Canadian Veterans Advocacy

Saturday, March 28, 2015

New announcement: Warning Order. Monday March 30th - O'toole's Announcement

Warning Order. Monday - O'toole's Announcement

No exceptions No exclusion. No denial.

This is what I am hearing. The Harper Government is going to to to address the grotesque disparities in equality the New Veterans Charter accorded the valiant with the Pain and Suffering Lump Sum Award instead of the Pension Act provisions that I and a vast percentage of Canada's wound.

There will be 70 k top up, but only for those deemed seriously wounded.

There are those who will argue that any improvement is a good thing, and to some extent, I do agree. The fact that the Harper Government has now acknowledged they have financially denied NVC veterans is a significant step forward, that they would try to resolve this issue prior to an election testament to the effectiveness our, and others, campaign has been effective.

And now that the government is moving on these issues, it is more important than ever that we stand for the equality standards we have united and the Canadian Veterans Advocacy has been created to foster; to ensure that any positive developments apply to ALL wrongfully affected veterans, that there is equality for ALL, including Canada's most seriously wounded. Those who's sacrifice has been acknowledged through the Pain and Suffering LSA should be treated equally, the top up, pro rated to the percentage awarded, should be provided to EVERY VETERAN WHO RECEIVED A LUMP SUM AWARD under the new veterans Charter.

How can a government acknowledge serious flaws, in this instance, financial recognition for a lifetime of pain and suffering, then provide solutions that deliberately exclude ninety percent of veterans affected by this unjust award?

I am also concerned at the amount that was selected, as it indicates that the government has embraced the Legions, ANAVETS, National Councils of Veterans Orgs, the UN, NATO and Aboriginal groups proposals that would equate the Sacred Obligation Pain and Suffering Award for National Sacrifice on the killing fields of Afghanistan, the National War Memorial, the horror of Iraq or any other conflicts Mr Harper decides to send troops into Harm's Way to the 350 k workplace negligence award in Ontario.

This is not negligence, Mr Harper and his majority have purposefully sent Canada's sons and daughters into Harm's Way. How can they compare the sacrifice they have offered on the NATION's to negligence on the civiulain work site? No respect. For the wounded or the of the principles that has made this great nation strong, proud and free.

This has been my worse nightmare and I have spoken of these fears often in the past, that the government would use the Royal Canadian legion and those they have assembled under their umbrella through the Legion Consultation Group as shields to deny justice, to deny equality. They refuse to embrace the wounded/CVA's quest for equality, even though I have spoken to their presidents at these consultation meetings of the need to unite behind the wounded and the principles they have established, not stand against them by proposing standards that do not reflect their wishes, that would have the audacity to disrespectfully compare blood in war to blood in an accident at home.

EXCLUSION, DENIAL.

That they would exclude the thousands of NVC pain and suffering award clients that are not deemed "Seriously" incapacitated does not reflect the justice, the fairness that Minister O'Toole would speak to when defining the recent initiatives. There are serious flaws in each of the proposals to date that deliberately exclude those who are in pan and deserve to be recognized, despite the fact they may not be "considered" seriously injured by the departments selective and very restrictive criteria. Jennifer M, for example, does not qualify for the caregivers allowance, caring for a suicidal veteran 24/7 does not fulfill the criteria. Nor have they, as she has so desperately fought for, provided her the tools for her and thousands of family members to cope.

On the RiSB (retirement proposal) we have yet, despite promises to do so, been told whether pre NVC clients will have the Pain and Suffering award included in the determinations, contrary to the Manuge lawsuit. We think that including an allowance (PIA) designed to recognize additional need when the veterans is being covered at 75% is disingenuous, if anything, the allowance will be vital to quality of life should the equation, as it will for most of the lower ranks, ergo, the majority of the wounded, will be relegated to the anti poverty threshold. Neither the Pain and Suffering Award or the Permanent Impairment Allowance can be included in any RISB determinations, neither are income supplements, to include them will only impose hardship on the disabled and negate the spirit in which they were provided.

The CVA will engage on the equality standards, every program they have brought forward has serious flaws that negate participation by a vast majority of the wounded and disabled veterans. We hope, with your support, to raise these issues to a level dictating discourse and resolution prior to legislation being put forward.

The needs of the few to not outweigh the needs of the many, the needs of the many do not outweigh the needs of the few. There must be equality, balance, fairness to all. If they are going forward on a top up, it must apply equally to all who have been awarded and prorated compensation (dictated by the percentage you were awarded) provided.

Are they playing politics with Canada's most seriously wounded, using them as pre-election props to dismiss the plight of the majority, all who have been subject to the same standards?

Will there be full equality in recognition of national sacrifice, not a buy off of the most seriously wounded to the detriment of most VAC clients by using whatever exclusionary definition that suits the respective programs agenda as a platform to exclude, to deny?

Will this just be a little cost announcement accompanied by an election style speech, a headline without substance motivated by political expediency, not a sincere willingness to address the issues with fairness, to provide respite to all that have been disrespected by the NVC through a pain and suffering award?

Should not EVERY VETERAN be accorded a LSA be bumped up to reflect percentage parity?

One veteran, one standard?

There must be equality! The Sacred Obligation must be fulfilled.

Mike - Prez, CVA

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You can view the full announcement by following this link:
http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15355.0

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

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