Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay says eliminating the backlog is his top priority and the department is trying to move files along faster.

"Many of our veterans live alone in long-term care facilities. This Valentine's Day, they'd love to hear from you. It would mean so very much."

Accurate data about the number of homeless veterans in Canada remains elusive, but various studies peg the number at between 3,000 and 5,000 people, about 10 per cent of them women.

Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan was named minister of fisheries, oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

MacAulay notes that veterans suffer chronic pain at twice the rate of "normal" citizens.

The Sentinels program at Montreal's Old Brewery Mission was one of 22 organizations awarded funding to support Canadian veterans and their families.

Minister of Veteran Affairs announced Thursday that VETS Canada will receive $840,000 for its Beacon of Hope program that helps support homeless veterans

The decision by the National Capital Commission on Thursday ends years of bickering over where the memorial should be located

The boots arrived on Monday evening to an official welcome at the Halifax Via Rail Canada train station after travelling more than 5,000 kilometres across Canada and stopping in more than 17 communities.

More than one-third of the total had been in the queue longer than 16 weeks, new figures show.