Kent Hehr, Canada's Veterans Affairs minister, says jobs will return to P.E.I.
'Charlottetown is the headquarters, the heart of it all'
Canada's new Veterans Affairs minister says he has "every confidence" jobs will be returning to Veterans Affairs offices in Charlottetown.
"In terms of the staffing, the 400 staffers that we're going to add to our Veterans' Affairs, they're going to be stationed in places where they can get the most bang for their buck," Kent Hehr told CBC News: Compass host Bruce Rainnie on Friday.
"But let's face it, Charlottetown is the headquarters, the heart of it all, and I have every confidence that many of those new hires will be living and working right here in this community."
Hehr said the Liberals will reopen nine Veterans Affairs offices that were closed under the Conservative government — but he can't say where those offices will be located.
"We all know the Maritimes has played a substantive role in veterans' lives, and we intend to fulfil that platform with the reopening of those offices," he said.
"I can't list them all off here for you, but I have every confidence that we're going to open those offices in a timely manner and get veterans the services they need."
An official within the department confirmed late Friday afternoon that the offices will be reopening in the same cities.
The Liberal government, Hehr said, is committed to fulfilling the promises it made during the campaign.
"We think it's a platform that can be delivered on, and we expect Canadians and veterans to hold our feet to the fire on those promises we have made."