family Program would give medically released Veterans and their families access to the programs and services at MFRCs.

“Since 1947, the CAF’s Children's Education Management program has been reducing the impact of relocation on schooling for military families both at home and overseas. If a child’s parent tragically dies as a result of their military service, VAC provides eligible students with educational assistance in the form of monthly support for up to four years, or 36 academic months of educational study. Since 2008, over 2,000 children of CAF personnel have participated in the Support Our Troops National Summer Camps.

“This month, join us in paying tribute to the children of military families for their character and courage. They too are heroes, just like the adults in their lives.”

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Additional Information

Information and resources for CAF members and their families can be found at www.CAFconnection.ca

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Minister of National Defence Video Message for the Month of the Military Child

Contacts

Jordan Owens
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-3100
Email: Jordan.Owens@forces.gc.ca

Sarah McMaster
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 613-996-4649