New announcement: Matthew Fisher: As ‘go-to guy’ in Kandahar, new defence minister won respect of

Matthew Fisher: As 'go-to guy' in Kandahar, new defence minister won respect of senior officers

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Matthew Fisher
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015

Brig.Gen. Jon Vance, right, speaks with Lt.-Col. Harjit Singh Sajjan in Kandahar City in 2008. Matthew Fisher/National Post

ROTA, Spain — Seven years ago, then Brig.-Gen. Jon Vance sought out Lt.-Col. Harjit Sajjan's crucial advice on whom to trust and whom to stay away from in the political and very real minefield that was Kandahar.

In a totally unexpected turn of events, it is now Gen. Vance, as Canada's top soldier, who will provide advice to Sajjan, who was named Wednesday as Canada's new minister of national defence.

They won't have to wait long to renew their relationship: The Canadian Forces are already spooling up to provide support for the new government's plan to quickly bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada, a mission that has tentatively been given the working name of Operation Provision.

I was with a group of senior officers and NCOs on a NATO exercise in Europe as they listened intently on an Internet

link as the names of the new cabinet ministers were being read out in Ottawa. When Sajjan and his portfolio were announced there were hoots of amazement followed by immediate congratulations for a soldier turned politician that many of them knew and held in high regard.

Operating in the background in Kandahar City and even more dangerous places such as Zahri and the Horn of Panjwaii, Sajjan created a complex, proprietary chart that soldiers with Task Force Kandahar likened to "a spider web" because it identified and provided links between enemies, neutrals and those that Canadian and U.S. forces could safely work with. In so doing he worked closely with some of the most malignant and corrupt political leaders in Kandahar.

Sajjan collated such vital information for Jon Vance during his first tour as commander in Kandahar in 2008, as he had for then Brig.-Gen David Fraser in 2006. Sajjan did so a third time for then Brig.-Gen. Dean Milner when Milner led Task Force Kandahar in 2010-2011 as well as for U.S. Army Maj.-Gen. James Terry of the 10th Mountain Division, who commanded RC South for ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) at the time.

"Harj was the key. He developed a detailed, sophisticated understanding of the tribal and political dynamics," said Milner, who is now a major-general running the 1st Canadian Division.

"He (Sajjan) was very much right. Because of that he was our 'go-to guy.' He was a serious soldier but one you could also shoot the breeze with."

I came to know Sajjan during his tours with both Vance and Milner. We rode together in the back of cramped, unmercifully hot armoured vehicles as we navigated mine-infested highways and dirt tracks to meet with Kandahar's leaders — including ruthless, unpredictable war lords whose tentacles of influence reached into everything.

Sajjan spoke at length during the many stops that were part of those long, perilous journeys about how being from India and speaking Punjabi helped him to understand the Afghan culture and to communicate with locals who had learned similar languages while in refugee camps in Pakistan. Being a cop on some of Vancouver's toughest beats had, he said, given him insights into the pervasive quasi-criminal mindset that dominated much of Kandahar's leadership.

A former commander of the British Columbia Regiment, Sajjan discussed how his Sikh faith was one of his anchors and how proud he was that the Canadian Forces allowed Sikhs, who come from a long warrior tradition, to wear turbans as part of their uniforms while many other western armies did not.

"Harj kept coming back to Kandahar because he was the one who could reach out for us there," said Howard Coombs, a professor at Royal Military College who was Milner's civilian adviser in Kandahar. "He was not loath to establish first hand contact because he understood that that was the way to understand the nuances of the culture.

"I really respect him because he is intellectually agile. He impressed me more than others because he could adapt to a changing environment, with dissimilar cultures, roll with it and figure out ways to solve problems. He was real value-added."

When I spoke with Sajjan after he announced his candidacy for the Liberals in Vancouver South earlier this year, he modestly scoffed at my suggestion that he might soon become defence minister. In an email to me after winning his riding two weeks ago, he wrote that he was looking forward to reviewing the files on ISIL and Syria, among others.

But he gave no hint that he was being considered as minister of national defence, let alone that he might be immediately thrown this week into intensive planning with his old boss.

"I believe that the positive relationships that people establish in hazardous place such as Afghanistan bode well later on," Coombs said. "In this case it signifies something positive for defence that the minister and the commander of the Canadian Forces deployed together, worked well together and are back together again."

