Submission to Standing Committee House of Commons VAC 6 Mar 2014

8/12/2019 Submission to Standing Committee House of Commons VAC 6 Mar 2014

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NATO Veterans Organization of CanadaOrganisation canadienne des vtrans de lOTAN

A Voice for todays Veterans ~ Une voix pour les vtrans d'auourd'!ui"# $iscayne Crescent Otta%a Ontario &( #)* Tel +,"-."-,#/,

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NVOC Notes for Presentation to the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs

CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY

NVOC Notes for Presentation to the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs

It is a !eas"re for the NATO Veterans Organi#ation of Canada to

$e here toda% to address the Standing Committee on Veterans


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Affairs and &e "rge a!! mem$ers of this 'ommittee to &or( together

to see imro)ements made to the &e!!*$eing and &e!fare of

Canada+s Veterans, -e ha)e ser)ed this 'o"ntr% in times of 'onf!i't

and in times of ea'e and ha)e done the Nations $idding, -e a!!ro"d!% ser)ed, -e as( no&. in ret"rn for the sa'rifi'es &e made. in

the name of a!! Canadians. that this Committee hears o"r 'on'erns

and inf!"en'es the 'hanges &e /0ST see a't"a!!% o''"r

1or far too !ong there ha)e $een signifi'ant and em$arrassing

dis'onne'ts in the o!i'ies emanating from the go)ernment and the

harsh rea!ities that are fa'ed $% o"r Canadian Armed 1or'es

ersonne! and o"r former ser)i'e ersonne! 2 the Veterans,

O"r )eterans reresent a !ega'% of ser)i'e to Canada, Let "s no& see

a !ega'% of rese't and e3"a!it% on $eha!f of a gratef"! nation

to&ards o"r )eterans,

, O"r 'o!!eag"es of the Ro%a! Canadian Legion 4RCL5 &i!! address

iss"es that are a!so on o"r List 2 e)er% one6 NATO Vets I ha)e three

areas that &hi'h &e &ere in)ited to se'ifi'a!!% as(ed to address ino"r in)itation to aear here toda%

Care and S"ort to the most serio"s in7"red )eterans

S"ort to Veteran+s 1ami!ies

Imro)ement to the &a% VAC de!i)ers rograms "nder the

Veterans Charter 'on'erning Ser)i'es and 8enefits

,If an% mem$er &o"!d !i(e to dis'"ss these &ith me or Per'% Pri'e

off*!ine. &e &o"!d $e !eased to do so,/r Pri'e is the NATO Vets

A9Dire'tor of Ad)o'a'% * an e: ; %ear Ad7"di'ator on VRA8 and


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o"r /odern Da% Veterans, -e 'annot !et these iss"es 'ontin"e as

the &e!!*$eing and &e!fare of o"r Veterans is at ris(, Ea'h mem$er

of this 'ommittee has a resonsi$i!it% to see that 'hanges are made

to the Ne& Veterans Charter and theNVOC stands read% to assist in ro)iding ad)i'e and

re'ommendations to %o". $"t )eterans &i!! a!so ho!d %o"

a''o"nta$!e for ina'tion and artisan o!iti's,

The da%s are !ong o)er of the Veteran s"ffering in si!en'e a!ong the

!ines of >a good so!dier ne)er 'om!ains and 7"st fo!!o&s orders?. &e

of a!! eo!e ha)e earned the right to $e )o'a! a$o"t the hardshis

&e fa'e at the hand of neg!igent o!i'ies and a !a'( of !eadershi in

addressing (no&n short'omings,

I am 'ertain that %o" &i!! a!! agree that it is imerati)e as an e!e'ted

offi'ia! it is imortant to &or( '!ose!% &ith 'omm"nities and !o'a!

interests, These are the eo!e &ho e!e'ted %o" and &ho %o"

reresent,

A.Care and S"ort to the most serio"s in7"red )eterans,

DND and VAC m"st ens"re that a!! serio"s!% in7"red )eterans ma(e a!i'ation for

ension '!aims and a!!o&an'es $efore $eing dis'harged from the Ser)i'e in'!"ding

the RC/P, Serio"s!% in7"red Veterans m"st a!so in'!"de those indi)id"a!s &ith

se)ere PTSD,

The se)ere!% in7"red )eterans "on dis'harge and d"ring their transition to 'i)i!ian

!ife are at a )er% high ris( to f"rther in7"r% and death, -e high!% re'ommend that

VAC monitor their reha$i!itation. menta! hea!th ser)i'es. hea!th 'are and s"ort

for their fami!ies, VAC m"st maintain reg"!ar ersona! 'onta't &ith )eterans and

their deendents, It is re'ommended that VAC ha)e a team of trained ersonne! to

dea! &ith iss"es for the serio"s!% disa$!ed in'!"ding PTSD, This team &i!! sa)e the

