New announcement: Message on behalf of Peter Stoffer, Official Opposition for Veterans Affairs

From: peter.stoffer.a1@parl.gc.ca
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2012 9:06 AM
Subject: message from Peter Stoffer MP on veterans concerns

This message is sent on behalf of Peter Stoffer, Official Opposition for Veterans Affairs

Dear friends,

The other day at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, Eve Adams, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, offered to assist all veterans' having difficulty with any program or service with Veterans Affairs Canada.

Ms. Adams said, "Mr. Godin, you indicated that you've got all sorts of case files at your constituency office. I would implore you to send them to us."

As Ms. Adams is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, we can only assume that she is more than willing to help you as she stated above. The Conservative government really believes that everything is fine with veterans and their families. But as you know, many veterans and their families have difficulty obtaining assistance or accessing veterans' programs and services.

I would encourage you to take Ms. Adams up on her offer and contact her office for assistance with any of your concerns. Please let her know about any difficulties or concerns you have with veterans programs or services. Be persistent as she has said that she wants to help. Please also pass this message along to your contacts.

Ms. Adams can be reached at the following contact information.

Eve Adams, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
Phone: 613-995-7784
Fax: 613-996-0917
Email: eve.adams@parl.gc.ca
OR: Constituency Office: 4870 Tomken Road, Unit 7
Mississauga, Ontario L4W 1J8
Phone: (905) 625-1201
Fax: (905) 625-1485

Sincerely,
Peter Stoffer, MP, Sackville-Eastern Shore
Office of Peter Stoffer, MP | Bureau du député Peter Stoffer
Official Opposition Critic for Veterans Affairs | Le Porte-Parole de l'Opposition Officielle pour Les Anciens Combattants.
New Democratic Party | Nouveau Parti démocratique
______________________________________________________

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Why Are We in Such a Hurry to Forget Veterans?

Why Are We in Such a Hurry to Forget Veterans?

Jeff Rose-Martland
Author, Playwright, Citizen Advocate
Posted: 11/29/2012 5:56 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jeff-rosemartland/why-are-we-in-such-a-hurr_b_2201357.html

Every year, we put on a poppy, read a few feel-good stories about the surviving Second World War veterans, and maybe observe a moment of silence on the 11th. But the last notes of Reveille have barely faded before carols are playing. Veterans' news stories disappear almost immediately and are replaced with tales of holiday consumer-orgies.

I'm not the only one to have noticed this. Dave Murphy also noticed: "As soon as Halloween is done the Christmas displays are up in all the stores, some even began playing Christmas music this year before Remembrance Day," said the founder of ThankASoldier.net. "They received numerous complaints and stopped but the media reported as people complained it was just 'Too Soon.'"

On the Thank a Soldier blog, Murphy wrote, "What happens from November 12 to November 10? Most people go back to their normal lives and don't think about our Veterans again until the week leading up to Remembrance Day." This conclusion led to the launch of a new campaign called A Call to Action. Thank A Soldier is calling on its 75,000+ members to not only remember veterans but to act to help them. Murphy is calling on citizens of Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and Australia to contact their government officials and demand better support for veterans.

He is also calling on people to support two other Canadian organizations. Veterans Emergency Transition Services (V.E.T.S.) and Military Minds. V.E.T.S. is devoted to helping homeless and distressed veterans. Military Minds works to increase awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and support veterans who suffer from it.

Veterans Among Us takes a different approach. Our Duty recognized that many veterans don't talk about their service; some only come out on Remembrance Day. One in 35 Canadians are veterans, yet civilians may not even know their friends and co-workers have served. Veterans Among Us tries to bridge the gap by calling on veterans to wear their medals or insignia on the 1st and 30th of November.

Two days, chosen deliberately to try and stave-off the holiday steam-roller. Because a long-weekend in November is not enough time to hear the issues faced by veterans, nevermind comprehending them. Here's just a sample of recent news items:

Did you know that in the past month there has been a new class-action suit filed by veterans against the government? Did you know that government is still dragging its heels on settling another one? Did you know that the RCMP veterans are also suing? Did you know that reservists get far less compensation when injured on active-duty?

Did you learn that Veterans Affairs breached the privacy of an advocate and his brother, at the same time? That a member of the appeal board had his file shared amongst his co-workers and the information used to bully him? That he was dropped from the Veterans Review and Appeal Board because of the scandal? That an investigation into the privacy breach of Sean Bruyea by the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman was ordered halted by the Minister?