National Post

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The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: STE. ANNE'S HOSPITAL STANDARDS....DEFINITION, ETC

-----Original Message-----
From: Wolf Solkin [xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: November-03-15 7:53 PM
To: Walter Natynczyk
Subject: Re: STE. ANNE'S HOSPITAL STANDARDS....DEFINITION, ETC.

Dear General.....many thanks for your prompt and detailed reply. I was, as is evident,, unaware of the situations you described, and I am, accordingly, encouraged by it, especially if those other facilities are housed within a single structure , such as Ste. Anne's.

And yes, I would appreciate your having someone knowledgeable from VAC contact me re any further information not addressed in this regard....that should also serve to get me out of your hair, at least for the nonce.

Respectfully,

Wolf.

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 3, 2015, at 4:46 PM, Walter Natynczyk <Walter.Natynczykxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Wolf, thanks for your note and I can appreciate your concerns.
>
> The two-tier long-term care standards are in operation in all of the transferred hospitals that are currently being administered by the respective provinces.
>
> I have visited Perry Rideau, Sunnybrook, Deer Lodge in Winnipeg and the Broadmead Lodge in Victoria. In many of the facilities we support (and there are a total of 1500 care facilities coast to coast) we have a mix of your level of care and a community standard of care.
>
> If you wish, I will have someone from the Department give you an overview of the care support and answer any additional questions you may have.
>
> Respectfully,
>
> WJN
>
>
>
>>>> Wolf Solkin <xxxxxxxxxx> 03/11/2015 3:50:44 PM >>>
> Dear General: the closer we get to April 1st, 2016, the more essential it is to be fully informed and properly prepared for that which is about to befall us immediately thereafter.
>
> The core issue underlying VAC's various post-transfer assurances, is
> that of maintaining the present high standards of treatment and care of the Veterans at Ste. Anne's Hospital,without diminution, disruption or degradation; and the tactic tailored to uphold that immutable condition is to be the proposed "two- tier" system of operation.
>
> The primary purpose of this letter is to ascertain whether there exists any established, agreed definition /description/delineation of such a set of standards, so as to render it possible to unambiguously discern and decide whether they are being respected or rejected. And, should that not be the case, to urgently request that such a document be quickly , yet thoroughly , prepared and promptly promulgated.
>
> I refer, as exemplars, to such issues as number and classifications of staff (i.e., doctors/nurses/orderlies) per number of patients, and on each shift (day, evening, night); number of baths/per patient/per week; excluded medications, if any; number of masso-therapy, foot care, zoo-therapy and various other special treatment sessions allowed per annum; time lapse allowed for replacement of eyeglasses, dentures, hearing aids and batteries; any limitations on physiotherapy, ergo therapy sessions; and so on, down a very long list of like elements.
>
> Without any definitive description and clarification of the otherwise very vague reference to "existing standards of care", the acutely necessary monitoring of the day-to-day operation of the Quebec-controlled treatment of Canada's vanishing Veterans at Ste. Anne's, will be both mute and moot, as will indubitably be any effort to implement the touted two-tiered concept, which appears to be at the very root of VAC's projected program for those Veterans still living out their declining days at Ste. Anne's.
>
> And, of course, this path of inquiry inevitably leads to my repetitive queries about the pertinence and effectiveness of VAC's projected "oversight" mechanism; representation from within the pertinent patient population; and assignment of a qualified VAC ombudsman, in situ.
>
> But all else must first emanate, ab initio, from a clear-cut depiction of every one of the major designated specific standards of service and care, which are here at stake.
>
> I would deeply appreciate the courtesy of your helpful reply.
>
> Respectfully,
>
> Wolf William Solkin.
>
>
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPad

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New announcement: Hiring veterans not a priority for O’Toole

Hiring veterans not a priority for O'Toole

In the first six months of 2015, which corresponded to O'Toole's inaugural tenure, the Public Service Commission reports that he oversaw the priority hiring of zero medically released veterans. Since 2010, Veterans Affairs Canada has priority hired only six veterans, two of whom were hired by the Veterans' Ombudsman.

By SEAN BRUYEA |
Published: Monday, 10/12/2015 12:00 am EDT
Last Updated: Tuesday, 10/13/2015 1:01 pm EDT

OTTAWA—For the first time in eight decades, issues affecting Canada's military veterans issues are featured prominently in an election.

