OTTAWA — The Conservative government laid on special military transport flights on three occasions last year to take Second World War veterans, their caregivers and cabinet ministers to commemoration events in Europe.
National Defence was forced to swallow the cost within its budget and some veterans advocates are asking why.
Documents obtained by The Canadian Press under access to information show Veterans Affairs requested the special airlift for anniversary celebrations in Italy in November and the Netherlands last spring.
Separately, the department confirms a C-150 Polaris military plane was also used to take veterans to the 70th anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings in June 2014.
A memo prepared for former defence minister Rob Nicholson shows the cost of two of the flights was expected to be between $134,000 and $813,000, depending on whether the trips could be counted within the aircraft’s regular flying budget.
National Defence was asked yesterday what the costs were, but has not responded, and veterans advocate Mike Blais questions why Veterans Affairs off-loaded the cost on an already cash-strapped military.