Rodger Cuzner is unimpressed with Tony Clement

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 4:53 PM - 0 Comments

Liberal MP Sean Casey, NDP MP Peter Stoffer, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Treasury Board president Tony Clement were involved in a spiriting series of exchanges this afternoon over the treatment of disabled military and RCMP veterans.

Liberal MP Rodger Cuzner was apparently unimpressed with Mr. Clement’s final response.

Tony Clement just offered the stupidest,most useless,irrelevant,unrelated,embarrassing ,condescending,flippant non answer I’ve heard in 12ys

Tory changes to veterans disability claims ‘fall short’: ombudsman

By The Canadian Press - Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 9:31 PM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – The veterans ombudsman says he’s disappointed with the Harper government’s response to his call to treat ex-soldiers and members of RCMP fairly when they apply for disability benefits.

Guy Parent’s latest report says veterans should not be left at the mercy of government institutions when they submit claims, and the federal government should stop keeping applicants in the dark over the medical records used to decide those claims.

Soon after the report was tabled Monday, Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney responded with a series of changes, including more consultation with applicants whose claims are in jeopardy of being denied.

But Parent, in a blog post Tuesday, said the changes “fall short of ensuring procedural fairness” to veterans.

Under the old system, when a benefits claim is filed, the applicant’s medical records are requested from either the military, the RCMP or Library and Archives Canada.

Federal bureaucrats who retrieve the records are allowed sift through them and pick ones deemed relevant before they are sent to adjudication.

The applicants never see records submitted on their behalf, nor can they challenge them if something is missing.

A spokesman for Blaney, Niklaus Schwenker, said the government launched a comprehensive plan to address the ombudsman’s report, with clear instructions for department officials that requires them to “reach out” to veterans.

“Through this plan, the minister clearly directed that moving forward, disability adjudicators must certify that they have reviewed all documentation submitted to them and must reach out to veterans to ask them to submit any information they have to help render a positive decision,” he said.

But Parent says a telephone call is not an adequate substitute to receiving a copy of the evidence.

“It is difficult to imagine how useful a telephone conversation could be if both parties do not have the same information in front of them,” he wrote.

Blaney proudly boasted in the House of Commons on Monday that 70 per cent of all disability applications are accepted on initial review by his department.

But Parent said that figure includes applications where only a partial disability payment is granted.

The policy of only notifying people who are about to be denied means those who receive partial payments will still be left in the dark by the Harper government.

“Why would an applicant who is informed that he is entitled to only one fifth of a full disability pension or award not be given the opportunity to challenge the evidence available to adjudicators before the decision is made?”

The federal government also plans to help ex-soldiers obtain their own copies of service and health records through formal information applications.

Veterans Affairs will also ask adjudicators to declare they’ve read the complete file, and not just select portions.

Tory changes to veterans disability claims ‘fall short’: ombudsman

By Murray Brewster - Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 5:22 PM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – The veterans ombudsman says he’s disappointed with the Harper government’s response to his call to treat ex-soldiers and members of RCMP fairly when they apply for disability benefits.

Guy Parent’s latest report says veterans should not be left at the mercy of government institutions when they submit claims, and the federal government should stop keeping applicants in the dark over the medical records used to decide those claims.

Soon after the report was tabled Monday, Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney responded with a series of changes, including more consultation with applicants whose claims are in jeopardy of being denied.

But Parent, in a blog post Tuesday, said the changes “fall short of ensuring procedural fairness” to veterans.

Continue…

Impoverished soldiers deserve more dignified burials: Royal Canadian Legion

By Murray Brewster - Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 11:06 AM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – The Royal Canadian Legion is launching a national letter-writing campaign aimed at forcing the Conservative government to cover the full cost of burying impoverished soldiers.

Dominion president Gordon Moore is holding a news conference today in Elmira, Ont., to outline the campaign.

Moore will be joined by the executive director of the Last Post Fund, the independent agency that administers the federal government’s funeral and burial program for Veterans Affairs Canada.

Last fall, The Canadian Press reported the fund had rejected 20,147 applications submitted by the families of poor soldiers who passed away — roughly two-thirds of the total number of pleas it had received since 2006.

Continue…

The Last Post Fund and caring for veterans

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 12, 2012 at 8:27 AM - 0 Comments

Stephen Harper declined to directly address the matter of the Last Post Fund this weekend.

