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New programs help veterans

It has been said that every day is Remembrance Day for families and friends who have lost a loved one in service to our great country.

It has been said that every day is Remembrance Day for families and friends who have lost a loved one in service to our great country. In my 10 months as minister of Veterans Affairs, I have come to understand this more profoundly than ever.

If there is any comfort in our country’s tragic loss, it may be in knowing that such sacrifice has never been in vain, and especially, that they will never be forgotten. We are a blessed nation built on the shared values that these heroic men and women have fought for and defended: freedom, democracy, human rights, the rule of law. And, as our nation’s attention is focused on our veterans this month, it is also appropriate that we should take the time to discuss the issues that are so important to them and their families.

In doing so, I would like to re-assure all Canadians that our government has been listening to our veterans. We recognize that they have legitimate concerns. The New Veterans Charter, which was adopted unanimously by all political parties in 2005, represented a fundamental change — and it was not perfect. There were gaps in the care and support we provided, and we have acted to correct them.

Over the past seven weeks, our government has unveiled a series of new measures totalling more than $2 billion for our veterans and their families.

We have made all of these changes for only one reason: because it was our duty to do so. Our government is committed to making sure our Canadian Forces personnel, veterans and their families have the support they need — when they need it.

This is why we recently announced another $2 billion to provide our seriously wounded veterans with adequate monthly income. We also announced $52.5 million to establish a Legacy of Care for our seriously injured men and women in uniform and their families. And we have announced immediate changes to the support received by veterans with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS. At the same time, we are working behind the scenes to solve other problems, such as wait times that are too long and complicated red tape that too many of our veterans must contend with.

All these measures are part of our agenda for transforming Veterans Affairs Canada to better support the men and women who have served Canada so well.

I feel obliged, however, to draw one line in the sand. There are those who insist that Canada should abandon its lump-sum payments and the ongoing financial supports that come with them. They want us to turn back the clock and fully restore the previous system of disability pensions. I believe this would be a serious error. And, quite frankly, I believe those advocating such changes probably are not familiar with all the details of the charter.

The New Veterans Charter was unanimously passed by Parliament in 2005 because Canadians recognized it was time for a new, modern social contract with the men and women serving our nation. While disability pensions had worked well following the two Great Wars, they had run their course. We had to correct a pension system that encouraged increasingly younger veterans to focus on proving their health was deteriorating while receiving very limited benefit from doing so. After all, the average disability pension from Veterans Affairs was about $600 per month, and it came with few services and only partial medical care.

Unfortunately, many people appear unaware that the New Veterans Charter is about far more than its disability awards. The sole intent of the lump-sum payment is to recognize and compensate our injured men and women for their pain and suffering. It is important to note that we also provide other monthly financial supports to recognize the ongoing economic impact of an injury or illness. One example is the monthly earnings loss benefit. It provides eligible veterans with up to 75 per cent of their pre-release salary.

While these new measures were a solid foundation, veterans told us they weren’t enough. That is why we are proposing a minimum annual income of $40,000 for veterans receiving the earnings loss Benefit. As well, we are proposing our most severely injured veterans receive a supplementary $1,000 a month — on top of the existing permanent impairment allowance, which can already reach up to $1,609 per month. This would ensure that a seriously wounded veteran would receive at least $58,000 per year.

As these latest changes indicate, our government is convinced that the New Veterans Charter can keep pace with the varied needs of the men and women it serves. Our veterans have earned this. They deserve this. And, on behalf of our grateful nation, our government will continue to improve this Charter.

Jean-Pierre Blackburn

Minister of Veterans Affairs, Ottawa