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Bill C-61

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RECOMMENDATION

His Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act to amend the War Veterans Allowance Act, the Pension Act, the Merchant Navy Veteran and Civilian War-related Benefits Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act and the Halifax Relief Commission Pension Continuation Act and to amend certain other Acts in consequence thereof''.

SUMMARY

This enactment amends various Acts governing veterans' benefits. Specifically, it

    (a) amends the Pension Act to allow survivors of disability pensioners to benefit from assessment increases within the 0% to 47% range, and clarifies provisions governing the effective date of increases in survivors' pensions;

    (b) extends eligibility under the Pension Act for attendance allowance to prisoner-of-war compensation recipients, and allows them to receive exceptional incapacity allowance if the combined total of their disability pension and compensation is equal to or exceeds a 100% disability pension;

    (c) transfers provisions governing merchant navy veterans from the Merchant Navy Veteran and Civilian War-related Benefits Act to the same Acts that provide benefits to armed forces veterans, namely the Pension Act and the War Veterans Allowance Act, and clarifies these provisions;

    (d) defers the deadline for termination of war veterans allowance payments to allied veterans residing outside Canada;

    (e) extends the regulation-making authority of the Minister of Veterans Affairs under the Department of Veterans Affairs Act with respect to gravemarkers, funerals and burials;

    (f) effects minor amendments to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act; and

    (g) provides for the continuation of Halifax explosion pension payments from the Consolidated Revenue Fund when the Halifax 1917 Explosion Pension Account is depleted.