CSAT Input Required on Attending the up coming Stakeholder Summit

There is a two day stakeholder summit being held in early October of this year. As we all were given the details of the past stakeholder summit here on CSAT and were involved in the discussion of that summit, opinions were discussed on the summit itself and the context that applied to it. Our Chief Editor who represents VVi as our spokesperson attended and gave his assessment along with videos he shared to this forum. Personally from my point of view nothing of any value has come out of that summit, I don't foresee this changing in future summits, it is PR for our MVA, the agenda's are mixed to the point where the important points gets left out, finally the MVA has his own set agenda that is being left to the bureaucrats to handle, therefore what or who attending these meetings will have an impact on changing the agenda of our MVA. This is just my opinion and should be viewed as only an opinion, not persuasion.

So I would appreciate the members of CSAT your thoughts on this, the question is, do you think that there's any need for our representative from VVi to continue attending these summits?

Well, my opinion is yes. Right now we may not have much, if any, input into the direction that VAC goes, but at least we are learning what is being discussed, without it having the inevitable spin that the Legion or CVA reps put on it. And of the groups that attend, those are the only two that will even possibly make public statements.

Plus, if the MVA gets replaced, as many feel is a probability, these stakeholder meetings may just take on a more important role. But if we snub VAC now, it may be hard to get invited back.

YES . why ? see bigrex's above reasons. plus as important as it is to have someone speak the truth regardless of ruffled feathers .I believe it is just as important to see the Reponses to that . ie ; those echoing that sentiment or those that although their to support vets may retort in support of the the MVAs evil agenda .

kind of nice to know who is who in the zoo so to speak . and if all it takes is someone speaking to truth and facts id say its worth it .

JMO id like to see two clear and concise statements made above others .

the GOC in 2006 decided to change a 2.4 million dollar pain and suffering benefit to a $250,000 pain and suffering benefit that's not the numbers for the single moderately disabled nooo that's for the most seriously disabled with families to feed . this dissension needs to be reversed !

and of course the death benefit as well think it was 1.6 mil prior to 06 .

just throwing that out their .

propat

Definitely yes. Someone, anyone with smarteyes to be extremely watchful for anything outside of the regular shenanigans.
Very quietly and tactfully... Short list eh?

If I remember right, it is in Ottawa and it sure as heck ain't in any town hall.
There's a thought !  Combine a stakeholder summit with a town hall.
Better yet, combine a town hall with an ACVA. Whatdya think teen?
And... the riot is not included in the guest list...

By the way propat... tx for splitting my rib  " in support of the the MVAs evil agenda "
Had to clean up coffee and my jaw still aches you sob. But pinger is lol.

lol common pinger you know as I do what his agenda is .

FACT ;; the lifelong pension WILL be based on 360,000 plus cola pro rated by age . ie; more if you are very young less if you are very old .

that is what it will be the delay is how to make it jive with how they want to sell it that's all .

the funniest thing is we all knew it the whole time but were left with no choice but to vote for them because the alternative would be worse .

2.4 mil into 25 k .

hilarious . but the joke is on us .

or some of us .

I think I'm on PA . I'm laughing . remembering friends or families they left behind I'm crying .

evil without a doubt . but not without its humor lol .

always question authority

propat

The Stakeholder Summit's are definitely a photo-op for VAC. They are staged and tightly controlled to make sure VAC controls the meeting. VAC bombards the meeting with ADM's, who are conveniently seated among the tables of invitees. Suspicious? Well they do take a lot of notes. Not to mention the group of secretaries at the back of the room doing "administration" and feverishly taking notes.

Speaking of these notes taken by VAC employees....they do this to create minutes for the meeting. Minutes that are never f'n mailed to the participants because they are being compiled, read by every frickn' ADM at VAC, corrected, translated and checked for security measures. But somehow they miraculously are in the hand out's for the current meeting.

One very important point needs to be brought to light here.....recording the meeting. It is a huuuggge no no! Apparently it "stifles" the conversations because some people are intimidated and scared to speak on the record or are afraid what they say is misunderstood. Bullshit! If you are at the meeting then that means you are the leader of said veteran organization. Which makes you the "Official Voice" of that veteran organization. So if you are afraid of being recorded get the hell out of the room and let the adults talk! Oh and VAC really hates it when someone tweets during the meeting. That one lead to phones being put in a box before the meeting.

There are many orgs that attend because it makes them feel important because they were invited for their input, which is usually nothing! They are just there for the free trip, meals and stroking of their egos. Lets call this group Door Stops

If a vet org, like VVi, goes off topic and speaks out against the agenda, topics, or heaven forbid speaking the truth about how VAC is totally off their rockers; the Door Stops, on cue, start with the "For Shame" chant or just plain "Give the Minister a Chance". These Door Stops do have there purpose for VAC.

I've also noticed that VAC is now inviting so many organizations that it gets confusing, problems are repeated way too many times, and they are sometimes totally confused on the agenda's and topics. But the method to VAC's madness is very transparent. They split the room into 2 groups to discuss the agenda of topics. Usually it's the Older Vet Orgs in one group and the Younger, newer Vet Orgs in the other. Somehow the vet orgs that speak their minds are in the younger group and have either the Minister or DM in the room.

A new twist to the next meeting is the groups that are currently working on topics for VAC. They are most likely to be at the meeting but they will not be able to talk about what has been discussed because they have signed a Confidentiality Contract not to talk about their meetings. And surprise, surprise the topics they are discussing are the topics that are most important to vets right now, like the life long pension!

With all this crap and bullshit I say Hell Yeah send the Chief Editor and invite Sean Bruyea to partner up with the Chief Editor or have Big Rex, Trooper or Bumpsy go to the meeting.

The stakeholder thing seems to be a smokescreen. They invite feedback then do what they wanted to anyway.

My pet peev is the "pain & suffering" award. The pension was not a pain & suffering award. It was designed in 1919 to replace your earning capacity in the general labour market using the average unskilled worker.

Of particular note is Pension Act s. 23 which said that the veteran's previous occupation, training & experience is NOT to be factored into the pension.

Refs: Sarvanis SCC 2002 which stated the pension is akin to a Tort award of personal injury damages where we gave up the Right to sue in exchange for a lifelong pension;
War Amps v Canada ONCA 1997: The pension is part of an implied contract where we gave service for:
A. Pay; &
B. Allowanes; &
C. Pension Act pension if injured in service to replace the economic capacity to earn a living.

read these yourselves, if you don't believe me.

From its inception the basic pension has been paid to the disabled veteran because of the particular gravity of the disability he suffered in the service of his country and its impact on his capacity to earn a basic living.

War Amps v Canada ONCA 1997

Trooper - It is unfortunate that the mtgs are like some top secret club, where only a select gp has all the info, and controls it. They want to hear our concerns, then tell us to sit down and listen to their way. If I could ask to have a couple of things brought up.
1. PIA/CIA - Will it remain at 3 levels? And how will one be assessed for these levels?
2. FCRB - There now exits a gray area for this policy. Ie; A PA Vet, who has been diagnosed with PTSD after 2006, are told that due to being under the PA, they are denied the FCRB, and told to apply for the AA. Numerous Vets have then applied for the AA as told, but then where turned down as the AA, is more aligned for Vets needing physical assistance and not mental. So something has to change here. Why in relation to FCRB is a vet with mental issues different if he is pre or post 2006.

Of the top of my head those are two that I know alot of my vet friends would like answers too and changes. Tks, VVV...

I think that, in terms of AA and the FCRB, a person with PTSD, or other OSI, are still for the most part, self sufficient. They can dress themselves, bathe themselves, get up and move around without assistance, etc. Sure they may need reminders to do some things, but except for the most severe cases, A PTSD sufferer can cope with most ADL. Where as somone with severe physical limitations, require more help from a spouse or child, throughout the day, and thus may lose work hours, and suffer from burnout.

Thanks guys for all your responses, they are helpful and very much appreciated.

Once I hear of a decision on this, I will post it.