Airdrie City council narrowly approved a motion Oct. 19 to expand a user fee category for veterans at Genesis Place Recreation Centre to include retired RCMP officers and their families.
Genesis Place implemented a veterans pass user fee category in 2011, which allows retired or serving members of the Canadian Forces to access the facility for a discounted rate, according to manager Brad Anderson. He said 59 veterans used the subsidized user fee in 2019, but the current criteria for proof of identification make intake problematic.
"In some cases, our frontline staff have accepted health cards, discharge papers, pay stubs [and] T4s, among other types of identification," he said. "As you can imagine, this can sometimes lead to confusion for staff on whether or not an individual is actually a serving or former member of the Armed Forces and whether other veterans are eligible, including RCMP and service members of foreign countries, of which we have quite a few."
Staff’s recommendation was to phase out the user fee category for veterans and use other methods to honour and recognize their service to the country. The reasoning for this, according to Anderson, was because expanding the category could set a precedent, allowing other user groups to argue their case for subsidized access as well.
“It may lead to lobbying from other groups who feel they provide the same or a similar value, such as firefighters, paramedics, nurses and so on,” he said.
Coun. Ron Chapman moved for council to adopt the Military Family Service Program's definition of the Canadian military community and accept the CF One program card as proof of eligibility. The CF One card is issued to serving or former members of the RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard, Defence Research and Development Canada and the Department of National Defence.
The motion differed from the Community Services Advisory Board recommendation to adopt the NDI-75 card as proof of eligibility. The NDI-75 card is issued solely to current and former Canadian Forces members.
Chapman was adamant that retired RCMP members should receive the same subsidized access to Genesis Place as Canadian Forces members. While serving members of the RCMP currently receive a complimentary individual pass for Genesis Place – the same benefit as City employees – he said retired members do not have the same benefit.
“I have the utmost respect for every retired Canadian Forces member there is out there, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that any RCMP member who has served has probably seen as much – if not more – mayhem than the number of CF members who are retired,” he said. “I think [RCMP officers] do more for our country than people give them credit for.”
Chapman’s motion passed 4-3, with Mayor Peter Brown and Couns. Tina Petrow and Candice Kolson voting in opposition.
“I don’t know how you’d distinguish between first responders and members of a different policing community,” Brown said, adding that some retired Calgary Police Services officers reside in Airdrie but wouldn’t be eligible for the same benefit as retired RCMP members.
“I struggle with this because all of us on council are enormous supporters of our veterans and our RCMP, as well as our Municipal Enforcement officers and all the first responders in our community. I don’t know how you define one over the other and say one is worthy while one is not."
Petrow, meanwhile, concurred with staff's assessment opening up eligibility to anyone with the CF One card would set a precedent for other groups.
According to Anderson, the decision will likely cost Genesis Place about $5,600 a year in lost revenue. He said there are approximately 15 to 20 retired RCMP officers who might be able to utilize the subsidized pass.
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