Did you learn that we are not paying to bury our veterans with honour? Did you hear the cries for help from Sunnybrook? Did you know we have food banks dedicated exclusively to veterans? Did you know we have veterans living on the street? Did you see that some people don't recognize Canada's most important monument -- the Vimy Memorial -- from the back of the new $20 bill?

Have you seen the veteran protesters?

Or was all that hidden by the standard war movie and stock footage of one man's reminisces of storming Juno Beach? Are all those stories now buried under Black Friday and Cyber Monday and shopping frenzy and the Christmas Rush? Is your poppy covered up by the holiday card you got on the 12th?

Over the next month, while you are wishing for peace on earth, take some time and think about all those who have kept and defended our peace. They suffered for their service. They are suffering still.

We should not be so quick to forget them.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Liberal Veterans Critic Wants VRAB Burden Of Proof Lowered So Veterans Could Get More Services

Liberal Veterans Critic Wants VRAB Burden Of Proof Lowered So Veterans Could Get More Services

This was sent to Defence Watch by Sean Casey's office:

November 23, 2012

Mr. Greg Kerr, Chair,

House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs

Sixth Floor, 131 Queen Street

House of Commons

Ottawa ON K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Chair;

As you are aware, it is my view that the Standing Committee should consider recommending to government an amendment to legislation that would lower the burden of proof so veterans could avail themselves of the benefit of the doubt more often in more cases.

Specifically, I refer to S.39 of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board Act. This section has been interpreted as imposing on a veteran a civil standard of proof, i.e. the balance of probabilities. The benefit of the doubt is only applied where the evidence for, and against, the veterans position is equal.

This is the same standard that applies to person suing insurance companies in court (and other civil disputes).

The Supreme Court of Canada applied and approved a lower standard applicable in Immigration cases in Mugesera v Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) 2005 SCC 40, [2005]: 2 SCR 100 at para.114.

S.19 (1) (j) of the Immigration Act precludes admission to Canada of persons for whom there are reasonable grounds to believe they have committed an act or omission outside Canada that constituted a war crime or a crime against humanity.

So, the burden of proof on the Crown in this case was to show reasonable grounds to believe Mr. Mugesera had committed a war crime. The Crown did not have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, nor did it have to prove it was more likely than not.

The societal reasons for applying this standard are clear. Suspected non-Canadian war criminals should be deported if there is some credible objective evidence; a more detailed weighing of evidence is therefore not required. 2

I submit that the same standard should be applied to veterans seeking benefits as that imposed upon the Canadian government to deport a suspected war criminal. In other words: it should be no more difficult for a veteran to prove he is eligible for benefits than it is for the Government to deport a suspected war criminal.

The following is the Supreme Court of Canada commentary on this concept (para 114-115):

114 The first issue raised by s. 19(1)(j) of the Immigration Act is the meaning of the evidentiary standard that there be "reasonable grounds to believe" that a person has committed a crime against humanity. The FCA has found, and we agree, that the "reasonable grounds to believe" standard requires something more than mere suspicion, but less than the standard applicable in civil matters of proof on the balance of probabilities: Sivakumar v. Canada (Minister of Employment and Immigration), 1993 CanLII 3012 (FCA), [1994] 1 F.C. 433 (C.A.), at p. 445; Chiau v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration),2000 CanLII 16793 (FCA), [2001] 2 F.C. 297 (C.A.), at para. 60. In essence, reasonable grounds will exist where there is an objective basis for the belief which is based on compelling and credible information: Sabour v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship & Immigration) (2000), 9 Imm L.R. (3d) 61 (F.C.T.D.).

115 In imposing this standard in the Immigration Act in respect of war crimes and crimes against humanity, Parliament has made clear that these most serious crimes deserve extraordinary condemnation. As a result, no person will be admissible to Canada if there are reasonable grounds to believe that he or she has committed a crime against humanity, even if the crime is not made out on a higher standard of proof. (Emphasis added)

Accordingly, I am requesting the Committee recommend to government an amendment(s) to applicable legislation to adopt this standard of proof for veterans. The wording would be similar or identical to that contained in S.19 of the Immigration Act.

Veterans should be treated better than litigants suing insurance companies. This lowered burden would enable that.

Sincerely,

Sean Casey QC, MP

Charlottetown

cc: Cynara Corbin, Clerk, ACVA

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Minister MacKay and CF senior leaders attend the Military and Veteran Health Res

Minister MacKay and Canadian Forces senior leaders attend the Military and Veteran Health Research Forum

NR 12.247 - November 26, 2012

KINGSTON, Ont. – The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, joined by Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin, Commander of the Canadian Army, and Brigadier-General Jean-Robert Bernier, Surgeon General, for the third annual Military and Veteran Health Research Forum presented by the Canadian Institute of Military and Veteran Health Research, and hosted by Queen's University and the Royal Military College of Canada.

"This Forum acts as a catalyst to bring universities and research organizations together to establish sustainable research relationships across Canada," said Minister MacKay. "The Forum represents the collaborative building capacity in military and veteran health research in Canada that is necessary to improve health outcomes for our military personnel, their families and our veterans."

The Military and Veteran Health Research Forum attracted more than 450 Canadian researchers, clinicians, military personnel, veterans, industry stakeholders, government representatives and international delegates eager to learn and network at Canada's only conference dedicated to health research for the military and veterans. The three days of discussion and presentations highlight mental health research and rehabilitation, physical health research and rehabilitation, new health technologies, and the transition from military to civilian life. It also touches on the social health and well-being of personnel, veterans, their families, occupational health and evolving treatment programs and clinical practices.

"The health of our men and women in uniform is my central priority for this government and research efforts such as this contribute to the critical evidence informing the quality care they receive," continued Minister Mackay. "The level of participation in this event is a testament to the support from Canadians for the health of Canadian Forces members and their families."

"Military personnel, veterans and their families are the foundation of the Canadian Forces' success, which is why we are committed to providing the best possible support to current and former military members and their loved-ones," said Lieutenant-General Peter Devlin, Commander of the Canadian Army. "The Military and Veteran Health Research Forum helps us to not only understand the health concerns of military personnel and veterans, but also address challenges in a collaborative way."

"The Canadian Forces undertake essential health-related research on a continuous basis. The Canadian Institute of Military and Veteran Health Research and this forum provide an essential contribution to the research across the full spectrum of military and veteran health," said Brigadier-General Bernier. "Much of the research, in particular in relation to trauma care and mental health, will have relevance to the health of all Canadians, and will inform the civilian health system."

The Canadian Forces (CF), with the support of their health care partners, are committed to providing full-spectrum care and the highest standard of health care possible to Canada's military personnel, at anytime and anywhere they serve. As part of this commitment, on September 12, 2012, Minister MacKay announced an additional $11.4 million to augment mental health care and preventive programs in the CF. This initiative, spearheaded by Minister MacKay, brings the CF's annual health care budget to approximately $440 million.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: The Paperwork Mountain at Veterans Affairs

The Paperwork Mountain at Veterans Affairs

Published: November 23, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/24/opinion/the-paperwork-mountain-at-veterans-affairs.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1&

"No veteran should have to wait months or years for the benefits that you've earned," President Obama said in a Veterans Day speech, "so we will continue to attack the claims backlog. We won't let up. We will not let up."

He had better not let up, given that the Department of Veterans Affairs, in the long slog through its own paperwork, is in some ways marching backward. Through July of this year, 66 percent of claims for disability compensation and pensions were still pending more than 125 days after being filed, missing the department's own timeliness goals. That is up from 60 percent in 2011.

There is a separate quagmire for veterans who appeal a rejected claim — the average time between the filing of an appeal and its resolution is nearly two and a half years. If a veteran fights a losing appeal in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, that is another journey of months or years. The court might send a case back for more review, and more delay. Veterans' advocates call that "the hamster wheel."

Give the Department of Veterans Affairs some sympathy: in the last decade, its workload exploded. Veterans filed more than 1.3 million claims in 2011, double the number of 2001. The department says about 45 percent of recent veterans are seeking benefits, each with about 11 to 15 medical issues, vastly higher than the historical rate after World War II and Vietnam. Many Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are returning with severe injuries requiring elaborate and complicated care. The population of Vietnam-era veterans is older and sicker than ever. And the list of ailments for which the department is giving compensation — like heart disease, leukemia and Parkinson's, from exposure to Agent Orange — is growing.

The only answers to this vexing situation seem to be more staffing, better training and technology. The Veterans Affairs Department says that it is becoming better at organizational efficiency and that its paper-bound benefits bureaucracy will be overhauled by the end of 2013, when all 56 regional offices will have digitized systems — no more hunting through fat folders held together with rubber bands.

