New announcement: REMINDER: Vets living in poverty

Vets living in poverty

Tue, Oct 1: Canada's veterans ombudsman said former soldiers are slipping further into poverty and the new veterans charter that was supposed to help is short changing them. Shirlee Engel reports.

http://globalnews.ca/video/876354/vets-living-in-poverty

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Letter to Legion from Sean B

Letter to Legion from Sean B

May 08, 2014

Gordon Moore
Brad White
Dominion Command
Royal Canadian Legion

Dear Brad and Gord

I wish to register my emphatic protest at the exclusion of particular veterans' advocacy groups/individuals for the upcoming May 10 2014, Legion Consultation Group/Forum. I find this exclusion disturbing and highly counterproductive to the advocacy goals of any unified group/forum. I respectfully urge you to reconsider their participation as well as anyone else you may have excluded.
From what I understand, at least two organizations, Canadian Veterans Advocacy and Canadian Aboriginal Veterans and Serving Members Association, are excluded from the May 10 meeting. It is also my understanding that their exclusion is because of positions or comments they may have put forward, especially comments urging the community and government to take more substantial and assertive action to bring about meaningful change.

If this is the case, why are organizations which have enabled government inaction and set a lower standard of advocacy also not excluded? Surely such conspiring does more harm to advancing advocacy for veterans and their families than those that have done much to garner increased public attention to the issues at hand?

However, I believe that neither end of the spectrum should be discriminated against. I have often been a victim of such discrimination based upon difference of opinion and have continued to endure attempts by veterans and veterans organizations as well as actions by government to prevent my meaningful participation. My Privacy Act and ATI documents now numbering more than 25,000 pages indicate some executives of some groups including the Legion have written in secret to the government attempting to and succeeding in discrediting me.

Minister Fantino and senior VAC bureaucrats have recently begun a campaign to "vet" out veteran groups who have opinions which the government does not wish to hear. The recent application of the word "reputable" wreaks of authoritarian control, something which we have pledged our careers to fight against, a fight for which many of our comrades lost their lives.
"I may not like what you say but I will defend your right to say it" must not die with those who fought so hard to preserve freedom of expression. We must not buy into government's longstanding success at dividing veterans so that government inaction can continue.

There has been much progress in terms of uniting the disparate voices under common cause through the February 2012 Stakeholders meeting which was thankfully followed up with the Legion initiative of the Veterans Consultation Group. These were not only historically important initiatives to bring organizations and experts together in a unified voice but more importantly, these were the first steps to get that word out to all veterans and Canadians while hopefully coordinating wider unanimity for action for veterans and Canadians outside, not just inside formal organizations.
The choice of three priorities for government is noble first step to put forward those recommendations which would make immediate, substantive and meaningful improvements in the well-being of Canada's most disabled veterans and their families. These priorities were selected from reports of the Special Needs Advisory Group, the New Veterans Charter Advisory Group, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and the Veterans Ombudsman. As we agreed, we chose just three because that is what Government asked us to do because they thought we could not agree.

We called government's bluff and we learned much. Government has little intention of listening to the wishes of veterans to decide their destiny. Although a lengthy exercise to prove this sad reality, it was much shorter than the time government has been inactive on making any substantive changes to the New Veterans Charter. Rather than demoralizing us, calling the government's bluff should provide new fire to further unite veteran organizations and hopefully the veteran community at large to face a foe we now know much better.

The modern veteran community is markedly different from the past. Most veterans will no longer pay a membership fee and/or only associate in a hierarchical organization. True transition means we grow beyond the rank and structure of the military to become equals.

Veterans no longer come together for the most part in meeting halls but in chatrooms and through common cause social media, a more fluid community which allows the very freedom and independence for which we fought to flourish. When that cause is resolved or no longer has life, the community will reform under a different cause. Members need not follow any approved scripts and they may easily disagree with the opinions or strategies of the representatives but still agree on the cause. The paths may be different but the destination is the same. This is the face of modern organizations and they are equally reputable as any other community structure.

However, we must never forget that when we advocate for veterans issues as a whole, self-interest must disappear in favour of advancing improved well-being in the face of unprecedented government resistance to listen to veterans and other Canadians. Secrecy must also be thrown out as all veterans deserve to know what is being done in their name or on their behalf.
I encourage you to understand that disparate voices are not a weakness but a strength which encourages debate. In excluding veteran community representatives, not only would the Legion Veterans Consultation Group/Forum suffer and be weakened in legitimacy and authority but the veteran community and their families as a whole would suffer a missed golden historical opportunity to bring more unified pressure to bear upon government.