“Let me just say that government of Canada puts as you know a very high priority on care for our veterans. This government has made enormous, billions of dollars worth of investments in programs particularly for the most needy veterans,” Harper told reporters at a news conference with the Philippine president Benigno Aquino.

“Obviously those programs are under constant review and we will continue to assess their suitability going forward.”

Yesterday on West Block, Tom Clark asked Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney about the treatment of veterans, including the Last Post Fund. Here’s the transcript. Continue…

‘Our prime minister and his government don’t see it as a priority’

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, November 5, 2012 at 11:11 AM - 0 Comments

A fund created to help with the funeral costs of veterans has been rejecting two-thirds of applicants and the executive director blames the Harper government.

Jean-Pierre Goyer says they have been petitioning Stephen Harper’s Conservative government to not only overhaul the rules, but to increase the stipend given to those who do qualify for assistance. “Our prime minister and his government don’t see it as a priority and it hasn’t made the list for the last budget,” said Goyer. “We came close last budget, I’m told, and our improvements were taken off the list at almost the last minute. We hope in the next federal budget we can see this through.” “Veterans affairs and their minister, Steven Blaney, they are committed to see this change through. I would tell, and you can quote me on that, the problem is with the government of Canada.”

The auditor general on cyber security, veterans and national finance

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11:32 AM - 0 Comments

The fall report of the Auditor General has been published here. In it, he covers, among other things, cyber security, veterans and the government’s fiscal projections.

While Finance Canada prepared a draft report in 2007 on the long-term fiscal sustainability analyses that the government committed to issuing that year, the analyses were not published; nor has any report on long-term fiscal sustainability been published since then. While long-term fiscal sustainability analyses have been regularly prepared since 2010, they have not been made public. This lack of reporting means that parliamentarians and Canadians do not have all the relevant information to understand the long-term impact of budgets on the federal, provincial, and territorial governments in order to support public debate and to hold the government to account. Many of the countries that are members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) already publish reports on their long-term fiscal positions.

The CBC looks at the cyber security findings. The Canadian Press looks at veterans and savings from changes to Old Age Security.

Veterans Affairs won’t be exempt

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 9:20 AM - 0 Comments

With the Conservatives voting against, the House defeated the NDP’s motion on veterans affairs by a count of 147-122 last night.

Nycole Turmel subsequently pronounced shame.

To cut or not to cut Veterans Affairs

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 11:55 AM - 0 Comments

The House will vote this evening on an NDP motion to exempt Veterans Affairs from budget cuts.

That, in the opinion of the House, the government should: (a) honour the service of Canadian military and RCMP veterans and their families by committing to not cut Veterans Affairs Canada in the upcoming budget; and (b) provide programs and services to all military and RCMP veterans and their families in a timely and comprehensive manner.

Yesterday’s debate on the motion starts here. Veterans Affairs Minister Steven Blaney’s speech in response is here.

Update 1:41pm. The government side has proposed amending the motion so that it reads as follows:

That, in the opinion of this House, the government should: a) honour the service of Canadian military and RCMP veterans and their families by committing to maintain Veterans’ benefit and b) provide programs and services to all military and RCMP veterans and their families in a timely and comprehensive manner.

Supporting the veterans

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 11, 2011 at 1:12 PM - 1 Comment

The former veterans ombudsman is scathing in his criticism of Veterans Affairs and veterans advocates are worried about cuts. The current ombudsman suggests the department should be exempt from budget cuts.

“If the government ensures us that they will not achieve their economies on the back of veterans, then that means that the 5 or 10 per cent will have to come from the other portion of the budget, which is the salary of people and operations expenses,” Mr. Parent said in a telephone interview.

“Any reduction in people would certainly have a negative impact on accessing programs and administering programs, so we are concerned.”

‘This solemn day of reflection’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 11, 2011 at 10:15 AM - 0 Comments

Liberal leader Bob Rae’s statement on the occasion of Remembrance Day.

Today we honour those Canadian veterans who have laid down their lives as a matter of duty and we honour those who returned home wearing the scars of conflict, both visible and unseen.

‘Remembering is not enough’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 11, 2011 at 9:45 AM - 0 Comments

The leader of the official opposition’s statement on Remembrance Day.

Today, tomorrow and all year long, we have a duty to salute the fallen by standing up for the living—through proper home care, fair pensions without clawbacks and support that heals the terrible wounds of war.