!i)es of o"r )eterans. &ho are high ris( as &itnessed in re'ent months &ith

n"mero"s re'orded s"i'ides,


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Veterans Affairs m"st gi)e riorit% to a!! serio"s!% in7"red )eterans and in'!"ding

PTSD. in a!! ension $enefits and a!!o&an'es,

B. S"ort to Veteran+s 1ami!ies

VAC m"st (ee a high !e)e! of 'omm"ni'ation &ith )eterans and deendents to

ens"re the &e!!$eing of a!! is 'arried o"t, Often )eterans e:erien'e diffi'"!ties &ith

dr"gs. a!'oho!. s%'ho!ogi'a! ro$!ems and marita! diffi'"!ties. &ith no ad)i'e, In)ie& of this. it is re'ommended that VAC ro)ide the aroriate 'o"nse!!ing and

!ines of 'omm"ni'ation &ith ersona! )isits to identif% 'riti'a! ro$!em areas &ith

referra!s to s"ort gro"s,

Veterans Affairs m"st gi)e riorit% for Veterans to attend Comm"nit% Co!!eges and

0ni)ersities 'o"!ed &ith riorit% 7o$ !a'ement and ed"'ationa! grants for

deser)ing a!i'ants,

Often. VAC fo'"ses on the a't"a! )eteran iss"es and not the e:tended fami!%,

C. Imro)ements to the &a% VAC de!i)ers rograms "nder the Veterans Charter

'on'erning Ser)i'es and 8enefits

-e. the NATO VETERANS. fee! that it is imerati)e that VAC ro)ide a higher

standard of rogram and ser)i'es to e)er% )eteran and deendent, -e ha)e dee

'on'erns &ith the re'ent VAC '!os"res of distri't offi'es a'ross Canada and &ith the

red"'tion of staff in the head offi'e and in the Regiona! and Distri't offi'es, This &i!!

affe't the de!i)er% of ser)i'es and &i!! o)er!oad the remaining staff and &i!! res"!t in

red"'ed rod"'ti)it%, The Veterans Re)ie& and Aea! 8oard+s roosa! to ond"'t


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hearings $% Video and Te!e'onferen'ing is deri)ing the Veteran of their rights to

aear $efore a ersona! hearing for assessment and entit!ement $oard, The t%e of

hearing sho"!d $e at the dis'retion of the )eteran, In re'ent %ears. the )eterans ha)e

indi'ated their "nhainess &ith Veterans Re)ie& and Aea! 8oard and often do

not &ant to aear at hearings as the% fee! that the mem$ers of the 8oard are

against them, To 'reate a $etter raort. &e re'ommend that the Chair of the

VRA8 or designate attend the ann"a! Se'ond Career Assistant Net&or( 4SCAN5.

&hi'h is 'ond"'ted a'ross Canada at Canadian 1or'es 8ases, This &o"!d fa'i!itate

a $etter "nderstanding $et&een the Veterans and the VRA8 mem$ers,

The NATO Veterans Organi#ation of Canada firm!% $e!ie)es that that Veteran

Affairs Canada has an e:'e!!ent ser)i'es and $enefits on aer in the &or!d, -hat

is most imortant to the Veteran and their deendents is ho& these ser)i'es and

$enefits are de!i)ered to them, The )eterans do not (no& &hat the% are entit!ed to,

It is the resonsi$i!it% and o$!igation of Veterans Affairs Canada. to de!i)er these

$enefits in a first '!ass manner and one that )eterans 'an "nderstand,

Con'!"sion

Ne& Veterans Charter &as introd"'ed in


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finan'ia! s"ort for those )eterans &ith se)ere disa$i!ities.

arti'"!ar!% those in the !o&er ran(s, Changes need to $e made to

the NVC to ens"re that )eterans &ith se)ere disa$i!ities re'ei)e

'omensation e3"i)a!ent to that "nder the Pension A't, The most

o$)io"s dis'rean'ies 'ome from rograms or $enefits that &ere

e!iminated "nder the NVC,

,

Additiona!!%. 'hanges need to $e made to address the !a'( of

finan'ia! s"ort for )eterans after the age of . &hen )eterans

ma% ha)e the most need, A!! $enefits sho"!d 'ontin"e "nti! the time

of a )eteran+s death and sho"!d not $e stoed on'e the )eteran

re'ei)es the Canada or B"e$e' Pension P!an 4CPP. BPP5, Li(e

other Canadians. )eterans earned CPP or BPP. and their disa$i!it%

$enefits sho"!d $e 'onsidered searate from these monies and

'ontin"e "nti! their death,

The dis'riminator% o!i'% a!ied to Reser)e 1or'e ersonne!

