OUR GOC IS AT IT AGAIN! If you have children under 17, pls read

Correct, Big Rex, I believe the NDP will, if elected, will do what they promised to do for veterans because if they don't then that's it nobody will believe them again. This is why it's important to give them a chance. We know what the others will and have done, nothing really, but this is something new and with new things come hope.I feel the wave of hope that happened states side when Obama was elected.

The NDP, lead by Peter Stoffer, has done as much as possible for veterans. They have introduced more legislation for Veterans than any other party, in recent years. But the Tories have insisted on playing partisan games, by voting no, every time. But when Harper had a Minority, the NDP introduced a private members bill, that addressed the many of the biggest issued listed above, as well as the SISIP clawback (which hadn't been resolved at the time), and thanks to the other opposition parties, it passed all votes in the HoC and committee. But the Tories once again played dirty politics by refusing to send it for royal assent, thus defeating the bill, without actually being able to vote it down. Obviously, it's easier to be more vocal and generous while in opposition, but the Liberals have been extremely quiet in comparison.

I keep wanting to reply.. And keep biting my tongue.

My Momma always said.. If you can't say something nice, say nothing at all.


Damnit... I want to say something in support..because you guys are right!
But I was taught to 'play nice'.

boys the thing is the torys and libs have done a lot for vets up till 90-95 ( u pick ) . ya cant deny them that . fact is our disabled vets have received adequate compensation for the day and age as did a lot of democratic countries . like the rest our benefits packages have always improved over time to meet the demands of the day and age like other democratic countries . yup not not like socialists no but I don't think we really need that . has the NDP done any of that NO of course that probably could be because they never had a chance .

that was ALL the libs and cons .

problem is since 90-95 the other democratic countries have continued to improve benefit packages for disabled vets but Canada has regressed it in a huge way while saying it is an improvement .again all libs and cons and not the NDP probably because they never had a chance .

danny look at the post above by trooper that's been out in one way shape or form now for a couple of years now in one shape or form with little change . not saying its not an election thing just saying its not a last minuet election thing that's all . the announcements by the cons are not a lot of help and that little bit of help goes to very few people . its also NO WHERE even close to what the have TAKEN away .

sure im thinking of voting NDP but lots of time left so if someone comes out and says hey we will give back EVERYTHING we have taken away since 90-95 (again you pick a year ) hell ill settle foe since 05 I sure as hell can change my mind .

the sad thing is I really don't expect ANY party to come out and say something as simple and straight forward as we will give back what was taken from you .

simple fair and probably not gonna happen.

always question authority

propat

Where are the announcements from the NDP and Liberals in regards to veterans? Announcements after announcements from the conservatives, but none from Mr.Mulclair nor Mr. Trudeau?  Maybe they to are waiting for the conservatives to fix the gaps as is the lawsuit?  Until these two candidates speak up on how it will resolve veterans issues, one will draw their own conclusions.  Mr. Mulclair can gain support in the polls if he announces the above noted post and affirms his commitment to better support veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members.
Three candidates to choose from!
Democracy?  Ordinary everyday Canadians don't choose the Prime minister.  The party members ultimately pick their leader and the rest of Canada votes for that party.

Last December I posted the NDP's policy on Veterans on this forum....I count 24 Items here it is ;

" Here is the NDP'S policy on Veterans "

Improving living and working conditions of military
personnel and their families.

Ensuring economic security for Canadian Forces
and RCMP veterans and their families by ex
-
tending the Veterans Independence Program,
enhancing survivors’ pensions, and supporting
homeless or at risk veterans.

Ending the unfair reduction of pensions for
retired and disabled Canadian Forces and
RCMP veterans.

Ending the unjust offset of Veterans Affairs Canada
(VAC) disability pensions for medically released
members of the RCMP, similar to the end of
the unjust offset of Service Income Security
Insurance Plan (SISIP) that affected injured
Canadian Forces veterans.

Supporting initiatives to help veterans transition
into the civilian workforce including programs
that help veterans transition to construction and
shipbuilding trades.

Responding to veterans’ organizations, spouses,
widows and widowers, and initiating a public
inquiry into toxic chemical defoliation at CFB Gagetown.

Expanding the Veterans’ Independence Program
for all veterans, widows and widowers, including
the RCMP.

