Dear editor,
As a Conservative, I would really like to know where the government that I voted for is? Is the Harper Conservative government really conservative? I thought, as Conservatives, we would have an accountable bureaucracy. I thought, as Conservatives, we would want good fiscal management and I thought, as Conservatives, we would want to ensure our injured veterans are looked after. According to some Conservative MPs, “Over the first five Conservative government budgets, veterans’ programs spending has increased by more than $2.5 billion.”
What they don’t tell you is that after they brought in the New Veterans Charter in 2006, Veterans Affairs Canada started giving out lump sum payments of up to $276,000 for a 100 per cent disability.
The average payout has been only $38,000 to each disabled veteran. The reason why they have increased spending is due to these lump sum payments; thereby paying more now, but paying way less later. Veterans Affairs thinks it will save taxpayers money; what it really does is contribute to another problem - homeless veterans. Veterans Affairs Canada is broken and needs to be fixed. Some bureaucrats need to be fired, especially those who gave out confidential information of my friend; Sean Bruyea, the veteran who just received an apology from Minister Blackburn in Parliament. If our Members of Parliament really want to help Canada’s ageing and injured veterans here is what they need to do:
• Government must order a Royal Commission on Veteran Affairs and follow up on the recommendations including charges if necessary.
• Government needs to legislate the Office of the Veteran Ombudsman to be a Parliamentary Officer and report to Parliament.
• Government and Veterans Affairs needs to treat all veterans the same not in segregated groups.
To be fair this is not only the fault of the Conservative government, the New Veterans Charter was written under the previous Liberal government and passed by all parties faster than an F-18’s flight.
The question is, will the Conservatives order the above to fix Veterans Affairs Canada?
Donald J. Leonardo, Founder of VeteransofCanada.ca, Airdrie
