OTTAWA — The distinction between a soldier who’s ready to leave the military versus one who is willing to go was on full display Wednesday as the Harper government came under fire amid claims that troops are being discharged before they’re eligible for a pension.
Defence Minister Rob Nicholson insisted wounded members are not being summarily given their walking papers and that a collaborative process is followed before anyone hits the civilian world.
“Before being released, members of the Canadian Armed Forces work with the military on a transition plan,” Nicholson told the House of Commons during tag-team attacks by the Liberals and New Democrats.
“All and injured Canadian Forces members are provided with physical, mental and occupational therapy services for their eventual transition to civilian life. Members are not released until they are prepared.”
Critics were unimpressed, accusing the government of trying save money by not allowing wounded troops — who don’t meet the military’s universality-of-service rule, which requires personnel to be able to perform a broad range of duties — to reach pension eligibility, which takes 10 years.
Critics took up the cases of two soldiers reported by The Canadian Press, one of who was discharged last Friday.
Cpl. David Hawkins, a reservist from London, Ont., with post-traumatic stress, was mustered out despite pleas to remain another year until he was able to collect a fully indexed pension.