So let us ensure that every veteran is taken care of—in service and in retirement. Let us promote the values of peace and justice, for which our soldiers have given so much. And let us continue the fight to make our country, and our world, a better place for future generations.

‘Their duty to remember’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 11, 2011 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

The Governor General’s message on the occasion of Remembrance Day.

The terrible price that they paid during the conflicts that shaped our era reflects the sad reality of times of war, but it also speaks to the tremendous courage and unwavering determination needed to successfully complete their missions. We will never forget the men and women who, in spite of the danger and perils, gave their all to protect the ideals of justice and freedom. They deserve our gratitude and utmost respect.

‘Lest we forget’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 11, 2011 at 8:30 AM - 3 Comments

The Prime Minister’s statement on the occasion of Remembrance Day.

The values our veterans held dear decades ago are still very much alive today in those who continue to serve our great country, be it at home or abroad, through peace support or combat missions.

The unparalleled spirit, skills and devotion of the members of the Canadian Armed Forces are an example for us all, and our thoughts remain with members currently serving in Afghanistan.

The quiet cuts

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, October 14, 2011 at 6:35 PM - 18 Comments

Veterans Affairs is planning to trim its budget by $226 million.

Environment Canada has cancelled a $547,000 per year agreement with the Canadian Environmental Network.

And a subscription to a leading journal on criminology and justice policy has not been renewed.

Policy alert

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, April 4, 2011 at 2:18 PM - 13 Comments

Michael Ignatieff promises education for veterans.

Canadian soldiers can expect four years of government-paid education or technical training after they leave the military under a Liberal government, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff said Monday … The program would cost about $60 million a year going forward, with retroactivity for soldiers who served in Afghanistan.

What it sounds like

By Aaron Wherry - Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 1:50 PM - 1 Comment

Below the audio of the NDP rally inside the bingo hall of the Dartmouth Sportplex here in Nova Scotia this afternoon. Jack Layton was preceded to the platform by Robert Chisholm, the NDP candidate for Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, and Pat Stogran, the former veterans ombudsman.

Auditor General to investigate lump sum payments for veterans

By macleans.ca - Thursday, December 9, 2010 at 1:05 PM - 6 Comments

Auditor General Sheila Fraser will look into the New Veterans Charter and the lump-sum disability payments that mean less money for veterans but savings of up to $40 million dollars a year for the government. Liberal Senator Percy Downe had pressed the office for an audit, saying, “I’m concerned this became a cost-saving exercise rather than a service to veterans.” Fraser says her office will have a report ready by the fall of 2012. The audit comes after the Conservative government has faced mounting criticism that they are shortchanging veterans benefits.

Ottawa Citizen

Mitchel Raphael on the Belinda connection to MacKay's hot date

By Mitchel Raphael - Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 1:00 PM - 8 Comments

MacKay’s new romance?
There was much buzz about Defence Minister Peter MacKay’s date for the True Patriot Love fundraiser for Canadian troops held in Toronto. MacKay arrived at the dinner with former Miss World Canada Nazanin Afshin-Jam. Rumours of a romance have been reported. The interesting twist is that back in 2006, Afshin-Jam was on the Hill talking to MPs and fighting to save the life of another Iranian who shares her first name, Nazanin Fatehi. Fatehi stabbed one of the men who attempted to rape her and was sentenced to hang. (She was eventually released.) One of the MPs who helped Afshin-Jam at her Ottawa press conference was former Liberal MP (and former MacKay girlfriend) Belinda Stronach.

Coffee, compost and the PMO
The closest coffee place to the PMO, which is in the Langevin Block, used to be a Tim Hortons. A while back it was replaced with a Bridgehead café, known for its fair trade and organic coffees. Not only does Bridgehead have recycling bins, it has compost bins as well. Bridgehead staff say they see a lot of PMO staffers come in and also note that NDP Leader Jack Layton gets his hot beverages there too. When PM spokesperson Dimitri Soudas was spotted with a Bridgehead hot apple cider, he said his choice of coffee purveyor was based purely on convenience and was in no way a political statement.

Continue…

Supporting the troops

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 10:14 AM - 0 Comments

CP reports on what seems a particularly dark turn in the discussion about how we care for veterans of armed conflict.

Confidential medical and financial information belonging to an outspoken critic of Veterans Affairs, including part of a psychiatrist’s report, found its way into the briefing notes of a cabinet minister.

