Mulcair blasts Trudeau over paperwork for disabled veterans
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would not say Wednesday whether he plans any changes to disability benefits paperwork, after a veteran expressed frustration that the government has repeatedly forced him to fill out forms confirming he is still a double-amputee.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair demanded during daily question period to know what the prime minister is doing for veterans like retired Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, who lost both legs serving in Afghanistan in 2006, but is still required to get forms signed by a doctor in order to continue receiving his disability benefits.
Trudeau said that the “Liberal party has always stood up for and with our veterans to defend their interests.”
“That is why we have pledged historic investments in our veterans in our last budget,” the prime minister added. “That is why we are always listening to our veterans.”
Mulcair blasted Trudeau for going “straight to his talking points.”
“Master Cpl. Paul Franklin lost both legs bravely serving this country in Afghanistan,” Mulcair said. “The question to the prime minister was what has he done to put an end to this intolerable situation for our veterans?”
Trudeau responded that he “put forward a mandate letter for our minister of veterans affairs that asked him to respect the sacred obligation we have, as a country, towards those who have served.”
Trudeau also pointed out that the Liberals had already reopened nine veterans affairs offices closed by the Conservatives.
Mulcair later told CTV’s Power Play he believes it is “pretty obvious” that “if someone’s lost their legs, you don’t ask them to keep filling out forms.”
“It would have been an easy thing for the prime minister, who must know about the story, to simply say, ‘this was a mistake and it will never happen again’,” he said. “But instead we got talking points and he just dug in his heels.”
Tom Mulcair blasts Justin Trudeau over paperwork for disabled veterans | CTV News
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would not say Wednesday whether he plans any changes to disability benefits paperwork, after a veteran expressed frustration that the government has repeatedly forced him to fill out forms confirming he is still a double-amputee.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair demanded during daily question period to know what the prime minister is doing for veterans like retired Master Cpl. Paul Franklin, who lost both legs serving in Afghanistan in 2006, but is still required to get forms signed by a doctor in order to continue receiving his disability benefits.
Trudeau said that the “Liberal party has always stood up for and with our veterans to defend their interests.”
“That is why we have pledged historic investments in our veterans in our last budget,” the prime minister added. “That is why we are always listening to our veterans.”
Mulcair blasted Trudeau for going “straight to his talking points.”
“Master Cpl. Paul Franklin lost both legs bravely serving this country in Afghanistan,” Mulcair said. “The question to the prime minister was what has he done to put an end to this intolerable situation for our veterans?”
Trudeau responded that he “put forward a mandate letter for our minister of veterans affairs that asked him to respect the sacred obligation we have, as a country, towards those who have served.”
Trudeau also pointed out that the Liberals had already reopened nine veterans affairs offices closed by the Conservatives.
Mulcair later told CTV’s Power Play he believes it is “pretty obvious” that “if someone’s lost their legs, you don’t ask them to keep filling out forms.”
“It would have been an easy thing for the prime minister, who must know about the story, to simply say, ‘this was a mistake and it will never happen again’,” he said. “But instead we got talking points and he just dug in his heels.”
Tom Mulcair blasts Justin Trudeau over paperwork for disabled veterans | CTV News
