Harper: Taking care of veterans is “one of the highest priorities of his government.

[Bcool]

Harper & MacKay politically wounded & surrendering!

"Harper told his audience during a recent appearance in Prince Edward Island that taking care of veterans is “one of the highest priorities of his government.”

Well now, surprise, surprise... Could have fooled me!

"OTTAWA — The federal government is expected to move Sunday to address concerns it has been shortchanging this country’s veterans, announcing increased benefits for soldiers who have been wounded in combat.

In a statement Saturday, the Conservative government said it will beef up the financial support veterans receive.
“The government is listening to the needs of a new generation of soldiers and adapting its programs and policies to better fit their needs,” said Sophie Doucet, a Veteran Affairs spokeswoman. . . . "

Canadians are so angry Harper & MacKay are going to have to work on damage control on a Sunday!! Geez!

IOW, political panic as realization sinks in that Canadians don't like sneaky Orders in Council that quietly hacked back wounded and disabled military veterans income & benefits to shameful levels; that they can't gag an Ombudsman who takes his job seriously; that once we knew we were going to raise hell; that Question Period in the House is going to be the mother of all question periods and not nice for the conservatives; that Canadians, no matter our opinions re Afghanistan & our taking part in a military not our usual peacekeeping role, will not let porky politicians get more money and benefits than our men and women who are putting their lives on the line every minute of the day over there. That is wrong! No political spin they put on it now can make what they did right. It was and is shameful! It is not the Canadian way!

Government to announce new benefits for wounded soldiers: report

​

​

 

[Tonington]

If it was such a high priority, why did it have to get to this point before action is promised? There have been wounded soldiers for the better part of a decade now...

 

[relic]

I might believe it when I see it,steve nor his lackys would know the truth if it had them by the throat.

 

[Machjo]

Harper & MacKay politically wounded & surrendering!

"Harper told his audience during a recent appearance in Prince Edward Island that taking care of veterans is “one of the highest priorities of his government.”

Well now, surprise, surprise... Could have fooled me!

"OTTAWA — The federal government is expected to move Sunday to address concerns it has been shortchanging this country’s veterans, announcing increased benefits for soldiers who have been wounded in combat.

In a statement Saturday, the Conservative government said it will beef up the financial support veterans receive.
“The government is listening to the needs of a new generation of soldiers and adapting its programs and policies to better fit their needs,” said Sophie Doucet, a Veteran Affairs spokeswoman. . . . "

Canadians are so angry Harper & MacKay are going to have to work on damage control on a Sunday!! Geez!

IOW, political panic as realization sinks in that Canadians don't like sneaky Orders in Council that quietly hacked back wounded and disabled military veterans income & benefits to shameful levels; that they can't gag an Ombudsman who takes his job seriously; that once we knew we were going to raise hell; that Question Period in the House is going to be the mother of all question periods and not nice for the conservatives; that Canadians, no matter our opinions re Afghanistan & our taking part in a military not our usual peacekeeping role, will not let porky politicians get more money and benefits than our men and women who are putting their lives on the line every minute of the day over there. That is wrong! No political spin they put on it now can make what they did right. It was and is shameful! It is not the Canadian way!

Government to announce new benefits for wounded soldiers: report

​

​

B... b... but, why should I pay more taxes to support our troops who are risking their lives each day?

I can understand them making a sacrifice, but why should we all pitch in to make a sacrifice? Shouldn't we put all the sacrifice on their backs?

Yes, I'm being sarcastic of course.

 

[Tonington]

Yes, I'm being sarcastic of course.

 

[Ron in Regina]

If it was such a high priority, why did it have to get to this point before action is promised? There have been wounded soldiers for the better part of a decade now...

As despicable as the treatment of Canada's Veterans has been, is it something new
since Harper has become PM? Public pressure via the media has forced Harper
to abandon the "status quo" on this issue, and though I agree that it should have
been dealt with long before this point....would we be ingenious in pointing the
finger solely at the current PM?

I ask, as I really don't know when this process started, or who initiated it. Anyone have
an answer for this?

 

[Machjo]

Irony of ironies, the NDP would likely be among the most trustworthy parties to support the troops... until it ruins the entire economy of course (or it improves quickly via a sharp learning curve which we'd hope would happen), but at least their hearts would be in the right place.

 

[Colpy]

Harper & MacKay politically wounded & surrendering!

"Harper told his audience during a recent appearance in Prince Edward Island that taking care of veterans is “one of the highest priorities of his government.”​

Well now, surprise, surprise... Could have fooled me!​

"OTTAWA — The federal government is expected to move Sunday to address concerns it has been shortchanging this country’s veterans, announcing increased benefits for soldiers who have been wounded in combat.

