Question:
Who should Veterans be watching on the Veterans Affairs Committee this 45th Session of Parliament?
Answer:
When Parliament returns on September 15, 2025, Veterans should pay close attention to one MP in particular on the Veterans Affairs Committee – Bloc Québécois MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau. Her choices will, in large part, determine how Ottawa supports Veterans in the year ahead.
The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) has 10 MP members: Liberal Chair Marie-France Lalonde, who only votes in case of a tie; Parliamentary Secretary Sean Casey, who doesn’t vote; three voting Liberals (Tatiana Auguste, Shaun Chen, Alana Hirtle); four voting Conservatives (Blake Richards, Fraser Tolmie, Arnold Viersen, Cathay Wagantall); and one Bloc MP (Marie-Hélène Gaudreau). With no NDP representation due to their reduced seat numbers post-election, MP Gaudreau’s vote gives her significant influence over ACVA’s decisions.
Who is Bloc Québécois’s MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau?
New to ACVA, MP Gaudreau has represented Quebec’s Laurentides–Labelle since 2019. A seasoned MP, she previously served as the Vice-Chair of the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) and Procedure and House Affairs (PROC) committees. She now holds the Vice-Chair roles on ACVA and the Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) committees and sits on 18 parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups. Her combination of parliamentary experience and swing vote makes her a critical voice for Veterans, both in Quebec and nationwide.
Why Does a Swing Vote Matter?
When ACVA votes fall along party lines — three Liberals versus four Conservatives — MP Gaudreau’s single Bloc vote is decisive. If she sides with the Conservatives, they win 5–3; if she sides with the Liberals, the vote is tied 4–4 and the Liberal Chair breaks the tie. This gives her a unique ability to influence decisions affecting Veterans, particularly in Quebec. Here are four areas she could hope to champion this fall, blending Quebec perspectives on culture, accountability, and Veteran support:
1. Commemoration: Breaking the Logjams with Memorials
The Bloc has long championed monuments that help preserve cultural memories. One area where MP Gaudreau could quickly exert influence is in commemoration where she could:
• Push forward on the long-delayed Afghanistan War memorial, currently stalled over design disputes
• Address Veterans’ concerns about the Canadian Trees for Life Highway of Heroes monuments (see Esprit de Corps, Vol. 31, Issue 12)
• Advance a women Veterans’ memorial plan, as per the Invisible No More. The Experiences of Canadian Women Veterans report recommendations, in recognition of their over 100 years of service and sacrifice
2. Veteran Well-Being: A Cabinet Priority
Quality of life is a Quebec value. With Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight named to the new Cabinet Committee on Quality of Life and Well-Being, MP Gaudreau could:
• Ally with Liberals to study Francophone and Québécois Veterans’ needs, including access to French-language mental health services
• Advocate modernizing VAC’s seven-domain well-being framework (health, purpose, finances, social integration, life skills, housing, cultural environment) to better reflect the complex, real-life challenges today’s Veterans face
3. Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund: Evaluate Impact
Between 2018 and 2024, the Well-Being Fund invested $57 million in 150+ projects, with Budget 2024 adding an additional $14.4 million. MP Gaudreau could:
• Review fund allocations to ensure Quebec’s Veterans’ needs are met
• Press for oversight of project outcomes, potentially via an Auditor General audit
4. Chemical Exposures: A Hidden Battle
Quebec’s environmental health expertise could help drive action on this often overlooked but urgent issue. The Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN) heard testimony in late 2024 about the challenges for individuals to successfully prove to VAC or Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) that their diseases were due to various chemical exposures from working or living near known contaminated sites. MP Gaudreau could:
• Shift this issue to ACVA if NDDN’s study on this topic stalls
• Advocate for streamlined occupational disease-related claims at VAC (see TheNarwhal.ca Moose Jaw-related articles, VeteransWithCancer.ca and Invisible No More Report Recommendation 17)
Looking Ahead
With budgets tightening and talk of downsizing in the public service, ACVA faces tough choices ahead on where to focus efforts. Bloc MP Marie-Hélène Gaudreau’s vote will likely be decisive, making her the one to watch if Veterans hope to see Ottawa putting their needs and well-being first.
