The Royal Canadian Legion strongly supports Veteran
research through financial support and through our
advocacy efforts
The challenges facing Veterans, including serving military and RCMP members, both while serving and after
release, are widespread and have uniquely developed through the roles and responsibilities they take on while in
service. Research into health conditions related to serving military personnel and Veterans has been lacking in
Canada for some time and is needed to keep pace with a changing demographic of service personnel and the
situations that they are called into. Research is also needed in the areas of diagnosis, treatment, management of
illness and disabilities and the long-term impact of prescribed treatment of options.
Ongoing, focused research is critical for the care and support of Canada’s
Veterans, and the Legion supports a variety of research initiatives.
Primary advocacy position(s) on this issue:
• That the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) establishes Veterans as a priority subpopulation
group for research to ensure that funding is allocated to meet the needs of military and Veteran health
research in Canada.
• Promote academic research (physical and mental health, women Veteran's health) to support an
integrated, equitable approach to establish VAC entitlement eligibility guidelines.
• Government must undertake research into mefloquine and its side effects and ensure those who were
given the drug are aware of the potential side effects and receive the proper diagnosis and care they deserve.
• Research is needed to understand the increase in medical marijuana prescriptions, the efficacy of
cannabinoid-based therapy, and the full financial implications of reimbursement. As well, the medical
community must establish effective policies and standards to prescribe, treat and monitor patients using
medical marijuana to ensure the care and wellbeing of Canada’s Veterans.
• The Legion had been advocating for national standards for psychiatric service dogs. These standards are
essential in creating greater accountability of those who train service animals, will help ensure the safety of
the person with the disability as well as the animal, and will strengthen public trust in the service dog
community.
• The Legion supports the inclusion of a new question on the next short form census in 2021 to help identify
Regular and Reserve Force Veterans in Canada, and inform future policies and programs.