In a statement Saturday, the Conservative government said it will beef up the financial support veterans receive.

“The government is listening to the needs of a new generation of soldiers and adapting its programs and policies to better fit their needs,” said Sophie Doucet, a Veteran Affairs spokeswoman. . . . "​

Canadians are so angry Harper & MacKay are going to have to work on damage control on a Sunday!! Geez!​

IOW, political panic as realization sinks in that Canadians don't like sneaky Orders in Council that quietly hacked back wounded and disabled military veterans income & benefits to shameful levels; that they can't gag an Ombudsman who takes his job seriously; that once we knew we were going to raise hell; that Question Period in the House is going to be the mother of all question periods and not nice for the conservatives; that Canadians, no matter our opinions re Afghanistan & our taking part in a military not our usual peacekeeping role, will not let porky politicians get more money and benefits than our men and women who are putting their lives on the line every minute of the day over there. That is wrong! No political spin they put on it now can make what they did right. It was and is shameful! It is not the Canadian way!​

Government to announce new benefits for wounded soldiers: report​

​

​

Absolutely!

And they are moving to fix the problem.

What, you expected principles from a political party?????

Keep living, sooneer or later you will learn.

 

[Machjo]

Then again, there is the other issue of the population voluntarily donating to help the troops as opposed to forced taxation to help them. I guess it all depends on perspective.

That said, if we have no obligation to help them, they ought to have no obligation to fight. If theirs is not to reason why, but to do and die, then ours is too to pay the taxes and support them.

 

[Tonington]

I ask, as I really don't know when this process started, or who initiated it. Anyone have
an answer for this?

It was the outspoken Veterans Affairs ombudsman who brought the issue to the light of day. The government decided not to re-appoint him to the position.

Veterans ombudsman loses battle with Ottawa;Pat Stogran to be let go by Tories - Winnipeg Free Press

 

[wulfie68]

It was the outspoken Veterans Affairs ombudsman who brought the issue to the light of day. The government decided not to re-appoint him to the position.

Veterans ombudsman loses battle with Ottawa;Pat Stogran to be let go by Tories - Winnipeg Free Press

I think Ron was asking who chopped Veterans' Benefits in the first place... I'm not certain but I'm guessing that would be Trudeau, with the disdain he felt for our military (and pretty much anything else that his power base in Quebec didn't care for), or if not him, Chretien, with his caucus that wanted to parade peace keeping glories to their supporters while not bothering to look after those who had the job of trying to fulfill the promises of the Canadian gov't. Not that the Conservatives are much better but they didn't hack away at the military like the Liberals...

 

[Tonington]

Not that the Conservatives are much better but they didn't hack away at the military like the Liberals...

Agreed, I'm just saying that when they say things like Veterans Affairs being one of their top priorities, that actions speak louder than words, even inaction...

 

[Colpy]

I do not know who is responsible for the misuse of Canadian veterans.......I think it has been a not-so-proud Canadian tradition since Confederation.

I do know who is responsible for this repair job:

Pat Stogran......and ONLY him.....no political party can do anything but hang its head in shame over this.

 

[JLM]

As despicable as the treatment of Canada's Veterans has been, is it something new
since Harper has become PM? Public pressure via the media has forced Harper
to abandon the "status quo" on this issue, and though I agree that it should have
been dealt with long before this point....would we be ingenious in pointing the
finger solely at the current PM?

I ask, as I really don't know when this process started, or who initiated it. Anyone have
an answer for this?

You hit the nail on the head, Ron. Personally I have no hands on information on how Veterans are treated, so can't comment directly about that- just took for granted when they were done they got their pension. Every thing the Gov't does takes money and basically the source of that is taxes and most people (me for sure) hate taxes. At least hate taxes that mysteriously disappear into "General Revenue". Did the Liberals under Chretien or Trudeau treat veterans any better? :smile:

I think Ron was asking who chopped Veterans' Benefits in the first place... I'm not certain but I'm guessing that would be Trudeau, with the disdain he felt for our military (and pretty much anything else that his power base in Quebec didn't care for), or if not him, Chretien, with his caucus that wanted to parade peace keeping glories to their supporters while not bothering to look after those who had the job of trying to fulfill the promises of the Canadian gov't. Not that the Conservatives are much better but they didn't hack away at the military like the Liberals...

Yeah, if the truth were known I think a lot of the sh*t happening in this country can be traced back to Trudeau & Mulroney. They had egos the size of the Titanic.

