Here we are, Halifax, Feb 14th, Convention Center

Thank you BigRex and thank fack you where there i am proud of you boy you did us proud, finally someone is giving us an update that makes sense.

RR, you put Egder Allen Poe to shame, what a greet piece, and with your permission I'd like to read it to our legion! I always knew we would be lucky to clear 60 percent as seen from my posts and Peter flat out told me this and I never doubted him. I think that the guys believe this is such a great deal is it covers back to 1976 , so lot of veterans will get something. Do I like the legal fees nope, I wish the GOC comes forward but who knows , will see today. But I do hope if not then they are lowered to 5 percent which in this dudes world provides more than a pay day. Me and Dennis have butted heads alot, with him once comparing me as his arch enemy Navrat , I just laugh it off, I believe stress plays a factor and I also believe in forgiveness., I hope Dennis finds them. So , RR and the CSAT crew, it's round 2 , GOC lying on the floor, MC shaking in the corner, and judge Barnes swinging the anvil , three spots it could fall, 1. GOC pays legal, 2. Reduce legal fees 3. MC keeps 17.5? , Barnes has balls , my bet 1or 2, lets rumble!

According to those reporting it is a good deal so it must be a good deal right?
I will only pay $40,000 minus a couple of shit nickels here and there, I am ecstatic about the deal, hell i could have paid a ton more, it is only one years wages for most people that is good, lol

Well Sorry for waiting so long to pipe in. The day of sitting took it's toll on me so once I got home I pounded back several pain pills and went to sleep. I am not able to attend today, but I am glad that the judge and lawyers were willing to compromise the schedule yesterday to allow as many veterans to have our say as possible. I felt this and the past and felt it again yesterday, that judge Barnes is truly on our side. He, on his own brought up the possibility of charging legal fees only on the net award and when the lawyers said it can't be done, he rebuffed that just because it hasn't been done, doesn't mean it can't be done (paraphrasing). It was also the judge that requested the crowns opinion on the legal fees, since he said a fairer amount would be reached if there was debate. Will the judge approve the settlement, probably, but I feel with much lower legal fees, and I'm glad, in spite of my speech yesterday. I could not idly sit by and not at least voice how the disdain the Government truly holds for disabled Veterans was very pervasive during the entire process. And that if they were willing to pay damages and legal fees, and waive taxes in the tainted blood and residential school victim settlements, without ever contesting the action or setting foot in court to fight the merits, refusing to provide the same level of compensation to disabled Veterans after a seven year battle, just screams of that disdain.

One thing that did surprise me though, that of all the class members there who were zero sum totally disabled, there was not a lot of assistive device in the room. There was one Veteran in a wheelchair, one with a service dog, and a few canes speckled throughout the crowd but that was it. As one of the one Veterans walking around there with the most difficulty, because of my physical disabilities, I found myself on the outside looking in at those who are getting hundreds of thousand dollars, but still able to briskly walk up to the podium to say that they support the proposal, in spite of bad backs or knees. I applauded after every one of us spoke, because I know the mental anguish it caused to put yourself up there, but they didn't understand the physical anguish I went through to stand up and speak my mind. I'm sure some if not most have been in my shoes at some point, but it was obviously not permanent, because what people saw yesterday, a relatively young Veteran hobbling up to the podium with my walker, is my reality. It is my every day.

I am paying 7.5% on money that I am not getting to age 65 because I am not TPI SO IT IS NOT A GREAT DEAL.

And thanks for your compliment, i have learned a ton from you folks hell of a lot stronger today than yesterday brother

it will be 15% broken down like this, 7.5% on the settlement 7.5% on what you will make up to aged 65 the 2.83 % is HST or GST so yes it will be 17.83% Peeps and from what I understand it is a great deal.

If we are taxed on the total, then we give 17.83 to the Firm, and they have added on top up covering their GST&HST, then we have paid taxes twice.

Is that true?

That's a complement!

You said it as you saw it. No BS or emotional add-ons.

Hope that is not a bad thing peeps

A straight shooter iC

Dennis has been through hell and on his journey that he accepted due to the fact the original member was employed by DND and could not legally be lead Plaintiff. Dennis has helped many veterans and he should be thanked for that, I do not hate Dennis and I actually believe he is a very special man my door is always open to. However just like everything else in our military one bad day will never be forgotten and even repeated bad days cause a huge amount of speculation. Fact is Dennis took a personal disliking to some members of many forums not just CSAT and he conducted himself very unprofessionally. He took disabled veterans with him, demeaning them, insulting them, posting insulting remarks and even threatening them verbally and with physical threats. I find this insulting as I sat here with fellow disabled veterans time after time and watched in honour as they too became victims of our lead Plaintiffs rage. Agreed some of the posts that he re-posted were criminal and definitely vile and even I would have lost it. However if you think for one minute that he and he alone suffered the greatest amount of adversity you should jump back on the turnip truck and wait till someone boots you off for the fun of it. I think while you are reporting or posting your interpretations you should follow up with a post asking those that personally felt the poor misguided stressed out attacks of rage from Dennis how they have coped. He deserves more and we deserve less, a contingency amount from the lawyers and not us, wonder how the contingency amount got there did they win loto 6/49?
Yup we are fortunate that the Crown did not take this to trial and they allowed the case to go back to 1976, do you wonder why this became a class action in the first place. The CF Ombudsman André Marin had the answer and in his report Oct 30 2003 sent to the GOC/MND only three of the five recommendations got revised, guess what one’s did not? Unanimously the committee members accepted the proposals by the HoCSC on National Defence and Veteran Affairs imploring the Defence Minister and the Government to accept and enact the Ombudsman’s recommendations without delay the TB still refused to shed light on any wrong doing even after 3 months.
Oops, there it is sucks to be a disabled veteran, so sue us, and voila here we are. The GOC was not going to pay for the legal fees on this trial before or after the case became certified as a class action. Fees are fees ok I got it but the history about this you didn’t.
So by being 3b medically released or volunteer release in good standing you have no choice but to be a member of the class action period. Yes you could have opted out but we did not and therefore we are bound by the rules regulations and law when dealing with this suit. I will state the McInnes Cooper is by far a superior Law firm, who in their right mind would think otherwise. Being one of the largest firms on the east coast I seriously doubt they would tarnish their reputation for a couple of bucks. Unfortunately some not all felt that more could have been done and I for one agree. If you think CSAT did not advance this case you are wrong this site has helped veterans come together and it has even helped those that wanted to help veterans jump in and do so in ways we cannot fathom. Did CSAT stick it too Dennis and McInnes Cooper sure we did and I bet VVI will be remembered, I will not forget those that gave their hearts out here and I won’t forget the bitching and whining, loved every damn minutes of it.
No apologies or grovelling for forgiveness for my words insulting or informative as I have found a path greater than my own personal loss, I FOUND YOU THE VETERAN.
AIRBORNE

thanks, you able to go in court again RSMbuckleup?

Halifax