Re-opening Saskatoon veterans affairs office is 'top priority' for new minister

Canada's new minister for veterans affairs has been told to make re-opening recently shuttered offices a top priority. A Saskatoon office of veterans affairs was among nine closed due to cuts by the previous Conservative government.

The direction was included in a letter from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to newly appointed Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr.

"I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes, including our first budget, to deliver on your top priorities," Trudeau wrote to Hehr.

Trudeau then listed a number of items he wanted to see addressed, including:

"Re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General's recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans."

Re-opening the nine closed offices — which provide essential support services to veterans — was a campaign promise of the Liberals after the Conservatives' controversial decision to shutter the offices was met with considerable criticism from veterans advocacy groups.