With so much at stake, why would government yet again mess up another issue with veterans: priority hiring into the federal public service? Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O'Toole, in another installment of government hype on the treatment of veterans, provided this statement during the July 2015 changes to priority hire veterans: "The Government of Canada is keeping its commitment to help military veterans thrive while making the transition to civilian life."

Prior to these changes, only medically-released members could have one chance to be priority hired. Serving members weren't allowed to access internal competitions, representing 88 per cent of public service job openings. Changes now allow Canadian Forces members to access internal competitions but with no priority placement. Non-medically released veterans can have priority accessing only external jobs, representing the remaining 12 per cent of competitions. After World War II, all overseas veterans received preference in all competitions, the injured having the highest preference, no time limits, and multiple attempts.

Time will tell if priority-hiring amendments are working, but are the minister, his department, and the rest of the civil service helping veterans "thrive"? In the first six months of 2015, which corresponded to O'Toole's inaugural tenure, the Public Service Commission reports that he oversaw the priority hiring of zero medically released veterans. Since 2010, Veterans Affairs (VAC) has priority hired only six veterans, two of whom were hired by the Veterans' Ombudsman.

O'Toole isn't the only veteran in the upper ranks of Veterans Affairs. Former top general, Walter Natynczyk was appointed deputy minister in November 2014. These two individuals are the two most powerful individuals in VAC and arguably the most influential veterans inside government. They aren't the only ones piling on endless platitudes but why the gaping chasm between media talking points and dawdling?

The current government has manifestly professed its commitment to veterans while demonstrating an iron grip on the public service. Yet, in the first six months of 2015, the entire 250,000 strong federal civil service could only priority hire 21 veterans.

In the past five years, 6,162 CF members have received medical releases out of a total of 24,000 releases. Troublingly, the public service has engaged only 446 veterans, or less than 7.2 per cent, of medical releases for those years, (veterans released other years would have also qualified further lowering the per cent).

Of the approximately 3,500 employees at VAC, only 97, or 2.7 per cent, are veterans, eleven of whom work in the Ombudsman's Office. Most of these were not priority hires. A cornerstone commitment accompanying the controversial veterans' benefits known as the New Veterans Charter was priority hiring. In the nine years since its enactment under the Conservative government, Veterans Affairs Canada has made just 25 veteran priority hires. Correctional Services, Public Works, Employment and Social Development, as well as Fisheries and Oceans, all priority-hired more veterans than the department legally mandated to "care" for and "re-establish" veterans.

National Defence has better fulfilled an obligation to veterans with 838 veteran priority hires, 71 per cent of the total. But the booby prize goes to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB). With more than 100 employees and a perennial insensitivity to veterans, this agency priority hired just one veteran in 11 years. This must be what the public service wants because the chief bureaucrat during this time, Dale Sharkey, was last month awarded the Public Service Award of Excellence. Her nominator: VRAB's director of communication. Back patting and rhetoric over substance.

Does all this mean the public service discriminates against veterans? Some veterans employed in the public service have made this allegation. Perhaps the greatest barrier is the public service culture. As the auditor general and DND have noted, hiring an individual can take 10 months while their application meanders through bureaucratic obstacles. When Canadian Forces members are ordered overseas at 48 hours' notice to potentially lose their lives, government's dull-witted response when the uniform comes off is a distant cry from the caring and dignity this government keeps telling veterans they deserve.

One astute committee member noted during hearings on the changes to the priority hiring bill: "why aren't we thinking outside of the box in which we tend to think right now?"

Enlightenment, compassion, and innovation appear anathema to the senior public service. There are time limits for the priority hiring window. Yet, for disabled veterans, the only expiry date on their disability is death. For spouses, if a veteran is too ill to work, she is barred from priority hiring.

More than 70 per cent of the priority placements are in clerical positions. For some, worthy jobs, but O'Toole tells us our veterans have a wide-ranging skill set. In fact, there is no unique veteran specific follow-up to ensure that veterans are not frustrated, bored, undervalued, under-performing or suffering discrimination in a public service culture, which is widely divergent from that of the military.

