RCMP Veteran's Association / Association des Vétéran de la GRC

Here to serve those who have served

The RCMP Veterans’ Association (RCMPVA) has been in existence since 1886. It was incorporated under the name Royal Northwest Mounted Police Veterans’ Association by Letters Patent under the Companies Act on January 14, 1924, and steps were taken on December 1, 1954 to change the Association’s name to reflect the present-day name of the Force.

Purposes and objectives of the association

The Association came into being out of a recognition that the training, experience and comradery that members had obtained/developed during their active service, could still be put to very meaningful use in individual and collective service to Canada, the Force and other former members (or members of their immediate families and their dependents). That worthwhile precept, is still current today. To that end, the Association continues to subscribe to the following worthy purposes and objects in its Constitution:

to promote and assist in the promotion and advancement of the best interests of Canada;
to be of service to the Government of Canada when required and requested;
to co-operate with and to render assistance to the Police, especially the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in all matters of common interest or concern;
to promote the physical, social and economic welfare of the Association’s members or the members of their immediate families;
to provide support to worthy community services or organizations of a charitable or benevolent nature.

How the association functions

Policies and objectives of the Association are usually determined at its annual general meetings. The Board of Directors is the governing authority between general meetings. In addition, it is the responsibility of the Board of Directors to administer and manage the affairs of the Association on a day to day basis.

To assist the Board of Directors, as well as Divisions of the Association and the general public, the Association maintains a National Office which is usually staffed during normal work hours (Ottawa time). Being conveniently located in the Headquarters complex of the Force, the National Office is thus able to maintain a vital and close liaison with the Force.

The RCMP Veterans’ Association Foundation

In March 1969, the RCMP Veterans’ Association (Association) established its charitable arm, known as the RCMP Veterans’ Association Benefit Trust Fund (RCMPVA BTF). It was provided with a charitable organization business registration number by Revenue Canada (RC), as well as the accompanying rights of a registered charity, in particular, the right to issue income tax receipts for donations.

Purposes

Registered with CRA the RCMP Veterans’ Association Foundation operates with the following six purposes:

to relieve poverty by providing financial assistance to current or former RCMP members or employees and/or their immediate families and/or their dependents who by reason of their circumstances are in need of financial assistance;
to relieve conditions associated with disability by providing financial assistance to current or former RCMP members or employees and/or their immediate families and/or their dependents who by reason of their disability are in need of residential modifications or mobility assistance;
to provide grief support for current or former RCMP members or employees and/or their immediate families and/or their dependents on the death, injury, or displacement of serving RCMP members or employees in the performance of their duty;
to provide a public amenity by establishing and maintaining memorial structures and/or cemeteries for the public, of current RCMP members or employees who were killed in the performance of their duty, with a view to commemorating the event and/or the fallen individuals and educating the public about them;
to advance education by providing publicly available scholarships, bursaries, and other forms of financial assistance to youth from communities that are under-represented in the RCMP, so that such youth can obtain the educational requirements for becoming an RCMP member or employee; and
to receive and maintain a fund or funds and to apply all or part of the principal and income therefrom, from time to time, to qualified donees as defined in subsection 149.1(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).

If you know of an eligible, worthy person you are encouraged to contact the association for assistance.

More info here.

The Force and the Association

The Force’s post-discharge responsibilities to former members are generally limited to ensuring that entitlements earned during one’s service are fully paid. While the Association takes a great deal of satisfaction out of its excellent rapport with the Force over the years, it also recognizes that enhancement to existing post-discharge benefits, must often be generated outside the Force, for the reason that the Force’s focus is primarily on serving members. The Force recognizes the Association as a credible advocate for the interests of former members. To retain that important status with the Force, it is vital that the Association be seen as truly representing former members, and this can best be achieved through strong and growing membership.