New announcement: New from Sean Bruyea - How veterans shoot themselves in the foot while GoC ..

The timing of this article and the implications are very interesting as it is these very groups, the Royal Canadian Legion and the many veterans organizations they have united under the Veterans Consultation Group who will soon stand before parliamentary committee and champion not the standards established in blood, sacrifice and valour by generations of valiant Canadians, but a Bump to the Chump to 350 k, a standard set by the Ontario workplace standards, not the Sacred Obligation.

Your membership to these organizations perpetuates this injustice because their words negate yours.

Think about it. Then if you are a member of one of these organizations, contact your president, ask them why they are standing against the wounded quest for justice, quest for the same standards that I and thousands of pre NVC veterans have been awarded a as consequence of our lifetime of PAIN and SUFFERING on behalf of the nation.

Mike - Prez - CVA

How veterans shoot themselves in the foot while government hits them over the head

There is little doubt as to the good intentions of most veterans' organizations in providing quotes to government. However, government has clearly been quite astute at using veterans' good intentions to further a PR war that does little but says much about caring for veterans.

The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Media relations teams in the minister's and Prime Minister's Office as well as Veterans Affairs Canada have spun facts to portray government as doing more than it actually is. Take, for example, the $2-billion waved about in 2011 as government's claimed commitment to 'enhance' the New Veterans Charter, the controversial veterans' legislation. Closer examination revealed that $2-billion was actually $40-million annually over 50 years.

By SEAN BRUYEA |
Published: Monday, 02/24/2014 12:00 am EST

The current government has come under intense criticism for failing veterans while doggedly pursuing a relentless public relations campaign claiming the opposite. Sadly, veterans' organizations have been unwittingly co-opted into this PR war, effectively supporting government propaganda.

Media relations teams in the minister's and Prime Minister's Office as well as Veterans Affairs Canada have spun facts to portray government as doing more than it actually is. Take, for example, the $2-billion waved about in 2011 as government's claimed commitment to "enhance" the New Veterans Charter, the controversial veterans' legislation. Closer examination revealed that $2-billion was actually $40-million annually over 50 years.

Such audacious 'truthiness' has contributed to the increasing skepticism amongst the public, the media, and, hopefully, veterans about claims by elected and unelected officials about veterans' benefits. Consequently, former Veterans Affairs minister Steven Blaney changed tactics in early 2012. Until that point, media releases from VAC contained scripted quotes attributed mainly to ministers. Veterans were rarely quoted.

The one exception occurred in the fall of 2010. Widespread privacy breaches targeting me became public just after devastating claims by the first veterans ombudsman of pervasive bureaucratic failures and just before the first nationwide public protests by veterans in more than 90 years. Government was losing the PR war badly. Ottawa quickly tabled three changes to the NVC, and included the following in a media release:

"Dominion President, Mrs. Patricia Varga, of The Royal Canadian Legion stated, 'This bill, as a first step, makes great strides in improving the New Veterans Charter and encompasses many of the recommendations made by the New Veterans Charter Advisory Group and the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs.' "

And: " 'With this bill, we applaud the government for keeping its promise that the New Veterans Charter is truly a living document,' said Ray Kokkonen, president of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association. 'Naturally, we are pleased to have had a role in this matter and that our advice and recommendations have been heard.""

Two years previously, both organizations signed off on the Advisory Group report, which stressed urgent changes to the New Veterans Charter. The report contained 86 specific recommended changes in 17 areas. The standing committee stressed the urgency to act on the NVC report as well as 17 additional recommendations.

A June 2013 report issued by the veterans ombudsman concluded that the federal government failed to implement many of the Advisory Group's recommendations (my assessment is that 100 recommendations remained unaddressed from these two bodies alone.) In this context, three changes were hardly "great strides." So few changes six years after the original legislation was passed hardly justifies the claim that "the New Veterans Charter is a truly living document" especially when the government had committed to reviews every two to three months and comprehensive reviews every two years.

Media, veterans, and most Canadians upon reading such quotes would be forgiven for believing that government had actually addressed complaints about the NVC. In effect, these two organizations helped the government in public relations victory, allowing the "living charter" to enter yet another coma of government inaction.

It would be almost 18 months before government would solicit another veteran organization's quote. In 2012, the government was in the midst of an intense PR campaign. Called "Cutting Red Tape for Veterans," the campaign claimed that cutting services in many areas was somehow an improvement.