When Canadians join the military, they are constantly trained, taught, and transitioned into responsibility with some of the best mentoring management culture in the public or private sector. There is no gradual transition into a new public service job for the few accepted. All applicants must satisfy narrow criteria that either discourage or disqualify anyone outside the public service. Bureaucratic culture has a difficult time translating private sector skills to a public service context. No wonder almost all departments, except DND, have been unable to translate military skills sufficiently to substantively employ large numbers of veterans.

Neither are disabled veterans supported to take on partial workweeks to adapt their limitations to new employment. Anecdotally, veterans are too frequently unable to make the transition from disability to 100 per cent work schedule in an unfamiliar work environment.

But we really don't know because we don't care enough about our veterans to do any meaningful follow-up let alone provide urgently required coaching. And our veterans need a helping hand. Fully 60 per cent of recent releases have 20 years or less military service with 38 per cent having five years or less. They want a job and their skills are a must-have for a stagnant public service.

For veterans who are sloughed off onto civilian not-for-profits, we have no idea how they are doing because there is no accountable follow-up. Washing hands of veterans by the government to outside agencies has taken on a mean, hot-potato streak in the last decade.

Let's put this all in perspective. In the six years after World War II, Canada's federal civil service hired more than 130,000 veterans. By 1951, Veterans Affairs had 14,000 employees; almost 9,500, including more than 95 per cent of senior managers, were veterans. For all veterans in any employment, particularly the disabled, personalized follow-up was part of the package. Case managers met with veterans and employers on a regular basis to help 'translate' the military skill set and working limitations of veterans into civilian context.

"Walt" Natynczyk provided the following in a scripted news release: "Those who wear the uniform of the Canadian Armed Forces serve Canada with loyalty, pride, and a commitment to excellence." Each military member does this for each and every Canadian at the orders of the Government of Canada. Canadians have increasingly appreciated this reality of late.

Discouragingly, government is far too mired in political self-interest, advised by the parochial and initiative-paralyzed bureaucracy to tangibly return the commitment in kind to our veterans and their families. Are veterans 'thriving' O'Toole? The best many veterans have been able to achieve, if they aren't committing suicide, is to merely survive.

Sean Bruyea, vice-president of Canadians for Accountability, is a retired Air Force intelligence officer and a frequent commentator on government, military, and veterans' issues.

news@hilltimes.com

The Hill Times

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New announcement: ONE VETERAN'S VOICE STE. ANNE'S HOSPITAL SERVICE STANDARDS START SLIDING DOWN SL

ONE VETERAN'S VOICE by Wolf William Solkin

"S.......O......S"

"STE. ANNE'S HOSPITAL SERVICE STANDARDS START SLIDING DOWN SLIPPERY SLOPE"

Not too many moons ago, this old Algonquin Regiment "brave" sent up a smoke - signal that spelled out what I personally knew about the commendable conditions and standards of care THEN extant under Veterans Affairs Canada at my current billet, Ste. Anne's (Veterans) Hospital . In that opinion piece, I contrasted the present positive performance with my fearful forecast and core conviction that, no sooner will Ste. Anne's fall from grace at VAC by being transferred (kicking and screaming all the way) into what I see as the quagmire of Quebec's unhealthy Health Dep't., then all bets are off, and we will become orphans in the storm of poorer provincial protocols and crass cost-cutting, courtesy of "Bully-Boy" Barrette and his bunch of benighted bureaucrats and political pals.

That column was titled "TODAY AND TOMORROW(?)", and it was my (naive) assumption that the egregious era of "TOMORROW" would be yet a while before making its foreboding appearance on the scene....certainly not before the "Transfer Tremors" takeover.. Not so, I regret to remark upon and report !
Even now, the portentous cracks in the very foundation of Ste. Anne's unique culture of care and concern are visibly spreading, and showing , on the surface, what further fissures lie below, awaiting their turn and time of eruption.

At this juncture, I refer particularly to the employee/staff situation which , like the recent stock market behaviour, has taken a sudden downturn in the quantity and quality of its customary "blue chip" elements. Those "securities", in our case, are the knowledgeable nurses and the extraordinary orderlies who attend to us 24/7.....at least, what remains of them, after the many early retirements, resignations and other ship-jumpings that have already taken place , due to rampant job insecurity and general frustration with the administration's misbegotten modus operandi.