Supporting modern day veterans’ access to
long-term care veterans facilities, and initiating
discussions for new Health Care Centres of
Excellence that specialize in veterans care.

Ensuring that all veterans and their estates
have access to a dignified funeral and burial by
expanding federal government allowances.

Removing the restrictive marriage after 60 clause
so surviving veterans’ spouses can access pension and health benefits.





Increasing the survivor’s pension amount from
50% to 66% so surviving veterans’ spouses can
manage basic living expenses with dignity.

Replacing the Veterans Review and Appeal
Board with a medical evidence-based peer
reviewed process for disability benefit applica
-
tions in consultation with veterans and veterans’
organizations.

Improving, reviewing, and updating the New Vet
-
erans Charter including the lump-sum payment
for injured veterans.

Applying the principle of One Veteran, One Stan
-
dard to all federal government programs and
services for veterans.

Eliminating the current program approach that
unfairly establishes “classes” of veterans and
family members and offers benefits based on
where or when the veteran served and the type of
service.

Responding to the concerns of veterans exposed
to nuclear weapon trials and those who assisted
in the Chalk River clean-up, known as Canada’s
“Atomic Veterans”.

Better compensation, recognition, and call for public
inquiry for veterans exposed to nuclear weapon
trails and those who assisted in the Chalk River
clean-up, known as Canada’s “Atomic Veterans "


Responding to concerns about unequal stan
-
dards of care for injured reservists.

Better support for those suffering from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Operational
Stress Injuries (OSI) for currently serving CF and
RCMP members, veterans, and their families.

Reviewing outstanding grievances of CF and RCMP
veterans who have been exposed to occupational
hazards like asbestos, depleted uranium, defoliant
spraying, and others, to see where departmental
benefits and services can be applied. No veteran
should fall through the cracks.

Supporting research on unique challenges and
health needs of military and RCMP veterans and
their families and develop strategies to meet their health needs.

Expanding the role of Veterans Ombudsman
to provide independent analysis and reports to
Parliament.

Ensuring veterans programs and services are
kept current, quickly respond to identified
gaps in veterans’ care, and continually update
programs to ensure needs of veterans and their families are met.

If we think that any party will make a huge difference, we are all dreaming in technicolor.

Navrat if you get that in writing that the NDP will lower foreign aid by 50% and commit those funds to Veterans I will vote NDP.

Like I said get them to commit to the details of how they are going to keep their promises to vets.

The Libs and Cons are not making any promises on paper and I doubt they will make verbal commitments because they have seen how veterans are starting to fight back, use the press to embarass them which pressures them to do something.

As much as I want to see half of the NDP promises come to fruition for veterans I have seen where promises during a campaign have fallen off the table.

So get it in writing from them on how they are going to fill these promises. That way the minute they stall, stutter, hesitate we throw it to the press and we all know how the press can be like a pack of hungry wolves when you give them a blood dripping bone!!

Good post Trooper! We all know what the Cons and liberals have done! But we don't know what the NDP will do. We can only hope that from the actions of people like Peter Stoffer who if the NDP gets elected will no doubt be the new MVA, that they improve the lot of all veterans. Yes talk is cheap and actions speak louder so it will be up to the NDP to prove if there going to action the Veteran affairs file or simply talk cheap and nothing gets done. Life is short so why wait for the Cons or liberals which have had their chances maybe it's time to take a chance with the NDP. Most improvements to veterans benefits could be done simply by lowering the foreign Aid budget by 50 percent.

You all have given some good inputs on this issue an who knows better what's best for Veterans then Veterans themselves.

It's easy to say that one's better then the other , an anything is better then the status quo , but I think history can play an important role in guiding a Veteran to decide what's best for him - or her when it comes to what party they choose.

We have some older generation Veterans who maybe satisfied with how things are going as far as what they are receiving for benefits who perhaps are thinking outside the Veterans benefits an are perhaps looking more at seniors benefits such as CPP / OAS health care an so on , which may or may not affect how they are thinking in regards to what party is best for them.