On April 3, Veterans Affairs Canada included the following in a media release: " 'The changes to the VIP [Veterans Independence Program] program [sic] announced by Minister Blaney will make life easier for Veterans,' said Gordon Jenkins, president of the NATO Veterans Organization of Canada. 'Instead of having to submit individual receipts and burn up bureaucratic processing time, veterans will now receive a grant to cover the cost. This benefits everyone.' "

This was a new initiative and therefore impossible for anyone to know whether this change would benefit anyone, let alone "everyone." The initiative has since caused problems for a growing number of veterans. Meanwhile, the public could be forgiven in forgetting the Conservatives have yet to fulfill their promise to make VIP available to all widows of war veterans.

Veterans Affairs Canada expanded the venues where veterans are quoted. The fall 2012 issue of the VAC newsletter to veterans, known as Salute, prepared the way for closing Veterans Affairs offices by sending veterans to Service Canada locations. Salute is often criticized for its PR and bureaucratic fluff. However, quoting veterans on any change usually lends more credibility: " 'Veterans now have much more access to services and information no matter where they are located,' said Ron Griffis, national president of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping. 'The ability to now receive assistance completing and submitting VAC disability benefit applications through Service Canada centres will benefit many.' "

More than a year later, most, if not all, Service Canada locations cannot provide any information to veterans about benefits. Service Canada personnel will not have the training to provide veterans with the "ability to now receive assistance completing and submitting VAC disability benefit applications." Such applications are notoriously complex. Furthermore, most of the Service Canada locations are actually "outreach sites" which have irregular hours such that many are open only once a month.

In spite of widespread criticism of the recent federal budget's failure to address veterans' issues, the federal government looked to statement by the Royal Canadian Legion to give the impression most veterans supported the budget initiatives.

Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino stood in the House the day after the budget under heavy opposition criticism: "In economic action plan 2014, we are expanding the funeral and burial benefits to ensure that modern day veterans of modest means can have a dignified burial. Do not only take my word for it. The Royal Canadian Legion just yesterday said that it was '...very pleased that the issue of a dignified funeral for the most vulnerable, low income Veterans has finally been resolved.... [T]he government lived up to their commitment.' "

There has been no change in the qualifying criteria: deceased married veterans cannot have more than $12,015 in their joint estate and single veterans must be absolutely destitute or government will deduct funeral reimbursement from any additional assets. The issue is far from "finally [being] resolved."

There is little doubt as to the good intentions of most veterans' organizations in providing quotes to government. However, government has clearly been quite astute at using veterans' good intentions to further a PR war that does little but says much about caring for veterans. These quotes benefit government first, not veterans.

By contributing to such propaganda, veterans are influencing change that affects veterans who do not belong to their organizations. Quoted veterans become 'pseudo-proxies' convincing a public with a limited attention span that all veterans are happy with the change. However, 90 per cent of Canada's almost 700,000 serving and retired CAF members do not belong to any veteran organization.

However, veterans can beat the government at their own PR war. First, veterans' organizations can refuse to provide media quotes. Second, organizations, just like government, can stick to media lines such as: "until government enacts recommendations from the veterans ombudsman and veterans' consultation group to improve the NVC, veterans will not provide positive quotes about government."

Otherwise, by supporting government announcements, especially before the details of any initiative are known, veteran organizations only play into the hands of government's long history of doing far too little, far too slowly, to improve the lives of veterans and their families.

Sean Bruyea is vice-president of Canadians for Accountability, a retired Air Force intelligence officer and frequent commentator on government, military, and veterans' issues.
news@hilltimes.com
The Hill Times

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The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

Party members have spent the last several months developing policy resolutions touching important priorities like investments in infrastructure, telecommuting solutions, youth employment, post-secondary education, and restoring trust in democracy.

Here are the policy resolutions submitted to the Montreal 2014 – Liberal Biennial Convention relating to veterans and the military.

