The opposition is demanding that Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino resign, in the wake of a damning report about Ottawa鈥檚 treatment of mentally ill veterans.

, NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair said Fantino鈥檚 absence from the House since the auditor general鈥檚 report was released last week was an act of 鈥渃owardice鈥� and a 鈥渄ereliction of duty.鈥�

鈥淪o will the minister for once do the honourable thing and resign?鈥� .

Fantino, who was in Italy last week for Second World War commemoration events, replied by touting the Conservative government鈥檚 鈥渟ignificant improvements鈥� to mental health programs for veterans and their families.

Auditor General Michael Ferguson which found that 80 per cent of veterans face an eight-month wait to find out if they are eligible for physical and mental health benefits. That鈥檚 twice as long as the four-month standard set out by Veterans Affairs.

Ferguson鈥檚 report also highlighted a 鈥渃omplex and time-consuming鈥� application process for disability benefits. The report attributed many of the delays to Veterans Affairs鈥� slow approach.

Monday was the first time Fantino attended question period since the report was released. Mulcair and Liberal House Leader Ralph Goodale slammed Fantino鈥檚 absence and said he should step down. 

Goodale said the Veterans Affairs portfolio has been 鈥済rossly mismanaged鈥� and Prime Minister Stephen Harper must take responsibility.

鈥淲ill the prime minister fire this failed minister?鈥� Goodale asked.

Mulcair also took Fantino to task for announcing $200 million for mental health initiatives over six years, when the money will actually be doled out over five decades. 

Fantino accused the opposition of exploiting veterans with 鈥渇ear-mongering and mudslinging,鈥� while saying that the government is making 鈥渢angible improvements.鈥�

On CTV鈥檚 Power Play, NDP finance critic Nathan Cullen accused the Conservatives of 鈥渟hortchanging鈥� and 鈥渕isleading鈥� veterans when it comes to mental health funding.

Cullen said this is a 鈥渃ritical time鈥� for Veterans Affairs, with 40,000 soldiers with 鈥渟erious鈥� needs returning from Afghanistan. He questioned why Fantino is still Harper鈥檚 choice for the sensitive portfolio.

Conservative MP Scott Armstrong defended Fantino, saying the minister has 鈥渟tood up for veterans鈥� and championed programs to help them.

鈥淭here鈥檚 no need for the minister to resign,鈥� he told Power Play.