Stand behind your word on veterans’ CPP benefits

This has been brought to the government numerous times. There is virtually no chance that they will change this. It is called a bridge benefit and not a clawback. They will say you paid less so that you get less. Hasn't a hope of being changed. What should be changed now tho is the pension deductions members make now. Change it so that they pay more and do NOT get a bridge benefit. Get what your pension should give you and get what your CPP too. Nice try but this has been addressed for decades and we have never been close to ever changing it.

Stand behind your word on veterans’ CPP benefits

Letter to the editor

Published on August 8, 2017

Dear Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,

The committee has attempted on numerous occasions to communicate with you but our mail does not reach your desk.

You are urgently requested to initiate an executive white paper memo to the commissioner of the Canadian Pension and Appeal Board to remedy this long-outstanding Military/RCMP Veterans CPP pension deduction at age 65 or sooner if in receipt of a CPP disability pension. This unjust/unfair deduction affects the welfare of their families in their golden years. Military/RCMP veterans continue to maintain that their engagement contract was broken.

Sir, as Prime Minister of Canada you have stated: "Veterans and their families have earned our respect and gratitude." Veterans should not have to fight their government for the support and compensation they have earned. You are requested to stand behind your words that you gave to veterans and their families. The committee wishes to remind you that the Liberals voted to end this clawback on five occasions. Veterans request no retroactive payments. They request no funds from the taxpayers. Billion of dollars are available in our pension account to remedy this. This pension clawback may affect 30,000 veterans over age 65.

Serving personnel and veterans are furious that the government of Canada is able to provide financial assistance to other countries, then deny veterans their earned and paid for pension at no cost to the taxpayers. The morale of our forces was second to none. It has now deteriorated to a level where less than 30 per cent of recruits re-engage after their first contract in the Canadian Forces. It is a known fact that how Canada treats it Veterans reflect on recruitment.

Military/RCMP personnel are a different government provider. They often work in deplorable conditions. What price can be placed on the voluntary services we ask our spouses to perform while we serve Canada. Consider the loss of our spouses’ employment income opportunities as a result of many operational moves. Many postings led to the loss of their spousal CPP benefits. They often faced extended family separation with elevated level of stress.

Prime Minister you must stand behind your words given to veterans and their families. Many veterans are in their 80s, 130 die daily.

When will veterans be able to receive the pension protection they and their families have paid for in more ways than one. This letter of concern needs to be placed on the prime minister’s desk. He needs to provide a favourable reply to Military/RCMP personnel and their families. Veterans feel cheated. Forces personnel need to be proud again of the support and protection they provided to Canada. Veterans were prepared to give the ultimate sacrifice to Canada. They and their families need to be remembered not just on Remembrance photo-ops week, but throughout the year. This CPP pension issue has been going on for far too long.

Prime Minister we look forward to your reply, in that Military/RCMP Veterans can move on to provide more assistance to our disabled Veterans. Sir, your Leadership is required now to solve this issue, at no cost to the taxpayers.

We remain your obedient servants.

John Labelle

Veterans Annuity Campaign coordinator

http://www.ngnews.ca/opinion/letter-to-the-editor/2017/8/8/stand-behind-your-word-on-veterans-cpp-benefits.html