89. Veterans' Affairs http://www.liberal.ca/89-veterans-affairs/

WHEREAS veterans fought for us to preserve our democracy and give us the freedoms that are cherished by all Canadians;

WHEREAS the after-effects of conflicts are serious and our older veterans as well as those who have represented Canada in recent missions both on and off this continent, suffer from physical and mental health challenges such as amputation and post-traumatic stress disorder;

WHEREAS and our veterans deserve one-on-one counselors with tailored service considering the veterans' service to Canada;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT a Liberal government will maintain service to veterans at Veterans Affairs Offices throughout Canada

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a Liberal government will try to re-establish facilities conducive to the needs of all veterans.
Liberal Party of Canada (Nova Scotia)

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

56. Disabled Veterans Strategy http://www.liberal.ca/56-disabled-veterans-strategy-2/

WHEREAS the New Veterans Charter (2006) provides an earnings loss benefit, financial award and allowances to veterans who have been assessed with a service-related disability;

WHEREAS the New Veterans Charter contains a capped amount and provides a one-time lump-sum disability award which can be a reduction from the monthly tax-free pension for life and survivor benefit originally provided through the Canada Pension Act;

WHEREAS the "Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act", provides only Regular Force Veterans a guaranteed minimum of $40,000/year in pre-tax income only when they are in a Rehabilitation Program or until age 65 or $58,000 only when severely disabled;

WHEREAS every disabled Canadian Forces veteran deserves to be treated on a basis equal to private sector and other public sector workers and who have a diagnosed medical condition or disability related to their service;

WHEREAS the New Veterans Charter provides awards that primarily consist of a one-time payment with benefits that are significantly less than those benefits provided by the previous Veteran Affairs Canada Pension Act or other compensation programs throughout Canada;

WHEREAS the difference in benefits is contrary to the spirit of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and is disrespectful of the services provided by Canadian Forces personnel;

BE IT RESOLVED that Disabled Canadian Forces disability benefits be provided on a basis at least equitable to those provided under the previous Pension Act and consistent with disability benefits available to other federal and provincial government employees and/or benefits under federal and provincial workers compensation plans.

Liberal Party of Canada (British Columbia)

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

117. Fair & Compassionate Treatment of Injured Canadian Forces Personnel http://www.liberal.ca/117-resolution-fair-compassionate-treatment-injured-canadian-forces-personnel/

WHEREAS the people of Canada are proud of and grateful of the men and women who serve in the Canadian Forces;

WHEREAS some injured Canadian Forces personnel are being forced out of the service prior to obtaining the ten years of duty required to be eligible for their pensions;

WHEREAS men & women in the Canadian Forces may suffer from both physical and psychological injuries;

WHEREAS these injured Canadian Forces personnel may still serve their country;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada condemn this practice by the Conservative Government;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a new Liberal Government immediately cease this practice and ensure the fair and compassionate treatment of all current and former Canadian Forces personnel.

Liberal Party of Canada (New Brunswick)

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

33. A Social Covenant with Canadian Veterans http://www.liberal.ca/33-social-covenant-canadian-veterans/

WHEREAS, successive generations of Canadians have served their country honourably as members of the Canadian Armed Forces;

WHEREAS, service in the Canadian Armed Forces requires members to make a personal commitment to put their lives on the line on behalf of their fellow citizens, and to risk their lives anywhere in the world that the nation deems it appropriate that they do so;

WHAREAS, the burden associated with military service is not only borne by those in the Canadian military, but also by their families, who make untold sacrifices to help ensure the success of Canadian Armed Forces missions;

WHEREAS, the Conservative government's approach to veterans' policy demonstrates an utter disregard for our country's social covenant with those who serve in the military, particularly through its aggressive funding cuts to the supports and services that veterans need;

BE IT RESOLVED THAT a future Liberal government will uphold the principles of this social covenant in its defence and veterans policies, and will live up to our country's sacred obligation to care for veterans and their families throughout their lives by allowing them to maintain a quality of life that is worthy of the sacrifices that they have made for Canada;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT a future Liberal government will introduce legislation to strengthen the New Veterans Charter to reflect this commitment.
Liberal Caucus

Liberal Party of Canada 2014 Policy Resolutions

45. Support for Military Personnel and Their Families http://www.liberal.ca/45-support-military-personnel-families/

WHEREAS Canadian military personnel protect and support the way of life and values of all Canadians, and the sovereignty of Canada, domestically and internationally;

WHEREAS the support provided by the military to all Canadians frequently results in significant personal cost to individual members of the military and their families;

WHEREAS recent changes in compensation programs to military personnel have resulted in impoverished living standards for many, particularly for wounded personnel and their families;

WHEREAS Canada has an obligation to ensure that members of the military are treated fairly during their military service and afterwards;

BE IT RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada urges the Government of Canada to review compensation for active military personnel to ensure that the pay received is equitable, and is attractive to those considering a military career;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada urges the Government of Canada to create programs to assist military personnel and their families in their transition into the community following assignments overseas;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada urges the Government of Canada to improve medical and psychiatric care available to military personnel who have been injured while in military service;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Liberal Party of Canada urges the Government of Canada to create compensation for injured military personnel that fairly reflects the sacrifice and injury that such personnel have endured, and which includes training for meaningful employment for the remainder of their military service and afterwards.