There is also the possibility of fixing the "hamster wheel." A veteran's widow is hoping that the Supreme Court next year will take a case seeking to empower the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims to close cases on its own rather than remanding so many back to the departmental maze. More immediately, the veterans' agency needs to be realistic in communicating about the delays, so veterans can get on with their lives while they wait.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Is Veterans Affairs Canada Targeting This Family?

Is Veterans Affairs Canada Targeting This Family?

Posted: 11/23/2012 2:35 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jeff-rosemartland/veterans-affairs-canada_b_2169337.html

The brother of a veteran suing Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) for millions says his personal records were accessed by department staff without his permission.

Retired Corporal Dennis Manuge is the driving force behind the SISIP class action lawsuit over pension clawbacks. The suit is now under settlement negotiations and could cost government in excess of $600 million. Last year, Manuge revealed that, in 2009, the Minister of Veterans Affairs was briefed on private details of his medical conditions and finances.

Now, the former mechanic with the Royal Canadian Regiment says VAC also breached the privacy of his brother, Anthony.

Documents obtained by this reporter show that between 2008 and 2009, Veterans Affairs staff simultaneously accessed the brothers' records 10 different times. Those records included financial benefits, medical claims, service records and all of his dealings with VAC.

"Absolutely my privacy was violated," said Dennis Manuge, "The lists of accesses and the timings with me and my brother's... no such thing as a coincidence."

Retired Corporal Anthony Manuge is a former armoured vehicle driver from Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Records show no work being done on his VAC file between 2005 and 2010 -- he had no active claims and was not in receipt of benefits. Despite that, Anthony's records were accessed on a number of occasions in 2008 and 2009.

Access details reveal that Dennis' file was read at the same times, by the same individuals.

Those responsible for the breaches include a records clerk for the Ontario region as well as a number of individuals at VAC headquarters in Charlottetown, including a work-term student, clerical staff, and an area counsellor. Phone calls to Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney were not returned.

In addition to not receiving benefits at that time, Anthony notes, "I was living in Fort Frances, Ontario, so no one from Atlantic Region should have had any interest in me."

Louise Bird, the Ministerial Inquiries Officer in Ottawa, also read the brothers' files. Neither Anthony nor Dennis had requested a Ministerial review, nor had they authorized the Ministry to access their records. Yet Bird did just that: Dennis in January 2009 and Anthony in June 2011.

Anthony believes the violations were connected to the SISIP lawsuit: "In 2008-2009," he said, "the Government was trying to de-certify the class." Dennis had launched the lawsuit in 2007 and, in 2008, testified at Senate Hearings into the matter. (The Supreme Court of Canada would later re-instate the case as a class-action after it had been de-certified by the Federal Court of Appeal.)

Since 2008, both have had problems with their benefits. Dennis experienced delays in reimbursement of expenses and issues with applying for programs. "A case manager could not tell me if I was eligible under the New [Veterans] Charter, told me no one in VAC could answer my questions," Dennis said, "[But] five minutes after I had my new case manager, I was approved for the Rehab program and the Earnings Loss Benefit. Coincidence? My new case manager has changed our lives for the positive, I might add."

Asked if he has experienced difficulties obtaining his entitlements since the privacy violations, Anthony replied, "From the initial decision and the subsequent VRAB appeal hearing there [has been] negligence in the processing of my claim. Everything from not getting the years of service right -- even though I sent copies of all three of my certificates of service -- to libel in the Veterans Review and Appeal Board. The advocate presently assigned to my case cannot even meet a commitment to get documentation to me."

Dennis fears that revenge for his advocacy is being directed at Anthony: "With our last name he may never get a fair shake."

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: PROGRAM OF CHOICE (POC) 12 RELATED HEALTH SERVICES PHYSIOTHERAPY RATE INCREASE

VETERANS AFFAIRS CANADA (VAC)

PROGRAM OF CHOICE (POC) 12 – RELATED HEALTH SERVICES

PHYSIOTHERAPY – NEW BRUNSWICK

November 2012

Effective November 1, 2012, the maximum dollar limit for benefit code 244987 Physiotherapist – Visit is increased to $70 for the initial visit and $60 for subsequent visits in the province of New Brunswick. Providers will be reimbursed their usual and customary charges up to a maximum of the dollar limit indicated above. Providers must not charge VAC clients more than other clients who are residents of the province.

Please communicate this information to the members of your association. Should you or your members have any questions, please contact your regional Blue Cross office Provider Inquiry Line at 1-888-261-4033.

Thank you for the ongoing care and service you provide to our Veterans.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.