Gord Johns

“Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise early on a Thursday morning. There is no doubt in my mind that I knew that my hon. colleague would show up for this early show. I appreciate this opportunity to speak today on the government’s behalf as we debate the very important issue of veteran employment. The Corps of Commissionaires has a long history with the Government of Canada, going back to 1945 when it began providing security guard services in federally owned or operated buildings across the country. Back then, with thousands of veterans returning from the Second World War, it was crucial for the federal government to help them translate their military skills into stable employment, while also meeting growing security needs across federal sites. The Corps of Commissionaires addressed these dual issues as one. Its members were largely former service personnel whose training, discipline and experience made them ideally suited to safeguard federal properties and infrastructure. Thus was born the arrangement to give the Commissionaires priority access to federal guarding contracts, commonly called the right of first refusal, RFR. This reflected a post-war commitment to veteran reintegration delivered through the practical tools of federal procurement. On April 1, 2023, Veterans Affairs Canada implemented the policy of procurement of guard services to continue the RFR until March 31, 2026. During these years, VAC completed a reassessment of the policy and its requirements, engaged with stakeholders and evaluated the RFR’s continued relevance in supporting veteran employment. The policy was then extended for one more year, until March 31, 2027, with the understanding that it would end as of April 1 next year. It is important to note that one of the main stipulations of the arrangement is that veterans are to work a minimum of 60% of all hours worked under RFR contracts. Since at least 2013 to 2014, the corps has not been meeting the standard. Reports it has regularly submitted have confirmed a continuous decline in the number of veterans working under the RFR and that they are well below the required 60% benchmark. In fact, in Q1 of the 2025-26 fiscal year, that number had fallen to only 27%. The RFR was designed to respond to a very specific post-war context that has evolved considerably over the past 80 years. The government must therefore ensure that its approach to veteran employment reflects today’s realities. We know that veterans are highly skilled. They are highly capable individuals whose service and experiences are assets to Canada’s labour market. We want to keep tapping into that potential in ways that reflect the full range of opportunities available to veterans today. Veterans Affairs Canada has a national veterans employment strategy for this very reason. It brings government employers and partners together so that veterans can better connect with meaningful employment opportunities and so that employers can better understand the skills that veterans can bring to our businesses. The department also supports targeted initiatives that provide education, training and career transition services to ensure that veterans are equipped to succeed across a wide range of sectors in today’s economies, whether that is defence, technology, logistics or in security roles on federal properties. This approach reflects a continued commitment to veteran employment that recognizes the evolving nature of both the labour market and the needs of those who have served. The government will continue to work with partners, including the Corps of Commissionaires, to support veteran employment in meaningful ways.”