Of late there has been a spate of sudden and/or lengthy absenteeism on the part of an unacceptable number of essential employees, frequently leaving the shift staff seriously short-handed, and, by the same token, leaving us Vets in the uncertain and spotty care of far less experienced (and betimes strictly unilingual ) "newbies"*** ; retirees pressed into service long after their shelf life has expired, or, even less desirable, simply no replacements whatsoever, causing standards to be sacrificed on the altar of austerity, or perhaps even that of insouciance, while "marching in place" and marking time until the problem falls within the province of the Province.

I have just been informed that the main reason for deliberately calling in "newbies" to fill staff shortages , rather than experienced and available "veteran" employees, appears to be that the latter must be paid at a higher rate than the former, thus helping "Management" to show a better "bottom line"! All at the expense (no pun intended) of the pre-existing higher standards of care...yet another step down that slippery slope which endangers Ste. Anne's erstwhile reputation for its stellar services to Canadian Veterans.


While some absences may be lscheduled vacations or days off, more and more seem attributable to other causes. Overwork has caused some blazing burn outs, resulting in prolonged medical leave; and what has previously been the familiar "Friday Flu", that now ubiquitous virus seems to have significantly spread not only into Saturdays and Sundays, but is wending its way into weekdays as well.

The consequences are as self- evident as they are unavoidable, especially due to the seeming regrettable rush to cut costs, no matter the cost. The current consensus /'vox populi' is that employee morale is sliding downhill on a slippery slope, with diminished standards of care as the booby-prize at the bottom. The reliable staff members that still show up as scheduled are often requested/entreated/pressured into "doing a double" (shift), often until they are too tired to stand on their feet; orderlies and nurses are switched from floor to floor, or even wing to wing, at will and without notice; muted mutterings have replaced happy 'hellos', and every exhausted employee seems to be bearing the burden of two, as they breathlessly hurry hither and thither to try to properly attend to the needs of their above normal assignment/quota of patients in a timely fashion, while still attempting to maintain their usual high levels of care and attention.....for the most part, like Sisyphus, facing an ever-impossible mountain to climb.

Moreover, these staff shortages can cause delays in meals and other essential services which, in turn, create a domino effect whereby previously tightly scheduled appointments with clinicians such as physio and/or occupational therapists, as well as with a wide variety of visiting medical specialists, must, of necessity, be rapidly rescheduled or, as is too often the case, postponed for a prolonged period of time....hardly a desirable outcome, nor is it, in the slightest, up to Ste. Anne's standard "standards of care".

Again, due to staff shortages, some patients have even had to miss their once-weekly(!) bath on more than one occasion, which is totally unacceptable, and an augury contrary to the oft-repeated and avowed /proclaimed VAC pledge that the vaunted high standards of care at Ste. Anne's will never be reduced Don't get me wrong....if one has to reside in a long-term care facility, this is still a darn good place to be....but it is definitely becoming less so with each passing day, as it anxiously awaits the provincially-suspended Sword of Damocles to plunge into its very essence.

I say, enough of the present on-site administration fantasizing that all is 'tickety -boo', and 'business as usual' is ongoing until the onset of Nirvana, in the form of their vision of a seamless transfer/transition which they trumpet will yet occur. God may be in his heaven, but all's not well with the world of Ste. Anne's. Hypothetically, it would be ideal if someone with some savvy from VAC's HQ could come here and just mingle and talk with a random sampling of the floor nurses, orderlies and patients, to determine whether or not I'm babbling through my beret. If my observations and evaluation of this incipient situation prove to be correct, then concrete corrective measures should/must be implemented immediately, from the top down, before the proverbial fan gets hit too hard.

On second thought, the above suggestion would be impossible to act upon, as the floor staff have been instructed, in no uncertain terms, that it is forbidden for them to speak to patients about anything pertaining to the hospital, other than matters related to their immediate duties at hand, under penalty of serious consequences. In effect, if they rock the boat, they risk being made to "walk the plank". And as for speaking out to "outsiders"... why, that would be courting a veritable court martial !

We Veterans will undoubtedly lose a lot of things on a number of fronts during and due to the transfer troubles that we will soon be facing. Notwithstanding, the one element that must be protected and preserved above all else, and is germane to our sense of security and satisfaction which comprises the essential aspect of our life at Ste. Anne's, is the culture of peerless care combined with the wonderful work ethic which has hitherto permeated the rank-and-file personnel. The SAH patients and floor staff have for decades enjoyed a mutualistic/symbiotic relationship , which should be permitted and encouraged to flourish undiminished and undamaged, without fear or favour.

