New announcement: SISIP Financial Introduces New TRAVEL INSURANCE

SISIP Financial Introduces New TRAVEL INSURANCE - La Financiere SISIP Lance NOUVELLE ASSURANCE VOYAGE

http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/VACDND_Services-Benefits/?p=760

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http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=15542.0

Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Status Update On OVO Priorities And ACVA Recommendations - Veterans Ombudsman

Status Update On OVO Priorities And ACVA Recommendations - Veterans Ombudsman

Hard to keep track of all the improvement recommendations that have been made for Veterans? I've created a series of easy to read tables that highlight recommendations by my office and ACVA and clearly show where things sit and what remains to be done to support Veterans. Have a look at it and share it with others!

http://bit.ly/1Bm776v

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Mise à jour sur les priorités du BOV et les recommandations d'ACVA - Ombudsman des vétérans
http://bit.ly/1FzUzMD

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Personal Travel Fare offered to Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans

Personal Travel Fare offered to Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans

Personal Travel Fare offered to Members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Veterans, and National Defence civilian personnel
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Thank you to the Canadian military! To show our support and gratitude for the men and women that serve our country with dedication, VIA Rail is offering our military across-the-board savings on train travel in Canada.

25% discount on the best available adult, senior, student, youth and child fares in all classes & all trains for qualifying DND members and immediate family!

VIA Rail is offering a 25% discount on the best available fare in all classes (excluding on Prestige Class or Discount Tuesday Sleepers Fares) for one-way or round trip travel on board any VIA Rail train in Canada to qualifying DND members. And the good news is–immediate family members travelling in the same class with you will also receive a 25% discount!

How to buy

How to book online

Log in to your profile or create one prior to booking.
Book your one-way or round trip ticket in your preferred class and fare (excluding on Prestige Class or Discount Tuesday Sleepers Fares).
On the "Passenger Information" screen, select "Corporate Rate" as the Discount Type, and enter "12070" as the Discount Code. No serial number is required.
The price of the ticket will be adjusted automatically if the trip meets all of the conditions of this fare plan.

How to book by telephone or at a VIA station:
Advise the VIA agent that you wish to use discount code "12070" prior to the agent booking your travel.

Conditions of the "25% discount on best available fare" offer for qualifying DND members & family

Offered to Active and Veterans members of Canadian Forces. Civilian employees must present their card DND AND CFOne card.

Identification Required:

The offer is valid for any passenger 18 years of age or older who has at least one of the following forms of identification plus, if needed, one additional piece of photo identification:
o DND ID card for National Defence (NDI 20)
o Record of Service Card (NDI 75)
o Any Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Benefit Card (Please contact Veterans Affairs Canada at 613 992-7470 in Ottawa to obtain the required identification to qualify for this offer.)
o Discharge Certificate from any branch of the Canadian Military
o Statement of Service from any branch of the Canadian Military
o Certificate of Service (CF 54 or CF 75) from any branch of the Canadian
Military.
o Valid DND Temporary ID card (NDI 10).
o Canadian Forces or Former member CFOne card (with photo ID).
Up to a maximum of five (5) family members* travelling on the same trains, dates and in the same classes of service as the passenger in possession of one of the forms of identification listed above may accompany the qualifying member.
The qualifying member must present specified identification at any time upon request by a VIA employee.

*Family members may include the qualifying member's spouse/partner (including common law), minor or dependent children (including children for whom the qualifying member is a legal guardian), parents, grand parents, great-grand, parents, grand children or great-grand children.

Purchase period:

The offer is applicable to new bookings made as of November 1, 2010.
Tickets must be purchased according to the conditions and restrictions of the fare plan to which the additional 25% discount is applied.

Travel period:

The offer is valid for travel commencing as of November 1, 2010.

Valid routes:

The offer is valid on all VIA trains and between all VIA stations in Canada (excluding on Prestige Class or Discount Tuesday Sleepers Fares).

Valid classes:

The offer is valid in all classes (excluding on Prestige Class or Discount Tuesday Sleepers Fares).