Liberal Party of Canada (Alberta)

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New announcement: Should government pay final moves of retired soldiers?

Should government pay final moves of retired soldiers?

Politics | Feb 18, 2014 | 10:09

Veterans Affairs ombudsman Pat Stogran and retired colonel Michel Drapeau on Andrew Leslie's moving expenses and whether benefit program rules need to change

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Politics/Power+%26+Politics/ID/2438205095/

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Veterans start fund in bid to oust Tories

Veterans start fund in bid to oust Tories

MARY ELLEN MACINTYRE CAPE BRETON BUREAU
Published February 17, 2014 - 6:36pm
Last Updated February 18, 2014 - 7:47am

'War chest' follows office closures, say organizers

http://thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/1187794-veterans-start-fund-in-bid-to-oust-tories#.UwKQzWVq5k4.facebook

[img]http://thechronicleherald.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/ch_article_main_image/articles/B97284401Z.120140217183656000GR44QPVM.11.jpg[/img]

SYDNEY — The war chest has been hauled up from the basement, ready to be used to help defeat the federal Conservative government, say local war veterans.

"The plan is to build a war chest so we can have money to do the things we need to do to make sure this government falls," said Ron Clarke, a veteran who spearheaded the now-failed campaign to keep Sydney's Veterans Affairs office open.

Clarke, a 36-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, told members of the province's standing committee on veterans affairs in Sydney on Monday that vets across the country believe now is the time for action.

"What we're going to try to do is create a veterans war chest in each of the provinces … and when this is over, any money left over will go into veterans organizations, like the legions or something else," he said following his submission to the committee.

"The offices will be reopened if we get rid of the Conservatives, and I'm not saying vote for the Liberals or NDP; what I'm saying is to get rid of the government that will not reopen our offices," he added.

Nine Veterans Affairs offices in different areas of the country have closed.

To emphasize the need for hands-on, face-to-face assistance for veterans, Clarke told the committee about a friend who had been wounded in Cyprus many years ago.

"He had a bullet lodged in his chest," said Clarke. After being refused assistance from Veterans Affairs time and time again, the man committed suicide.

He said those Veterans Affairs employees who were trained to work with people with post-traumatic stress disorder were invaluable for veterans traumatized by service in wartime.

Clarke said there is no substitute for someone who is trained to ask the right kinds of questions and to help veterans access the services they need.

"I used to think (the government) just didn't understand how difficult it is for some of us to use the phone or the computer but now I've come to a different conclusion," Clarke said.

He suggested if veterans find it difficult to access the services, they won't access them, leading the federal government to conclude they don't need them, "thinking the veterans would just swallow their pride and walk away. To hell with that idea."

Clarke said there used to be 17 Veterans Affairs workers at the Sydney office looking after 4,200 veterans. Now there is just one worker at the Service Canada office, he said.

The 4,200 veterans have been added to the over 14,000 clients already served in the Halifax office.

Charlie Palmer, 93, a Second World War veteran, said he felt a strong desire to show up at Monday's meeting. "It's absolutely unacceptable that we here in Cape Breton, with an out-migration of population, that we should accept the loss of our 13 or 14 jobs," he told the committee.

"Most of my colleagues (Second World World veterans) could not make it here today; now if someone could tell me how they could make it to Halifax?

"I'm very fearful (the government) is going to say, 'Forget about down there (in Cape Breton). We don't have the population of support. … We're OK across the rest of the country. We'll balance the budget and that will do the trick,'" said Palmer.

Pam Eyking, committee chairwoman and Liberal MLA for Victoria-The Lakes, said she and committee members would put their "heads together" to come up with a response to submissions from veterans. She said the committee was in Sydney to get some ideas on how to help veterans.

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php

New announcement: Fantino should ‘walk the talk’

Fantino should 'walk the talk'

The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino, pictured in this file photo.