That is what we Vets were promised. That is what we Vets deserve. That is what we Vets expect.

What was once a warm and welcoming work place is fast becoming one of conflicts and complaints, and this inevitably shows up in the reduced degree of care and time allotted, plus unraveling of reciprocal relationships, all contra-indicated for the patients' well-being. And all this starting to simmer this summer, long before the actual transfer is even consummated !

I lay no blame whatsoever on the employees. The fault lies in their confounded confusion and uncertainty about what they do not yet know about their future, coupled with their basic distrust and discontentment with what little they do know of that which lies ahead.

Just reading my diatribes and nodding your concurrence to yourself as you nod off, won't accomplish diddly squat, unless YOU write a letter, make a call, or send an email to the person whom YOU are personally paying to represent YOU as your Member of Parliament , and instruct him/her to respond to (y)our "S O S" ........."SAVE OUR. STAFF" !!!

And please, Lest We Forget......
LEAVE NO VET BEHIND !
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Wolf William Solkin.

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New announcement: BBCanada.com is pleased to be participating in B&Bs for Vets

BBCanada.com is pleased to be participating in B&Bs for Vets, a Canadian tribute to our veterans and military personnel. First developed in the USA in 2008, this promotion has grown throughout North American B&Bs and Inns offering FREE rooms to commemorate Veteran's Day / Remembrance Day in 2015.

Canadian B&Bs will be offering the night of November 10 or November 11, 2015 FREE or discounted to a veteran or a member of the military as listed below. Please contact the B&B operator directly to book your stay by e-mail or telephone as online reservations are not applicable. Proper identification is required and a charge card number may be required in order to reserve a room. Participating B&B for 2015 are added daily and some B&Bs will offer year round vets specials through the Canadian Forces Appreciation Program.

On behalf of BBCanada.com and all its members we would like to thank our veterans and military personnel for their commitment to our country. Please enjoy a night in a B&B - It's always better the B&B way! Listed below are the 2015 participating B&Bs and Inns.


http://www.bbcanada.com/bbforvets

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New announcement: ONE VETERAN'S VOICE - TODAY and TOMORROW Ste Anne

ONE VETERAN'S VOICE
by Wolf William Solkin

"TODAY and TOMORROW (?)" @ Ste.ANNE's (VETERANS) HOSPITAL



TODAY, It is reasonably accurate to say that, by and large, we Veterans at Ste. Anne's Hospital are still "enjoying the good life", with excellent health care standards, attentive and experienced employees, an effective staff-to -patient ratio, ready access to overarching medical and dental treatment, plus ample recreational/entertainment activities and facilities. The whole is embodied within a "hands-on" employees' culture of concern and compassion, to the substantial satisfaction of all of us on the receiving end of such bounty, which we now consider to be "normal". That is a fair assessment, based upon my personal experience, of the "facts of life" at Ste. Anne's, as they stand....."TODAY ".



BUT, and it is a very BIG "BUT" we are now perilously perched on the precipice of a very steep cliff, and will soon (next April Fools' Day ! ) be pushed over the perilous edge, into the deep, dark pit of the formal transfer/transition of Ste.Anne's from the caring hands of Ottawa's Veterans Affairs, to the clawing clutches of Quebec's Health Department and its heavy-handed Minister Barrette, whose main mantra appears to be..."My Way, or the Highway!".

"TOMORROW" is when , where , and how our pains and problems will increase exponentially, in spite of the well-meaning and sincere assurances from Veterans Affairs Canada, that nothing of significance will change for us here. Those soothing statements stem from the recently signed Transfer Agreement which, among other crucial concessions, commits Ottawa to pay Quebec a substantial " per diem" financial subsidy, to be used for the express purpose of providing each of us with our accustomed high standards of care.



So much so, to the extent that VAC plans to create and operate a "Two-Tier" system, wherein we Vets will receive a higher grade of care than the forthcoming "civilian" patients. Realistically, it is patently not feasible that such a duality of programs be implemented, with all of us housed within the one hi-rise building, containing only one clinic floor, one pharmacy, one physio/occupational therapy facility, one kitchen, and so on, unto one indivisible set of "common elements" (e.g., auditorium, library, , staff offices, etc.), albeit entirely administered and completely controlled by the Province of Quebec, as "The New Sheriff in Town"....starting "TOMORROW".