Refunds and exchanges:

Bookings are subject to the conditions and restrictions of the fare plan to which the additional 25% discount is applied.
Refunds and exchanges for qualifying members' tickets will only be processed if companion tickets issued with it are processed at the same time.

Other conditions:

The offer cannot be combined with any other fare or discount which requires a discount code to qualify. Cannot be combined to Prestige Class or Discount Tuesday Sleepers Fares. Cannot be combined with tickets issued using a rail pass or employee rail pass, group tickets, VIA Préférence reward tickets, charter car fare tickets or tickets issued by a tour operator.
Tickets must be booked in advance of travel. The offer is not applicable to tickets purchased on board a VIA train.
Minimum fares after the application of the discount and other conditions may apply.
Offer is subject to change without notice.

http://www.viarail.ca/en/canadian-forces

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Veterans Professional Association of Canada

Michael Blais
21 hrs

What would YOU say to a Veterans Professional Association of Canada? I have been working on this issue for a couple of years now and most recently established high level contact-discussions with a major national unions (UNIFOR) to discuss setting up a community based (Veterans) professional association that would provide PRO ACTIVE and dedicated services to OUR community.

Over the past four years of advocacy, it has become clear to me that the wounded and disabled of all eras deserve and require an organization that is dedicated to their care/safeguarding their quality of should they suffer or have suffered a mental or physical wound on while serving this nation. The PA envisioned will focus on ensuring full justice is served through the claim process and that members of the professional association have a dedicated team of medical-legal advocates. The PA will provide individual attention throughout the entire process and ensure quality of care standards associated with the injury and Veterans Affairs Canada support is comprehensive and delivered in an expedient manner.

Imagine the amount of stress this would alleviate from your life, imagine having the ability to appeal unjust awards with a dedicated team at your side

We need help, consistency, confidence that those that are acting on our behalf are dedicated to our plight and willing to take the comprehensive measures required.

Think about it, I am, as always, in consultation mode and would appreciate your input.

Be advised, I am an advocate, while I fully intend on setting up the foundations, joining and supporting the VPA when it established, I have no intentions of serving in any other capacity other than as a concept organizer.

I am old, the mission to date have borne consequences on my health and once the principles I have founded the Canadians Veterans Advocacy have been attained, I plan on fading unto obscurity.

Thoughts.

https://www.facebook.com/MPPAC?fref=nf

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Budget boost for Veterans Affairs not enough to repair cuts: Liberal MP

Budget boost for Veterans Affairs not enough to repair cuts: Liberal MP

By Janice Dickson | May 7, 2015 4:18 pm

http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/05/07/budget-boost-for-veterans-affairs-not-enough-to-repair-cuts-liberal-mp/

The Harper government tabled its budget implementation bill, and the new legislation contains what appear to be significant financial improvements for veterans — but the key word is "appears", according to Liberal MP and veterans affairs critic Frank Valeriote.

Valeriote said the areas where it appears veterans affairs is making headway — rehiring staff, nearly doubling the retiring income security benefit and increasing the lump sum payment — "sound like a great thing", but it's mostly show.

"They cut about 900 front line staff and they're re-hiring about 100 and then only some of them are part time and full time," said Valeriote, who added that the re-hiring of 100 staff will not honour "our sacred obligation that we have to veterans."

The Conservatives are also proposing to double the retirement income security benefit, so that a retiring veteran who would have received $27,000 a year will earn about $42,000. According to Valeriote, though, veterans initially earned $63,000 per year.

"They're restoring, again, only a fraction of what they cut back so their modus operandi is to cut considerably and restore partially and expect accolades," he said.

The government also announced an additional lump sum award of $70,000 for severely injured veterans, which Valeriote said excludes post traumatic stress disorder because of the way its described. "If you look at what they cover, they will only give $70,000 if the injury was … an immediate result of a single event," he said.

"If the injury was the immediate result of a single event, that excludes PTSD because PTSD in more than 90 per cent of cases arises long after. So essentially it does not cover mental illness, it covers loss of limbs."

Valeriote said the new minister's approach is gracious but not much more generous than his predecessor.

