Coming back from a two-day conference with new Veterans Affairs Minister Ken Hehr, advocate Bruce Moncur says Windsor should get its veterans affairs office back within a year.
Moncur, an Afghan war veteran, warns the government won't likely act on the file until March at the earliest.
"You need a few months to hire staff," he says. "Then there's going to be Christmas break, and then once Parliament comes together, you won't know anything until the budget."
Nine offices, including Windsor's, were closed by the previous federal government, forcing veterans to seek face-to-face interaction with government in London, but Moncur is quick to point out the work to reopen them started under former Conservative Veteran Affairs Minister Erin O'Toole.
He says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has sent Hehr a mandate letter with 14-points to improve services for veterans.
"They have officially stated what they want to do within the department, and what they want to do is amazing."
Moncur admits it was easy to get caught up in the optimism during the conference.
"And this is coming from somebody that worked for the NDP the last two years, so it gives you hope," he says. "At the same time you have to understand that the veterans were very clear in the fact that they're going to now hold the Liberal Party to account."
