Nearly 1,736,500 men and women served in wartime for Canada during the First and Second World Wars and in Korea. Approximately 114,600 died and 227,000 were wounded as a result of war. Since then, Canadian Forces (CF) members have continued to proudly protect Canada's values at home and abroad. As of March 31, 2008, Canada's CF population totalled about 589,000. Canada has long recognized the hardship, suffering and sacrifice experienced by Veterans, Canadian Forces personnel, civilians and their families during our nation's periods of armed conflict and peacekeeping.

Veterans Affairs Canada exercises its mandate by offering programs and services to support the health and wellness of its clientele. In addition to the traditional war service Veterans from the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, which also include Merchant Navy Veterans, Canadian pre-war domiciled Allied Veterans, and certain civilians; Veterans Affairs Canada's clients include former and serving members of the Canadian Forces and eligible family members (survivors and dependants).

Veterans Affairs Canada also administers disability pension and health care benefits that still serving and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police are entitled to under the mandate of the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Service to Canadians is provided more broadly through Veterans Affairs Canada's remembrance activities, both in Canada and overseas.

Throughout the years, Veterans Affairs Canada has maintained a proud tradition of continually evolving to meet clients' changing needs. Since the needs of modern-day Canadian Forces members and Veterans were not being met by existing programs, in 2006 the Government of Canada enacted the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act.

This legislation has become known as the New Veterans Charter to distinguish it from the Veterans Charter of re-establishment programs introduced following the Second World War. The New Veterans Charter, which came into force on April 1, 2006, represents the most sweeping changes to Veterans' benefits and services in the past 60 years. The New Veterans Charter gives Canadian Forces Veterans and their families access to services and programs that are tailor-made for them.