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Bill C-597, an act to amend the Holidays Act. (Nov 11th)

Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs - Comité permanent des anciens combattants

Today we'll be studying, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the subject matter of clause 1 of Bill C-597, an act to amend the Holidays Act.

Aujourd'hui, conformément au paragraphe 108(2) du Règlement, nous allons effectuer l'étude de l'objet de l'article 1 du projet de loi C-597 , Loi modifiant la Loi instituant des jours de fête légale.

EVIDENCE

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Legion's position: "The holiday status of Remembrance Day has been debated at numerous Dominion Conventions throughout the Legion's history, in fact, 13 times since 1970, and most recently at our 2012 Dominion Convention. It was at the 2012 convention that the Legion's position against Remembrance Day being a statutory holiday was reaffirmed."

Canadian Veterans Advocacy position: "As it stands now, through consultation with serving members, veterans, families, and the civilian population we have engaged we find there is universal support for the legal holiday that Bill C-597 presents. Once the bill is defined, once it has been clarified that no days off would be accorded, support has been universal. It is vital that our discussions today focus on the opportunity Parliament has been provided through this bill to honour and respect national sacrifice in a meaningful and effective manner."

"At the York Catholic District School Board's regular meeting of the board, held on Tuesday, November 25, the board of trustees passed a motion that a letter be written to members of municipal, provincial, and federal governments to express their strong belief that November 11, Remembrance Day, should not be made a statutory or school holiday."

The Vice-Chair (Mr. Frank Valeriote (Guelph, Lib.)):
We have with us from the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, Michael Blais, president and founder. We have from the Royal Canadian Legion, Bradley White, Dominion secretary, Dominion Command; and William Maxwell, senior program officer, Dominion Command. Joining us from the York Catholic District School Board via teleconference is Sonia Gallo, communications manager.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=7941311&Mode=1&Parl=41&Ses=2&Language=E

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.

New announcement: Peter Stoffer MP - Motion to Recognize Existence of a Veterans' Covenant

Peter Stoffer MP - Upcoming Motion to Recognize Existence of a Veterans' Covenant

Please see the following message from Peter Stoffer, MP:


Canada's New Democrats believe the Government of Canada has a moral, social, legal and fiduciary obligation to care for the men and women who have served in Canada's Armed Forces.

My colleague Fin Donnelly (New Westminster-Coquitlam and Port Moody) has been working with the veterans community to pressure the government to recognize that a social covenant exists between our government and military veterans. This Monday May 11th, MP Fin Donnelly will introduce the following motion in the House of Commons.

That, in the opinion of the House, there exists a standalone covenant of moral, social legal, and fiduciary obligation, between the people and Government of Canada to provide equitable financial compensation and support services to past and active members of the armed forces who have been injured, disabled or have died as a result of military service, and to their dependents, and which the Government of Canada is obligated to fulfill. Further, that the guiding principle for their recognition, care, and compensation must always include compassion and dignity while properly taking into account the unique nature of military service.

You can watch the debate of this motion online at ParlVu (http://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/parlvu/) on Monday May 11th from 11 am EST until 5:30 pm– with a break for Question Period.

We agree with veterans who want the Conservative government to stop fighting them in court and finally admit such a covenant exists. The motion also takes inspiration from similar standalone covenants that exist in other commonwealth countries.

Injured and disabled veterans should not have to fight for the compensation and care they deserve! Canada's New Democrats are calling on the federal government to support our motion recognizing the existence of a social covenant.

You can add your name in support of this motion using the following link: www.ndp.ca/covenant.

We ask you share this petition with your network, so others can add their voices to the thousands of veterans who want the government to do the right thing and formally recognize the existence of a social covenant. Together, we can help restore the damaged ?relationship between the government and those who have fought so hard to defend the freedoms we enjoy today.

For further information about this motion, please feel free to contact my office or MP Fin Donnelly at fin.donnelly@parl.gc.ca

Sincerely,

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

2900 Hwy #2 Fall River, NS B2T 1W4
Phone: (902) 861-2311 | Email: stoffp0@parl.gc.ca

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Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.