 

[Bcool]

As despicable as the treatment of Canada's Veterans has been, is it something new
since Harper has become PM? Public pressure via the media has forced Harper
to abandon the "status quo" on this issue, and though I agree that it should have
been dealt with long before this point....would we be ingenious in pointing the
finger solely at the current PM?

I ask, as I really don't know when this process started, or who initiated it. Anyone have
an answer for this?

Interesting.... I went to the Veteran's Affairs site to get the exact date the Act was officially put into force and what do you know...? They are/were, (my wording from memory half an hour or so ago): "In the process of updating the web site - access prior to today's date presently unobtainable". A very big hmmm.... on my part. :disgust: Now stuff is appearing, they're adding stuff while I was at the site!! That's coming up on midnight Ottawa time! One can only imagine the panic. LOL

Anyway, Harper's lot snuck through their "revised version" of the Act which they still called The Veterans Charter, a classic & cruel oxymoron IMO, on March 31, 2006, became official April 1, 2006. Some irony, huh? April Fool's Day! Faugh!

I popped the snippet & URL from the Op-Ed bit in first as it gives Ombudsman Col. Stogran's view of events. Here's what you were asking I think, right down to the legalize version which I got from the Canadian Legal Information Institute, they can't fiddle with that - at least not so far :canada: :

Tuesday, August 17, 2010 3:43 PM
Ottawa failing its troops, watchdog warns

" . . The retired colonel played a leadership role for Canada in Serbia during the 1990s and led the first Canadian battalion to land in Afghanistan in 2002, scoping out what he called the dirty and cold terrain around Kandahar.

Col. Stogran suggested that his vocal advocacy on behalf of struggling veterans is the reason why the Conservative government has decided not to renew his term.

He noted the problems he is raising are long-standing and cover both Liberal and Tory administrations. However, he focused most of his criticism on the most recent government policy shift, called the Veterans Charter.

Adopted in 2005 by the Liberal-led minority Parliament under Paul Martin, it was officially launched the following year by Prime Minister Stephen Harper as part of a package for veterans that included the new ombudsman position and a new Veterans Bill of Rights. . . "

Ottawa failing its troops, watchdog warns - The Globe and Mail

Ottawa failing its troops, watchdog warns - The Globe and Mail

--------

Veterans Affairs Canada
Veterans Affairs Canada - Anciens Combattants Canada

Current or Former Canadian Forces Members Services and Benefits

Financial Benefits - Veterans Affairs Canada

Financial Benefits - Veterans Affairs Canada

------
Veterans Affairs Canada

Current or Former Canadian Forces Members

Transitioning from the military can be an adjustment for you and your family. We’re here to help when and where you need us.

New Veterans Charter - Services and Benefits

Date Modified: 2010-17-09

Services and Benefits - Veterans Affairs Canada

Services and Benefits - Veterans Affairs Canada

------

The complete 2005/2006 Official Act, word for word, is available at:

Canadian Legal Information Institute
[Français & English versions]

Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act, S.C. 2005, c 21

Current version: in force since Apr 1, 2006
[Assented to May 13th, 2005, "tweaked" 2005/2006]

CanLII - Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act, S.C. 2005, c. 21

--------

Pictures say it better than words?

 

[The Old Medic]

Canada, like Great Britain, has always treated its military veterans shabbily. It won't really change. This is the British tradition, essentially a veteran (non-officer veteran that is) is responsible for his own life, and the government owes him nothing. Former officers do get slightly more from the government, but only slightly more.

Great Britain and Canada both discharged Combat Fatigue cases as "Cowardice" well into the mid 20th century, as an example. They offered no treatment at all.

Compare the Veterans benefits in the States to what Canada has ever offered. Canada's treatment of its veterans has been barbaric in comparison.

 

[petros]

Support your local Legion bingo!

 

[JLM]

Canada, like Great Britain, has always treated its military veterans shabbily. It won't really change. This is the British tradition, essentially a veteran (non-officer veteran that is) is responsible for his own life, and the government owes him nothing. Former officers do get slightly more from the government, but only slightly more.

Great Britain and Canada both discharged Combat Fatigue cases as "Cowardice" well into the mid 20th century, as an example. They offered no treatment at all.

Compare the Veterans benefits in the States to what Canada has ever offered. Canada's treatment of its veterans has been barbaric in comparison.

When people enlist in the military do they not look into things like retirement packages and disability benefits?

 

[petros]

When people enlist in the military do they not look into things like retirement packages and disability benefits?

At 18 was that on the top of your priority list?

 

[JLM]

At 18 was that on the top of your priority list?

Probably not, but what has that got to do with anything? There's an old saying "You snooze you lose". :lol: I'm fairly sure the recruiters go over all this stuff.