The younger generation of Veterans I think are looking for a party that can boost Veterans benefits an support Veterans to a suitable an reasonable level that will satisfy Veterans as a whole , a party that will not fall short in any way shape or form , a party that stands for Veterans not by just stating it , but by taking real action that reflects  " ALL VETERANS "
Any party can act on improving the benefits an support of Veterans , but if the actions are not strong enough to result in the vast majority of Veterans embracing these actions , the party has failed in it's attempt to gain any real progress towards any substantial progress for Veterans.
Just because the intention is there , it sometimes may be just that ( good intention ) with no substantial results - or progress.
Veterans in numbers are best to see an understand what party will best suit Veterans as a whole for all Veterans.
History is a good starting point , what have past parties really done for the Veterans of this Country , what are the pros , and what are the cons.
For some Veterans the decision maybe a simple one , for others , perhaps not so simple , but one of the three is going to be elected , let's hope whoever it is they not only talk the talk - but walk the walk , when it comes to our Veterans.

Navrat to call conservative backers neo tea party freaks belonging in the 1940s is going too far.

You are now insulting those who vote Conservative. So let's ALL throttle back on comments like this.

I agree with you propat about if the NDP keeps half their promises then it would be good for veterans. But like I am saying ask for the details on how they are going to fill even half of those promises.

Let's keep the political talk respectful ok.

Navrat - I have to agree with all you said. I wrote Peter a while back about a NDP Veteran Policy ?. That same night at around 9pm, he called me. I was pretty floored, as this was the first politician that ever gave a rats ass about Veterans issues. Its not a one day or off the cuff for Peter. It has been a life long passion.
I sent a few emails to the Liberal party Veterans rep, and have yet too see Justins full Vet Policy. He has a few words on his site, but not a fully policy. When is he going to annouce it? VVV...

Good post,Propat ! All I'm saying is why not give the NDP a chance. We know the Cons and liberals won't do anything and the NDP have never had a chance. This is why I believe they are running so high in the polls, people are sick of the same ole crapola! For the life of me I can't see Peter Stoffer being anything but the best MVA ever, just look how he treats veterans and the support he has given, God, the guy returns your calls, Would Harper do that?

campaign money is just that NDP has always relied on grass roots donations citizen workers unions and such cons have always relied on big business . cons have always had the bigger war chest . that's just how things are . not an issue at all as long as these parties do it legally if not THEN its an issue .

comparing mulcair to rae is kinda like comparing harper to hitler in my book .

mulcair aint rae hence the different name harper aint hitler hence the different name .

what I do know is what has happened . the libs and cons fracked us while in power these parties are the enemies of disabled vets .

the NDP have not to date and don't get me wrong im an independent not a party flag waver im willing to bet the only reason is because they never had a chance BUT I don't know for sure .

what I do know from past actions is that the libs and the cons WILL NEVER give back to vets what they took from them maybe 5% hell even 10% but that's it that's all .

if ya think that one of these parties is more honest than the other well I got some land in Florida ya might be interested in .

if ya look at all the promises the NDPs look the best by far for vets . so im thinkin getting half of what the NDP promised is better than getting half of what the others are promising.

im neither an optimist or pessimist but a pragmatist . some of the disabled vets out there a lot of whom are post 06 ers are like lost and dehydrated in the desert are in urgent need of water . so I really don't give a frack about whether the glass is half full ore half empty its half a fracking glass of water that's it that's all .

if that's all they are going to get id like to fracking well see them get the big glass.

always question authority

propat

Politicians... how does one pick the best of the worst?
Perhaps it depends on someones overall situation and individual concerns that points them to the one that best serves their interests at the end of the day?

It's still kinda hard to pick the best juggling chameleon out of the bunch of them though.
Some of them are completely honest part of the time,
Some of them are partly honest all of the time,
But none of them are completely honest all of the time... Fracked again.

But you know what REALLY gets my goat? Harper's timeline of so many shiny trinkets since last Christmas leading up to this coming election.
It's blatantly overt, clear as day, and insults my intelligence.

A sugar-coated, superficial Santa Claus comes along before HIS next Christmas in October.
Bearing gifts of TFSA, UCCB, RISB. CIB, FCRB, etc.etc.
I feel some of those may be good if they come to fruition but that is beside the point. It's the timing of it all.

Perhaps these "gifts" are to offset every scandal that has plagued the GoC? That would make sense right? One for one, two for two....
Hmmm..., I'll get back to you with the scorecard.

No matter what the GoC flavour will be in October, we still won't live in a perfect world, but it's the best one we got.

Now if Harper could only steal more lollipops from the kiddies at his rallies... he might even balance the budget. pinger.