In addition to our long-term work for Veterans,
which has produced substantial gains, CPVA has a number of notable organizational strengths such as an effective governance, and democratic representation of all members.

Below is a summary of some of the Association’s achievements and capabilities:

• CPVA’s proposal in the late 1990’s led to the establishment of the VAC-Canadian Forces Advisory Council, the first forum established by VAC to allow CAF (modern-day) Veterans organizations to participate equally at the table with the traditional Veterans organizations.

• CPVA, in its thirty-plus years of existence, has provided the Canadian Veterans community with focused, knowledgeable, innovative and cooperative leadership. This leadership has reached far beyond our own membership and has expressed itself in many ways, ways that have benefited all Canadian Veterans. The Veterans Bill of Rights, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the 1-800VAC assistance line, the Veteran’s Ombudsman, and the 9th of August National Peacekeepers’ Day being just five achievements of such benefits. Representatives of CPVA has also provided expert representation to, and testmony before Parliamentary Standing Committees on Veterans Affairs and National Defence and Security on Veterans and Peacekeeping issues.

• CPVA has consistently worked cooperatively, albeit without always being in agreement, with the Minister of Veterans Affairs and senior VAC staff, providing them with innovative suggestions on a wide variety of topics. Topics such as a comprehensive method of validating VAC’s statistics, rational and reasonable ideas on how to resolve the on-going issue of cash versus disability pension, and other ways to improve the NVC and VAC support to Veterans. The Association has always provided strong membership and leadership to numerous VAC committees, working and advisory groups, NVC regulatory discussions, and so on. At present, the CPVA is amember of the VAC Stakeholders Committee. CPVA, alone amongst Veterans associations, has taken the initiative to recognize the VAC staff for good support and service to Veterans with its outstanding national and regional service awards program.

• Working with other stakeholders, CPVA led the effort to commemorate and celebrate the 75th anniversary of peacekeeping in 2023, highlighted by a commemoration service at the National War Memorial on 29 May 2023. More here...

CPVA’s steady and active leadership to the Canadian Veterans community, while avoiding public confrontation with VAC, has earned it a reputation for being a straight-shooting Veterans organization that has a proven and recognized capacity to reach far beyond its own membership to influence events and activities affecting all Canadian Veterans. CPVA is a staunch member of the Veterans Consultation Assembly and fully supports the collective initiatives of about twenty Veterans groups.

CPVA is also the only Canadian Veterans organization recognized by the Norwegian Nobel Committee to issue the 1988 Nobel Peace Prize Diploma to deserving Veterans.

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An updated Constitution and By-Laws was adopted at the Annual General Meeting held on 15 October 2023. It can be found here.