By JERRY KOVACS |
Published: Monday, 02/17/2014 12:00 am EST

OTTAWA—Needless to say, the past few weeks have not been good for Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino and the Harper government regarding the treatment of veterans. Many of the government's wounds were self-inflicted. It's true, as others have stated, that Fantino is not a good communicator. One might even say he is a non-communicator. He proved as much during his seven-minute, now-publicized scrum with veterans. Although other Conservative MPs, including Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Parliamentary secretary, have attempted to present the flimsy case for veterans support at Service Canada centres, the entire issue was bungled and mismanaged from the beginning when Fantino told veterans on Jan. 28 that "the decision has been made." This is what Fantino considers consulting with veterans on important issues of concern to them.

One cannot help but wonder where Fantino is getting his advice on veterans' issues and message delivery strategy. The Harper government says it supports veterans, but does the complete opposite when it closed eight Veterans Affairs Canada service offices on Jan. 31.

Fantino takes no responsibility for his actions or for the decisions of the Harper government. First, it was the veterans causing problems. Then it was opposition MPs raising the issue in the House of Commons. After that, the Public Service Alliance of Canada was agitating the veterans. On Feb. 4, during a Radio 1010 Talk Show, Fantino blamed others for spreading misinformation. Really?

The Prime Minister first said there were 584 Service Canada centres serving veterans. Then Fantino said there were 600 offices, or was it 620? Then, on Feb. 3, it was his Parliamentary secretary, Conservative MP Parm Gill, saying there are 650 Service Canada centres helping veterans. They wondered why veterans were complaining about the closure of eight offices when more than 650 Service Canada centres with no trained staff or Veterans Affairs Canada employees are here to help them.

On Jan. 31, I invited Gill to visit a Service Canada centre in Ottawa to ask a simple veterans question. He refused my request. On Feb. 3, I asked his office a second time and my request was ignored. On Feb. 3, I asked Fantino to visit a Service Canada centre to see firsthand how the process works. Personally, I know how it works. I've been to two Service Canada offices four times during the past 18 months. I asked a routine veterans related question. In each and every visit the response was the same: "We can't help you."

I guess the minister of Veterans Affairs and Parliamentary secretary are afraid to see just how terrible, or non-existent, the service is. So, in the end, if the answer is "we can't help you," it doesn't matter if there are 650 offices, 6,500 offices, or 6,500,000 offices. The result is the same. It's about service, not numbers.

Let's look at other issues.

Parliamentary Offices. Is the minister of Veterans Affairs a veteran? No. Is the Parliamentary secretary a veteran? No. Is the Conservative chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee a veteran? No. One would think, given the number of Conservative MPs who are veterans, that at least one of these three important positions would be filled by veterans, but they are not.

Veterans Affairs Ministerial Staff. The minister of Veterans Affairs has 10 full-time staff. Does he hire veterans to work for him? No. Only one person out of 10 working in his office is a veteran. It's not surprising, therefore, that the minister is ill-advised on veterans issues. The minister of Veterans Affairs does not want veterans working in his office. Veterans on staff might tell him what is of concern to veterans. We can't have that, can we?

Bill-C11. Priority Hiring for Injured Veterans. Although this bill has received second reading, it's without substance that has yet to be discussed at the House Veterans Affairs Committee. It's obviously not a priority, because staff in the minister's office cannot and will not provide information on private sector companies with which it has entered into veterans' priority hiring agreements.

Veterans Affairs Stakeholders Committee. The last time this committee met was in December 2012, 15 months ago. Veterans do not have collective input to the ministry on veterans' issues, a ministry which supposedly advises the minister.

Given the lack of veterans working in the minister's office and the lack of input and consultation from veterans' organizations, it's not surprising that Fantino is poorly advised. The minister's website constantly brags about partnerships with the private sector to hire veterans, although won't say how many have been hired, and chooses not to hire veterans to work for him.

The message from veterans to Fantino is this: If you want other people to hire veterans, you should also do it. Show some leadership and good political judgment by hiring veterans to work for you. Would you take your car to a garage where there are no mechanics? Would you go to a hospital where there are no doctors? If Fantino were to hire more veterans to work for him, and he's had offers, perhaps his days would be less stressful and more productive.

Alternatively, if Fantino claims he is being adequately advised, then it's evident that he does not care about veterans. He's just following orders. I know one thing. It's not positive dialogue when the minister of Veterans Affairs walks into a room full of veterans who want to talk about an important issue and says, before they have a chance to speak: "The decision has been made," and then issues a misleading press release saying the minister had a "round table" discussion with veterans. As Stephen Harper said in 2012: "veterans deserve better."