I I can but envision the ensuing confusion, confrontations and contradictions, as a re-make of the iconic "Abbott & Costello" classic comedy routine of "Who's on First ?....What's on Second ..?..
Why's on Third ?"...and so on , until major meltdown inevitably moves in.


I do not doubt the sincerity of VAC's belief that their "Dream Scheme" will work out as planned, but I fear that, before long, Ottawa (and we Vets) will be low man on Quebec's totem pole. We all know that the tail should not wag the dog, and that the fox should never be assigned to guard the hen-house, but that is exactly what I predict will happen to us at Ste. Anne's, on the morrow, unless "TODAY" we exercise our own due -diligence. keep our own eyes wide open, report our own complaints, protect our own rights, and defend our own way of life by speaking up, acting out, and participating prominently to mitigate what surely promises to be a traumatic transition...."TOMORROW".

If it is axiomatic that " only the squeaky wheel gets the oil", then just picture the possible production of petroleum we might be provided with, if we are willing and able to raise one helluva holler in the hallow halls of the legislatures in both Ottawa and Quebec, BEFORE "they" hammer the final nail to close the coffin of transfer tribulations, with us still inside, while there is yet some "wriggle room". And even after that, we must keep banging loudly on the lid until the public, if not the complacent and compliant politicians on our payroll , hears us and calls for our release from the potentially harsh conditions of our confinement, and the restoration of all our rightful rights,versus only some residual remnants.


We "grass roots" Veterans at Ste. Anne's MUST be included, in one form or another, as part and parcel of the Transfer/Transition process, becoming truly and directly represented on and heard by the VAC "Oversight Committee" and/or the hybrid "Transition Team.....to ignore that, would be the worst "oversight" of all ! Otherwise, we could well wake up one not-so-fine morning, only to find that Ottawa's subsidy for/to SAH has somehow mysteriously wandered its way over to some new bridge to nowhere, or some other obscenely overpriced construction projects, or (Heaven forbid !) even to some plump political pockets , or some bagman's snazzy sox !

In the final analysis , the bottom line is : who, in Ottawa , is going to be responsible for properly transmitting the "per diem" subsidy funds for Ste. Anne's Veterans ? ; who, in Quebec, is going to be responsible for disbursing those funds to Ste. Anne's ?; who is going to be responsible for keeping track of the application of said funds ?; who is going to be responsible for reporting any discrepancies , anomalies or just plain, old -fashioned fraud and chicanery ?; and to which body?; and who, if anyone, is going to have the full authority and responsibility for enforcing meaningful measures to rectify any wrong-doings ?

In essence, who will be charged, on an ongoing basis ( far beyond the initial three-year "guarantee" period), with the ultimate responsibility of closing the barn door before too many prized horses are gone ? Or, to go further forward with the rural metaphor, who on God's green earth will watch over the proper and promised use of the per diem dollars in the Ste. Anne's Hospital hen-house....the feral fox from Quebec, or the more fair-minded but unpredictable, fickle farmer from Ottawa ?

We must all be ever-vigilant and protest aggressively against various terms of the Transfer Agreement and its more roughshod regulations and collateral repercussions...of prohibitive parking fees for visitors , volunteers and employees...of less qualified and fewer staff, as linked to protection of seniority and retention of the very special current crop of nurses and orderlies...of inadequate security measures...of increased meal charges for all non-Veterans...of the potential for misapplication of private funds donated specifically to the Veterans for their exclusive use ...of who gets to enjoy the fruits of the SAH Foundation's labours in raising funds for the welfare of "their" Veterans, and many, many more factors that could well become "Game-Changers" for all of us who are here "for the duration".

Good faith and good intentions alone will not prevent us from being overcome by the powerful and destructive force of the Transfer/Transition Tsunami now on our near horizon. Our only chance for any survival at all, is if we work our bony butts off NOW, to preserve and inject more of what we treasure "TODAY", into what I fearfully foresee will be coming down the pike "TOMORROW" !

And, as ever, please remember to....
...LEAVE NO VET BEHIND !