ser)ing side $% side &ith Reg"!ar 1or'e $"t 'omensated at a m"'h

!o&er s'a!e for e3"i)a!ent in7"ries is a gross in7"sti'e &hi'h m"st $e

fi:ed,

O)era!!. to 'hange the NVC to a''ommodate )eterans &ith se)ere


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disa$i!ities and in'!"de those items o"t!ined a$o)e &o"!d not $e )er%

'ost!% sin'e on!% er'ent of a!! NVC )eterans are 'onsidered

serio"s!% disa$!ed, One of the most imortant re'ommendations is

that 'reating searate standards and ension 'ategories for )eterans

&ith se)ere disa$i!ities ma% ens"re that the NVC s"orts )eterans

&ho are most in need,

The '"rrent fee!ing &ithin the Veterans+ Comm"nit% to&ard the

resent Go)ernment in genera! and the Deartment of Veterans

Affairs in arti'"!ar. is one of dissatisfa'tion and anger a$o"t the

!a'( of a'tion to 'orre't the man% (no&n defi'ien'ies in the e:isting

Charter, The items o"t!ined a$o)e are (no&n $% VAC deartmenta!

offi'ia!s at a!! !e)e!s most!% than(s to the Offi'e of the Om$"dsman

and a!! are fis'a!!% a'hie)a$!e immediate!%,

Time!% im!ementation of these meas"res &o"!d go a !ong &a% to

regaining the s"ort of the Veterans+ Comm"nit% and ro)ide a

start oint for a more ositi)e re!ationshi $et&een a!! 'on'erned

arties,

The time for ta!( and st"dies has !ong sin'e assed, It is no& time

for ositi)e a'tion6

and


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$ottom !ine is that the time for a'tion is no& and o"r )eterans

'annot &ait an% !onger,

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ATTACH/ENT

Additiona! Do'"mentation on

Reser)es

Earning Loss 8enefit

Disa$i!it% A&ard

O)er

1ami!ies or so"ses

Reser)es

The current regulations which provide a different rate of pay for Reservist employed inoperational theatres is an outright discriminatory policy in which the awarding of smallerbenefits to a Reservist is based on the monthly salary of a reservist at $2,700 monthly ($2,!00per annum"#

This policy is discriminatory and the government may feel that it is alright to hire soldiers onthe cheap% but places the value of the Regular &orce soldier, involved in the same incident withidentical in'uries, above that of the Reservist# This can no longer be permitted to continue#

oth Regular and Reserve &orce individuals with li)e in'uries will suffer the same incapacitation

throughout their lives and should receive the same salary considerations and minimum rate of$!2,!*! payable to a totally and permanently incapacitated veteran# +t is ridiculous that theovernment allows a double standard to e-ist and + dare say that the .anadian /uman Rights.ommission and the upreme .ourt would have something to say about this situation#

The 1ew eterans .harter 34T be changed to provide e5ual and appropriate benefits to alltotally and permanently incapacitated veterans regardless of whether they are a Reservist or amember of the Regular &orce#

The Earnings Loss 8enefit, or EL8

The purpose of the 6arnings oss enefit is to provide a eteran who is participating in theRehabilitation ervices and ocational 8rogram with income replacement allowing them to focus

on their rehabilitation goals

.urrently the 6arnings oss enefit (6" provides for 79: of pre;release salary, ending at age*9 for a totally and permanently impaired veteran#

+n 20


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ut as the .anadian =rmed &orces salaries of their former peers rises the salary of thepermanently incapacitated veteran stays at the minimum $!2,!*! or 79: of pre;release salaryand there is no hope that this will ever change#

This is absolutely ridiculous and mindboggling as to how the politicians and bureaucrats came upwith this#

+f .pl mith is in'ured and released and the ne-t month there is an economic ad'ustment (thegovernment never says it is a pay increase" made to the .pl salary then .pl mith is out of luc)#

This is devastating for all totally and permanently incapacitated veterans including those who areawaiting their release#

The approach utili>ed by the .anadian .ourts in assessing the concept of future loss of incomespecifically addresses the pro'ected lifetime earnings loss in a personal in'ury claim# o if this isapplied to civilian wor)ers who are not deliberately placed in ?harm%s way@ by their employer,why should this concept not be applied e5ually as well towards all permanently incapacitated.=& veteransA

The pro'ected career earnings of a .=& member based upon


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income replacement benefitE it is not# The Bmbudsman has pointed out that the value of thema-imum benefit has not )ept pace with awards of .anadian courts for civilians who were notplaced in harms% way as were .anadian =rmed &orces members# +t is unfortunate that thisanomaly was not corrected in 20

Submission to Standing Committee House of Commons VAC 6 Mar 2014

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