Highly personal information about Sean Bruyea was contained in a 13-page briefing note prepared by bureaucrats in 2006 for then minister Greg Thompson, a copy of which was obtained by The Canadian Press. The note, with two annexes of detailed information, laid out in detail Bruyea’s medical and psychological condition.

The Commons: Supporting the troops

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 6:34 PM - 0 Comments

Colonel Pat Stogran sat in a suit and tie at the front of the National Press Gallery, somewhat hunched over his notes, his hands placed on the table in front of him. Every so often, as he read in precisely the sort of impatient, unapologetic, grinding tone one would expect from a colonel, he would glance up from beneath an impressive brow.

To his immediate left sat a man in a wheelchair, a former member of the Canadian Forces now suffering from ALS. To Col. Stogran’s far right and far left sat men with medals pinned just below the right shoulders of their suit jackets. A half dozen other veterans sat in the gallery.

Col. Stogran explained first what he was not here to talk about—the government’s decision not to renew his term as veterans ombudsman. He has held the title since November 2007 and he will relinquish his post in three months.

“What I am here to do,” he said, “is to expose to Canadians what I perceive as a system that for a long time has denied veterans not just what they deserve, but what they earned with their blood and sacrifice.”

If he is to leave his post, he seems intent on doing so unquietly. Indeed, deviating from his initial statement, he speculated that perhaps he had surprised the government that appointed him. That he had been too outspoken, too aggressive. If so, he seemed unrepentant, perhaps even emboldened. Continue…

Signs of life for Michael Ignatieff

By Paul Wells - Friday, February 26, 2010 at 9:00 AM - 116 Comments

So where were we? Ah yes. “It being 8:03 p.m.,” acting speaker Barry Devolin told the Commons on Dec. 10, “pursuant to an order made earlier today, the House stands adjourned until Monday, Jan. 25, 2010, at 11 a.m., pursuant to Standing Orders 28(2) and 24(1).

Devolin believed that to be true when he spoke. But 20 days later the Governor General prorogued the second session of the 40th Parliament, so your MPs are going to try it all over again when they return for the third session on March 3.

A lot has happened since then. It’s been a while since I threw a bunch of polling numbers at you, so maybe you’ll indulge me today. Before Christmas I interviewed one of Michael Ignatieff’s new helpers who had moved into the Office of the Leader of the Opposition along with the Liberal boss’s new chief of staff, Peter Donolo. This person said the Liberals’ immediate goal was to move to within a point or two of the Conservatives by spring. I nodded politely. Good luck with that.

Continue…

'Should you be interested in making our minority Parliament work'

By Aaron Wherry - Monday, February 15, 2010 at 3:51 PM - 13 Comments

Apparently in response to a request from the Prime Minister, Michael Ignatieff writes to inform Mr. Harper of all the issues the Liberals would be keen to work on when Parliament resumes, including cap-and-trade, pension reform, pay equity, government oversight, mental health, maternal health, veterans, prorogation and Afghan detainees.

The Commons: ‘Canadians are not as cynical as he thought’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, January 8, 2010 at 5:09 PM - 87 Comments

The Scene. He opened with pleasantries—”Happy New Year,” he said—and then a joke.

“I’ve hope you’ve all had a good rest. Time with your families,” Michael Ignatieff said, surveying the cluster of reporters in front of him. “Now your family’s thrown you out and told you to get back to work? Same here.”

Aside from a working crew tearing up the front steps to Centre Block—access to our democracy, quite literally, being demolished!—Parliament Hill was quiet and dark, security guards standing around without much to mind. Mr. Ignatieff stood at a lectern in the foyer, behind him the closed doors of the Commons, behind them a group of university students participating in a mock Parliament—the closest the chamber will get to functioning democracy for some weeks yet.

Mr. Ignatieff proceeded with his prepared remarks.

“Mr. Harper prorogued Parliament, shut Parliament down on New Year’s Eve, when he thought no one was looking,” he reviewed. “He thought Canadians didn’t care. And it turns out they do care … Canadians are not as cynical as he thought.”

So it is that our cynicism apparently has its limits. Or perhaps it is merely that some don’t appreciate having their cynicism so unashamedly confirmed. Either way, here we are, openly and heatedly discussing the parameters of Parliamentary democracy, tens of thousands of Canadians signing up for a Facebook group that trumpets the word “proroguing.”

“We’re listening,” the Liberal leader continued. “And we’re going to be going back to work.” Continue…