only major federal department whose headquarters is located outside of Ottawa. Programs The department is largely responsible for medical care, rehabilitation, commemoration, and disability pensions and awards for Veterans. Appeals from departmental decisions on disability pensions and awards are presented by Veterans to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; mainly with the assistance of lawyers from the semi-autonomous Bureau of Pensions Advocates free of charge. Veterans' Bill of Rights In 2007, the Veterans' Bill of Rights was passed by the Harper government. The bill included a statement that Veterans Affairs Canada must show veterans respect. 2010 Privacy Breach In her October 2010 report, resulting from formal complaints made by a veteran of the 1991 Gulf War in Afghanistan, who had become a vocal critic of Veterans Affairs, federal Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart uncovered evidence of widespread privacy issues at the VAC. Her report found that the privacy former Captain Sean Bruyea, who had been medically-released from the military, had been violated by VAC when his "medical and financial details had been circulated" to numerous departmental officials, after he had criticized the New Veterans Charter and the way Afghanistan veterans were being treated by the government. Stoddart said that this was "deeply concerning" and a violation of the Privacy Act. A 2010 VFC conference call transcript revealed that a senior veterans official had responded to Bruyea's actions by saying, "It's time to take the gloves off." Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn, apologized on behalf of the Government of Canada for its privacy breach and settled the suit in November 2010. Christopher Garnier case In 2018, controversy arose when it was discovered that convicted murderer, Christopher Garnier, was receiving Veterans Affairs Canada funded treatment for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Garnier had been convicted of the 2015 murder of off-duty Police Constable Catherine Campbell in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The controversy stemmed from the fact Garnier had never served in the Canadian armed forces or RCMP and the PTSD was said to be brought on by the murder for which he was convicted. Garnier was eligible for Veterans Affairs Canada benefits as his father had served in the armed forces. Remembrance initiatives The Canada Remembers program is responsible for all war commemoration activities, such as Remembrance Day, and coordinates and funds various "pilgrimages" for Canadian war veterans to foreign battlefields and international ceremonies (e.g. the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands