Injured veterans to get choice over pensions or lump-sum payments

Injured veterans to get choice over pensions or lump-sum payments

Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr says his department is drawing up plans to offer injured ex-soldiers the choice of lump-sum payments or lifetime pensions when they leave the military, despite the government’s tight fiscal situation.

“We made commitments to our veterans to offer the lump sum or lifetime pension option,” he said. “We are putting my department through the paces of coming up with real, viable plans to allow veterans that choice, to allow them to make a clear decision (by) understanding the financial ramifications.”

It's been a year Since Pinger posted this article/info on the lifelong pension promise, still nothing.

The biggest promise and the most important promise not being fulfilled to date, no word on the progress, this is just plain wrong in every way.

You would think they would at least give us an update.

I was guessing that the announcement would come this year, now I'm not so sure.

Teen the money from his travels are coming from tax payer dollars, more than likely from his ministerial budget. I certainly agree with you about the BS and not being educated on our file. We have seen lots of posted interviews here on CSAT where he shows his lack of knowledge on our file, he has passed (everything) down to his staff/bureaucrats to get done. He doesn't really have the time to get in to deep on the knowledge as he is preoccupied with his daily travels. This is the way he is, this is the way it will continue as long as he stays in that position. Like I said before with the offices, he is creating jobs by making this a priority, it makes him look like he is in charge and has the knowledge needed to address our file, but to the Veteran his travel showboat and photo Ops fools no one, at least the Veterans from CSAT. All of this because he simply passed everything down for others to do, the sad thing is that those implementations that are presented are set in stone by those implementing them, the MVA will go by whatever they do and say as long as it's somewhat inline with his mandate letter, in the meantime it's photo Op heaven for him.

They have improved the FA.. correction: VAC system that now one has to wait 32 weeks to get decision from them (that is after they say: they got all the docs in order).
According to their coms that I just received, they are now looking at January docs (to make the final decision).

Thanks Mr. Herrrrrr.

That's the thing Johnny it's all about the camera's with this guy and using vets as a props. It's complete utter BS. Good for you not to pass it along. If they don't know a half a dozen vets they could call in Ch'town then what does that say about their reputation?

I can't help but think how much money is being burned away to send him and his team (which also includes his health team) around the country to announce offices opening in a year? Why is he doing this? He's only setting himself up for failure which is going to be a stall tactic by the Libs when they replace him.

One thing about Ministers you either keep a low profile away from PEI or you go to PEI and learn on the go so you look intelligent when faced with questions about the new benefit, lifelong pension, etc.

A Minister that does this also learns the ropes and can hold his own during one on one conversations. Since 1999 I have only ever spoken to 2 Ministers that were confident enough to talk without their ADM's around....George Baker a Lib and Erin O'Toole a con. That's 2 out of 10 since 99'.

A Minister who does not keep a low profile well usually that's a sign he's going to be the goat whenever the feces hit's the fan.

Teen, I agree that I can see the Liberals announcing the new pension on or around Apr 1st, because that will be roughly when the new budget will be coming out.

teentitan - I will go along with that rumor..lol. But I can tell you that I have seen Walt, DM, ex gen, down here alot lately. I can only hope he is shakeing the tree abit. But when there up that high who knows. A few days before our Distict Office was to open, I seen our local MP at a coffee shop. He said can you get a few of your Vet friends, injured or not to show up. I so hate being used as a backdrop for some politicial announcement. I did not pass the word along. I know alot of Vets have suffered with the loss of that office. VVV...

And yes put them all in that room and throw away key

bruce you now identified problem #2.....how do we make the lifelong match the PA without getting sued....orrrrr.....will the PA pensioners sue if their payment does not match the new lifelong?

From what I have heard there is a room at VAC in PEI that has no windows, one solid door, no phones and it's wrapped in copper so no wireless signals can get in or out. That is the room that the panel is in to hash out the details.

This is just a rumor but I also heard there is a company in Charlottetown that has an open contract to pad this room overnight on 2 hours notice. Johnny you live in Ch'town is there a company like this? LOL

Exactly Teen, well said. One other thing that concerns me is the award top-up, it remains to be seen but from VAC with their example and confirming the example with VAC I think there's a lot of Veterans being mislead on the numbers with regards to the retro they will receive. From the example it is set at a flat rate with a Veteran receiving a Disability Award for a 25% disability assessment receiving a retro of $11,000. If this is the case the maximum retro should be around $44,000, and a 50% assessment receiving a retro of $22,000. I sure hope their wrong because those numbers are much less than was previously calculated by many.

But if the new monthly pension system doesn't stack up to the PA system of prior 2006 at today's rates wouldn't that create another lawsuit based on inequality between veterans just like the NVC did?

What is this ring around the rosie?

One thing to remember about the top-up coming 1 April 2017 that ALL NVC recipients will get that have received a lump sum payment it is a court mandated top-up.

The Equitas lawsuit proved that the GoC from 2006 to present date have been low balling vets. The maximums of the NVC were proven to be lower then the national average.

That said I don't think the Liberals are that stupid to tie the court mandated top-up with the new lifelong pension.

One thing we all need to be prepared for is 1 April 2017. I can see the Liberals releasing the new lifelong pension at the same time as the top-up to put the political spin of we are treating veterans with care for Jane and Joe Canadian.

If the lifelong is crap the Libs will still look like heroes because they will definitely brag about the money going to vets even though it is not what they promised.

Just my opinion, I have no doubt the Liberals will bring forward a lifelong pension before their end term. However I must say that I have my doubts on the quality or the merits that pension will prove to be. There's no word on the progress of that pension, it's all silence which can only mean one thing, they know of the backlash that is coming once it's detailed, so they will hold off as long as possible and focus on other promises hoping that will sit a bit better when they make the announcement. Remember two things, one the pension can be anything as long as it's lifelong, two the bureaucrats are the ones writing it up, so all I can say at this time is hope for the best and prepare for the worst. My guess is that the lifelong pension that they bring forward will not be worth the paper it's written on, but it's only my opinion hopefully I'II be proven wrong.

I'm a dual client as well. To me the lump sum increase is one thing. Topping it up including retro is different. But will be very relevant compared to some sort of life-long pension to be announced. TBA??!!

The GoC holds all the financial cards folks. And their priorities are splintered.
That said, any new life-long pension will be very shy.

Take it to the bank because the writings on the wall. 2 - 3 years may change it though.

Just my opinion, pinger.

vet1234 wrote "So what happens to EELB and PIA/A if they follow through with pensions?"

Not to leapfrog but they should have to discern, differentiate, and explain their abortion... transparently.
Never happens that way though....

So what happens to EELB and PIA/A if they follow through with pensions?

Johnny211 - I have the same suspicion you do. That the "top up" will be forced upon us with a "thanks for coming out" from JT and crew.