Make no mistake: government wants this Consultation Group to fail and veterans to continue internecine bickering while government unilaterally continues deciding our destiny. Let us come together to take back our destiny from bureaucrats who have no right (and never did) to decide policy on our behalf. This authority rests with the veterans and the citizens of Canada working directly with Parliament. Bureaucrats should come to learn their rightful place so that veterans and their families can take their lives back.

I encourage you to invite more not less veteran representatives and experts to these highly productive meetings.

Optimistically,
(electronically signed)
Sean Bruyea
cc. Veteran Community including Veteran Consultation Group Members

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The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: You're Not Alone Guide: Connecting military families to mental health & social w

You're Not Alone Guide: Connecting military families to mental health & social wellness programs

https://www.familyforce.ca/sites/AllLocations/EN/Health%20and%20Wellness/Documents/MentalHealth_GuideENGweb.pdf

https://www.familyforce.ca/sites/AllLocations/EN/Health%20and%20Wellness/Documents/MentalHealth_GuideENGweb.pdf

----

VOUS N'ÊTES PAS SEUL : Aider les familles des militaires à accéder aux programmes de santé mentale et de bien-être social

https://www.familyforce.ca/sites/AllLocations/FR/Health%20and%20Wellness/Documents/MentalHealth_GuideFRweb.pdf

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

National Day of Honour disappointment

National Day of Honour disappointment

Mother of a fallen soldier criticizes National Day of Honour for being rushed and disorganized, and says Ottawa is not doing enough to support grieving families

Politics | May 8, 2014 | 12:20

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2455215231/

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

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

New announcement: Master corporal with PTSD says military would use force to remove her from renta

Master corporal with PTSD says military would use force to remove her from rental home

By David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen May 4, 2014 11:48 AM

http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/national/Master+corporal+with+PTSD+says+military+would+force+remove/9805874/story.html

Even as Canada's top soldier promises more help to those dealing with mental health issues, the military has threatened to use physical force against a master corporal suffering from post traumatic stress if she and her husband don't vacate their rental house on time.

Master Cpl. Jen MacLeod, 44, was booted from the Canadian Forces on March 26, the same day she was released from the psychiatric hospital where she was being treated.

But what upsets MacLeod is the letter sent by the commander of Canadian Forces Base Borden, Ont., which noted she must vacate the military house she has been renting by May 30. "Failure to leave the said premises by that date shall render you and your family liable to physical removal from the above housing unit," the letter to the Afghan veteran warned.

MacLeod and her husband had paid their rent in full up to that date and had every intention of leaving by May 30. They had already acquired a new house and were getting ready to move.

"I was shocked to get the letter," she explained. "I thought, what a crappy way to treat somebody. I have a totally clean service record. My house is clean. My yard is clean."

The letter came just weeks after the Canadian Forces embarked on a public relations campaign to convince Canadians and military personnel that those who have PTSD will be respected and treated fairly.

In a video message, Gen. Tom Lawson, the Chief of Defence Staff, appealed to those battling mental issues to come forward and seek help.

"Just as you would expect to be helped by your colleagues on the battlefield if you were physically injured, your brothers and sisters in arms are with you in the fight against mental illness," Lawson said in the video.

MacLeod, in the military for 11 years, served in Afghanistan as an intelligence operator with an unmanned aerial vehicle unit. Although she can't go into details about her job for security reasons, she viewed large amounts of imagery showing insurgents being killed. That led to PTSD and severe depression. She will receive a small veterans payment because of her illness.

MacLeod said she understands the Canadian Forces have to release her because she can no longer do her job.

She said she watched Lawson's video but said the letter she received, as well as other actions taken against veterans, show the Canadian Forces are having problems living up to their claims of fair treatment.

The Department of National Defence said in an email to the Citizen it allowed MacLeod to stay in the house until May 30, a short extension after her release date.

The email from DND stated all current notices for individuals to vacate such housing contain the statement about physical removal.

The email, however, noted that the DND "is currently reviewing its notice to vacate and eviction letter to ensure appropriateness of language."