Jerry Kovacs is with the Canadian Veterans Advocacy in Ottawa.

news@hilltimes.com
The Hill Times

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New announcement: Veterans' medical records to be held by private American firm: NDP

Veterans' medical records to be held by private American firm: NDP

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/veterans-medical-records-to-be-held-by-private-american-firm-ndp-1.1686574#ixzz2tJmFbaiS



The Canadian Press
Published Friday, February 14, 2014 11:48AM EST

OTTAWA -- The NDP says the federal government is transferring veterans' medical records to the custody of a private American company.

MP Peter Stoffer says veterans seeking help will now have to wait while files are retrieved from a company called Iron Mountain Holdings.

He also says the government is closing what are known as treatment authorization centres, responsible for approving treatments needed by veterans.

Now, he says, that approval will have to come from a private company.

Stoffer says it is wrong to put medical files into the hands of a private, for-profit firm.

He says it would mean delays for vets who would have to wait for their records to be retrieved, then passed on through Veterans Affairs.

He also said a private firm shouldn't be deciding whether vets can get treatments they need.

"I find this absolutely unconscionable," he said. "What the Conservative government is now doing is taking what was a very good public-service work done by dedicated employees for many, many years and turning all that work over to the private sector ... with no consultation no discussion."

The Harper government has been harshly criticized in recent weeks over its moves to close some Veterans Affairs offices.

Veterans Affairs Canada said the decision to close nine locations was based on declining use. It said veterans will be handled through nearby Service Canada offices.

Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/veterans-medical-records-to-be-held-by-private-american-firm-ndp-1.1686574#ixzz2tJmQJgI

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New announcement: CANADIAN VETERANS ADVOCACY RESPONDS TO FEDERAL BUDGET

PRESS RELEASE

``CANADIAN VETERANS ADVOCACY RESPONDS TO FEDERAL BUDGET``

OTTAWA – After weeks of negative comments and adverse reactions from veterans of all eras regarding Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino`s boorish behaviour to Canadian veterans on January 28th, we are saddened to note that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty ignored an opportunity to sincerely make amends with the veterans community, in particular, the thousands of veterans across Canada who are negatively affected by the recent district office closures.

``The fact that there was nothing substantial for veterans in the Budget is extremely disappointing``, said Jerry Kovacs, a Director with Canadian Veterans Advocacy (CVA). ``The reality is that the Harper Government doesn't care about Canadian veterans and their families. They say they have increased spending without acknowledging the fact that 150 valiant Canadians died and more than 2,000 were injured during the Harper Government`s stewardship of the war."

Michael L Blais CD, President and founder of the CVA, expressed bitter disappointment that none of the major issues confronting veterans and their families were addressed in the Budget. Mr. Blais said: "I find it unconscionable that with the high level of pain and suffering that Canada's sons and daughters are experiencing as a consequence of the Afghanistan war, the war in former Yugoslavia and in Africa, that this government would give more funding for snowmobile trails than for the care of veterans."

Blais cited as examples the plight of thousands of seriously disabled veterans on the VAC Earnings Loss Replacement program or War Pensioner Allowance who for years had their awards unlawfully offset by the amount of their pain and suffering awards.

"Why have these disabled veterans not been given the same retroactivity obligation as was accorded to those on the SISIP Program? Why does this budget not provide the mechanism to ensure that the monies taken away from them are returned? Why does this government continue to ignore their pleas for help?" asked Mike Blais.

Mike Bais cited grave concerns that the monies allocated to the Last Post Burial Fund will not be delivered and the 66% refusal rate of applications will be only marginally change. Two thirds of all applicants in the past have been refused. In addition, neither Mr. Blais nor Mr. Kovacs are confident that Bill C-11, the ``priority hiring`` bill for injured veterans (not passed by Parliament) will have any impact under the current regime's fiscal austerity programs and continuing efforts to downsize the public service. "This will just be another headline without substance", Blais said.

``This Budget was extremely disappointing for veterans of all eras", said Kovacs. ``It`s obvious that Julian Fantino has very little influence in Cabinet and/or is not standing up for the rights of veterans and their families. He says he cares, but it`s obvious he can`t persuade the Prime Minister or Finance Minister to make the important decisions that `support and honor` the sacrifice of the wounded. Tuesday was a very sad day for veterans. It was worse than we expected.``

CONTACT: Mike Blais (905) 357-3306 or Jerry Kovacs (613) 915-1516

-30-

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