Dedicated to the organization of a cross Canada protest by veterans and those who support our armed forces to demand changes in the Veterans Charter to reflect the honourable service of Canada's sons and daughters.

It is our objective to end the widows tax that impose undue hardship on the survivors. To end the lump sum payment our new veterans face and ensure our wounded warriors are provided security through lifetime pensions commensurate with the injuries they have sustained in war and in peace.

 

It is our goal to end the SISIP/Manulife contracted claw back on ALL vet VAC pensions. Let us demand that our Agent orange victims be treated fairly, indeed, that all veterans receive compassionate care not dictated by stinginess on behalf of the federal government.

Stand with us. These men and women have put their lives on the line for you, the least you can do is spare an hour of your time to support them.

Saturday, 06 November, 1100 hours at your local MP's office.

 

The Purpose

My name is Michael L Blais CD. I am a disabled veteran and a victim of the SISIP claw back. In response to the disrespectful manner Colonel Stogran has been treated by the government and due to the fact that the issues he and Dominion Command, RCL have presented has been ignored, a movement to organize a Veterans national day of protest on the 6th of November at 1100 hrs, local time has been initiated.

 

It is my hope that we can generate sufficient interest across the nation to start in Newfoundland and three and a half hours later, conclude in Victoria, BC. These objectives have been partially attained as we have representation in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and BC already. Major rallies will be held in St John’s, London and Trenton with another being considered for Niagara Falls and Peter Stoffer’s riding in Nova Scotia.

Naturally, this is a massive undertaking. Many veterans cannot travel or cannot afford to make a pilgrimage to Ottawa and it is for this very reason that we hope to do this locally so veterans across the nation can take this opportunity to participate in one form or anther. I have attached a letter defining our purpose, the reasons why we are taking these extraordinary measures and the proactive efforts we propose to protect the welfare of our injured troops when they return from Afghanistan and ensure the issues plaguing traditional veterans, most of which Colonel Stogran highlighted, are finally addressed.
 
Info can be found at either site. Please join if you are on Facebook, the numbers really do make a difference.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=100306030029293&v=wall  and here,

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=148801205137620&v=wall.


[If using the VeteranVoice.info (VVi) site, bookmark this link: http://canadianveteransnationaldayofprotest.veteranvoice.info/ ]
 

Please forward this site [CLICK here for pdf download] to as many veterans or military associates you have. It is vital that we spread the word as far as possible and we have a mere two months to act.


The Issues

Veterans standing up for Colonel Stogran as he has stood up for us.

Last month, retired Colonel Pat Stogran, CO of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry battalion that led Canada’s deployment to Afghanistan, was informed by the Canadian government that his services as the Veterans Affairs Canada ombudsman would be no longer required. Veterans across the nation were appalled, fearing the important issues championed so vigilantly by Colonel Stogran would be ignored or delayed beneath the guise of Minister Blackburn’s claim of need for a new vision. I can assure all Canadians, there is nothing wrong with Colonel Stogran’s vision; the issues he has identified and condemned during his tenure are very, very real. During the past three years he has truly earned the trust of our veterans through action and word, a refreshing source of support for many who are living with the debilitating consequences of war and peace.

Many Canadians are unfamiliar with the hardships our veterans are confronting. I would like to clarify this situation with the sincere hope that once you understand how veterans are being mistreated, you might be inclined to support them at 1100 hours, November 6th, 2010 when we assemble in front of our MP’s offices to respectfully ask for support redressing five principle areas of concern.

The widow’s aka death benefit tax. Sadly, the families of the fallen, already deeply grieving the loss of loved ones are subject to a great deal of financial hardship through this unjust taxation policy. We believe that the families of the fallen deserve a tax exception on all death benefits.

Lump Sum Award. Sadly, hundreds of Canada’s sons and daughters have sustained grievous wounds in action and/or suffer from a variety of service related physical and physiological issues. We have borne witness to the struggle of the armless, the legless, blind, deaf… hundreds of veterans are returning to Canada from Afghanistan with serious health problems. Financially, the New Veterans Charter is particularly deficient. I will demonstrate by comparing the two systems. Hypothetically, two veterans are severely wounded, age twenty-five, wife, child. One receives a lump sum payment of 276000 dollars. The other receives the standard before the New Veterans Charter implementation, roughly 3000 dollars a month. Both live to the age of 85. The new veteran receives 276000 dollars during this period, about 380 dollars a month. His colleague, on the pre New Veterans Charter, receives roughly TWO MILLION dollars. This vast disparity, particularly when one considers the consequences of modern combat, is obscene.

Veterans Affairs pension / SISIP claw back. As you might imagine, it is nearly impossible for a soldier to get life/disability insurance. Prior to the New Veterans Charter, Canada’s sons and daughters participated in a mandatory DND implemented, Long-term disability insurance program administered by SISIP Manulife. These Long Term Disability Benefits are clawed back by the amount of the monthly VAC Disability Pension (non-taxable and not income) they receive under the Pension Act. Veterans Affairs Canada disability pensions are not considered income replacement. These are awards for the level of physical or psychological injury and the pain and suffering due to a veteran’s injuries. As such, we believe the claw back on our pensions is fundamentally unfair.

Reduction of pension at age 65. Imagine you served you entire career, dutifully paying into your pension fund only to discover that the government is arbitrarily going to reduce it the moment you hit 65. This is fundamentally unfair, particularly in the sense that all governmental offices, only the RCMP and the Canadian Armed Forces are adversely affected by this financial hardship. We believe that this is a burden for veterans and Mounties; this discriminating policy must be repealed.

Agent Orange/PTSD. We respectfully request that a comprehensive program be implemented to assist those who were affected by Agent Orange at CFB Gagetown. The current settlement covers only those affected over the course of one year even though it has been proven that hundreds, if not thousands of veterans through time, may have been exposed. The consequences are fatal, cancers inherent with great discomfort and pain. Many veterans have already died. To deny responsibility and care for those suffering a terminal disease yet provide for others similarly affected, but only during the one-year period, is morally wrong. Post traumatic stress issues have also become an urgent issue as more and more of our veterans find it difficult coping with their wartime experiences after repatriation.

These are the facts and with these facts in mind, I would invite all Canadians to join veterans throughout Canada on the 6th of November 2010, at 1100 hours in front of your local MP’s office. We shall unite as brothers and sisters, sing O Canada, respectfully present our petition to our local parliamentarians and provide him/her an opportunity to address these issues in a public forum. If you can’t come in person, write a letter, send an email or call you MP on that day.  Conservative, Liberal or NDP, it matters not, our veterans need the support of all parliamentarians if we are to change the New Veterans Charter through legislation. Just as we, the veterans of Canada, need the support of all Canadians.

Stand up for veterans! Stand up for veterans as they have stood up for you.

Michael L Blais CD, Niagara Falls, Ontario.