The email also pointed out that military personnel have a wide range of medical and mental health care services to draw upon."CAF senior leadership is committed to each and every ill and injured member receiving high quality care and support," the email stated.

MacLeod said that previously, military personnel were given more than a couple of months to transition to civilian life and could continue paying rent for base housing as they prepared for a move.

"We are lucky because we have a house to move to," she explained. "There are veterans who have no place to go. The military doesn't care; it's 'Get out. Go find a bridge to live under.' "
© Copyright (c) Postmedia Network Inc.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Julian Fantino, Parm Gill And Laurie Hawn Make Unsupported Accusations About Vet

Julian Fantino, Parm Gill And Laurie Hawn Make Unsupported Accusations About Veterans, Says Veterans Advocate

http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2014/05/04/julian-fantino-parm-gill-and-laurie-hawn-make-unsupported-accusations-about-veterans-says-veterans-advocate/

May 4, 2014. 12:44 am • Section: Defence Watch

David T. MacLeod of Veteran Watch writes this:

The term McCarthyism is based on the political practices of the late US Senator McCarthy. His use of unsupported accusations and inappropriate use of information for political gain resulted in the discipline and even suicide of US government officials and politicians. The consequence of Senator McCarthy's practices was the dubious distinction of being one of the very few US Senators to be censured.

Unfortunately, McCarthy's tactics are alive and well … in Canada.

In March and April 2014 three temporary employees of the Canadian people (otherwise known as Members of Parliament) conducted practices that smack of McCarthyism.

On 27 March 2014 Parm Gill's inappropriate questioning of veterans in the Parliamentary Committee Meeting resulted in more than one letter fired off to the Prime Minster. Linda Magill (a veteran herself and the wife of a veteran) was present at the committee meeting and was so enraged by Gill's behaviour she fired off a terse email to the Prime Ministers office.
You can read her letter on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/linda.magill.79)

On 7 April the Honourable Minister Fantino abused parliamentary committee testimony for political gain by using the dirt that Parm Gill had sifted for him on 27 March. Fantino Tweeted :

"Disappointed that Union of Veterans Affairs Employees financing Veterans groups with secret "War Fund."

Fantino then had the cheek to provide a link to the testimony of veterans concerning the Mandatory Review of the New Veterans Charter.

Both Gill's insinuation and Fantino's accusation of a "war fund" are unsubstantiated. Any politician who would use testimony before a Parliamentary Committee as a source of political attack does not deserve to hold office.

On April 9, 2014 the Honourable Laurie Hawn, tabled his Private Member's Bill C-593 entitled the "Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Former Members Personal Information Act".

Hawn incorrectly claims that veteran's currently do not have access to their medical files. Hawn is misleading the public. Veterans merely have to fill out one form. The Bill is a thinly veiled effort to violate serving members, veterans, and their spouses' privacy – is this an intimidation effort?

Within two weeks Fantino, Gill, and Hawn had made unsupported accusations and inappropriately used information for political gains.

I caution these temporary employees (Members of Parliament) that US Senator McCarthy's behaviour significantly disrupted US government business and caused irreparable damage to McCarthy's political career.

McCarthyism is unbecoming a Member of Parliament. Inappropriate use of Parliamentary testimony combined with unsupported accusations is unacceptable. Canadians, including veterans, deserve better service from temporary employees – especially Members of Parliament.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

Former veterans ombudsman slams planned National Day of Honour

Former veterans ombudsman slams planned National Day of Honour

Strogan says creating day for Afghanistan veterans will create divisions among country's veterans

CBC News Posted: Apr 30, 2014 9:32 PM MT Last Updated: May 01, 2014 8:04 AM MT

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/former-veterans-ombudsman-slams-planned-national-day-of-honour-1.2627958

A former veterans ombudsman and colonel is slamming plans to hold a National Day of Honour for members of the military who served in Afghanistan.

The National Day of Honour May 9 will include events on Parliament Hill and at bases and legions across the country.

However, some members of the military community – including a retired colonel of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry – are unhappy with the plans.

Pat Stogran spent two years based in Edmonton, and led the first Canadian soldiers deployed to Kandahar.

From 2007 to 2010, Stogran served as Canada's first veteran's ombudsman – a position he says he lost after speaking critically about the federal government's treatment of veterans.

Click below to listen to Stogran's full interview with CBC's John Archer. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/former-veterans-ombudsman-slams-planned-national-day-of-honour-1.2627958

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

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