Senator Busson: Thank you, Minister Blair. As you know, many spouses, both male and female, face difficult financial distress, even homelessness, because of this rule. I hope you will take a personal commitment to make sure that this is properly addressed by your government and by Veterans Affairs.

Hon. Bev Busson: Minister Blair, it’s good to see you again. For as long as I’ve been a veteran, and long before that, there has been a policy at Veterans Affairs Canada that a spouse of a veteran married after 60 years of age cannot be eligible for the survivor benefits after the veteran’s death that a spouse married before age 60 is entitled to.

Your government has long acknowledged this injustice and ignores the longevity of these relationships today, often marked by loving caregiving for the veteran in their later years. This misogynistic policy has been called the “gold digger’s rule” and relates to veterans of both the RCMP and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Minister Blair, will you encourage the government to rectify this harmful and archaic rule?