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A VETERAN'S VOICE: Intro / TRANSFER of Ste Anne by Wolf Solkin WWII Veteran
http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15356.0


VETERANS' VOTES ARE VITAL by Wolf William Solkin
http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15823.0

ONE VETERAN'S VOICE - A VETERAN AND HIS VOICE
http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15824

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: VETERANS' VOTES ARE VITAL by Wolf William Solkin

A VETERAN'S VOICE
by Wolf William Solkin

"VETERANS' VOTES ARE VITAL"


It has indeed been the iconic Biblical "Threescore years and ten" since our generation of WW II Veterans finally forced the foes of our freedoms , the Nazis and the Fascists, to abandon their destructive and dastardly efforts to rule over us by dictatorship defeating democracy.

At that time we were all so truly proud and happy that autocratic rule over most of the world was replaced by the democratic process, whereby we were primarily granted the ("God-given"?)) right to VOTE, to select and/or reject our nation's leaders.

There were, of course, many other precious rights and freedoms that we gained, but they could not have surfaced, let alone thrived, without our first having the cornerstone upon which they could be built...free and fair elections, whereby we could express our desires and demands for our preferred way of life by (s)electing those legislators whom we felt would best represent our best interests.

However, and sad to say, as the years came and went, so too did our enthusiasm and interest for engaging ourselves and concerning ourselves with governing ourselves, wane and decrease to the point of diminishing (electoral) returns.

To quote from a recent article written by Pete McMartin of the 'Vancouver Sun', ..."In all,the adjusted turnout for the 2011 federal election was 58.5 per cent, second lowest in the country's history...The largest voter turnouts came in the decades after the Second World War.. Perhaps the visceral connection between sacrifice and the democratic process was more evident to voters...(and Veterans)...then, because it was literally paid for in blood...".

Right on ! There is no question that many of us, have slowed down, drowsed off and grown fat...OK, no need to be ashamed of our weight. But there is a great need to be deeply ashamed of not carrying our weight, when it comes down to our real responsibility to act as responsible citizens, in determining the continuing way of life for that very same country of ours for which we few fought so fiercely to keep our freedoms flourishing. "Our" war of yore may be long over, but there are still battles to be fought for our country within our country.....not with bullets, but with ballots !

Both as Veterans and as part of the total Canadian citizenry, we are faced with myriad problems which affect us today, and will affect our children and grandchildren tomorrow and the day(s) .following. Not only what will become of my vanishing vintage of Vets, but also, and equally if not more important, the current and future treatment of our "younger" brothers -in-arms, who fought just as hard and bled just as much, trying to keep the peace in perilous places like Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda,Haiti, the Middle East and many others, plus "the pick of the litter" being Afghanistan. Enough said !!

And that is by no means all that should concern us as Veterans. What about such things as the economy , higher taxes, cost of living increases, unemployment and so on down the very long line of important matters affecting not only you, but your family, your neighbours, your community and, for that matter, your/our whole darn country ? Or do you just not care anymore, and have become indifferent to what's happening in and to the world outside your own little comfort zone ?

"So what?", you say....I'll tell you " what" ! We Canadians have a national election coming up this 19th of October, and while I will never presume to tell anyone whom to vote for, I do dare to demand that we all get off our bony butts to participate in our cherished democratic process. Help to elect the representative(s) whom, after due diligence, you decide will best act on your/our personal and collective behalf, as Veterans of all ages and all military operations. Check him/her out very carefully, satisfy yourself that your choice will not just talk the talk, but actually walk the walk, and is prepared to do so in your old service boots !

Your duty as a Canadian /Veteran is far from over. You fought for and preserved a democratic way of life; now is the time for you to benefit from your victory by voting for those candidates who will most truly and consistently recognize, respect and reinforce the rights of all true Veterans all across Canada.

Voting is not simply a right or a privilege. I look upon voting as an obligation that we Veterans should/must fulfil at all costs, and I sometimes even consider the possible advantages of enforceable mandatory voting laws, such as now exist in some forward-looking countries. Whatever your view, let your views be known to the people who are even now submitting their resumes and applying to you and me for the pretty cushy yet highly critical job of performing as OUR public servants and doing OUR bidding for the forthcoming years.

So do yourself, your family, your friends and your fellow-Vets a forever favour, by going out to VOTE, and getting out the VOTE !!!!

And always remember to....
...LEAVE NO VET BEHIND !

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http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15823.0

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.