Re: Veterans Affairs Adjudication compared to Ontario Workmans Compensation Board

[Guest]

All those injured Vets who have gone to the Federal Courts and obtained favorable recommendations please read the post i.e. Ignored Federal Court decisions by the VRAB and the reasons why they can do this. Require said ignored Federal Court recommendations for ammunition for a court case to show VRAB Board is not doing its job. Very Important if you want to push back at this unfair system.

Eric Rebiere (Former Cst. RCMP 37515)
Charter Member Canadian Veterans Advocacy
I/C legal Initiatives.

[Guest]

BinRat you brought up a very real point in regards to depression caused due to fighting with the VRAB. What about the physical and mental suffering caused on top of the original injury in regards to being denied a legitimate disability claim especially one that the Federal Courts have ruled in favor of the injured Vet and one must take into consideration the impact on the injured vets family. Imagine the VRAB's medical qualifications to interpret injured veterans medical files and qualifications to refuse a Doctors report presented as evidence being challenged in federal court? I can tell you the Quasi Judicial VRAB would look not so good in the eyes of a learned Federal Court Judge. Right now I am working on this challenge with legal council and hopefully opening the door for compensation for the needless and unfair suffering that is taking place, Brian Dyck being the most despicable case yet. Whisky45

[BinRat]

Well this was or has been the only meeting either ACVA w/Stoffer and or the Senate where they have had anyone from the WSIB there.
But I have heard Mr. Zimmerman in about 5 different times, there was Pat Stograns Online meetings i have seen him, and both Senate, and ACVA
meetings.

And I'll just say, if I know of any upcoming meetings ACVA / Senate where he'll be a witness I'll definatley mark it down and make sure I watch / listen to it

But it's like on the WSIB meeting, I started wondering, After one starts his application process with VAC and time after time your application/review is
denied and the BS just gets to the point of making one crazy, depressed and what not.

The thought came to me, If you put a claim in to VAC for Depression that was caused by having to deal with the VAC process you'd be denied because it wasn't
service related.
So my question would be could one put a claim in through WSIB for Depression due to or being caused by VAC.???

Personally I think they would say No, cause it's not work related, but it's one of those Middle ground things, where VAC is the cause and can't get benefits VIA
VAC cause it's not service related, but it's not Work related, so your just shit out of luck and remain Depressed .

Sigh, but what can ya do eh....

[Guest]

Thanks for your post BinRat but I do believe that since my post comparing WSIB and the VRAB not to mention supplying the same information to Mr. Stoffer of the NDP who was sitting on the Parliamentary Committee on veterans issues, I do believe that my comparison was the source of those questions about the difference between WSIB and the VRAB. This post has been on the Voice for a long time and prior to the discussions you mentioned. Information is power. The message is simply do not quite and join the Canadian Veterans Advocacy which is growing in numbers daily. Whisky 45. P.S. Derick Zimmerman is a very good friend of mine....

[BinRat]

Hey Guy's....

Well I was reading this and I just wanted to Pass this along, While to my knowledge I am not sure if any studies have been done in comparing WSIB and VRAB
What i would like to say is that On Dec 1, 2010 The Vet Senate Committee did bring in 2 people to talk to, One was Mr Zimmerman and the other was Paul Gilkersin
who is Service Delivery for WSIB.

So, yeah no formal study was done, but it's not that it hasn't been looked at, they did ask questions about how WSIB
You can read more Evidence page Senate

[Guest]

Supremedebater congrats you are the 1349 individual to read the most read post on the Comment thread and the number speaks for itself. The VRAB have been under attack and criticism for a long time but no one has taken the step to compare the VRAB to WSIB. I do stand to be corrected if someone has but I doubt it i.e. the strong interest in reading it. As far as getting wrapped up in all this it was personally listening to the words of Brian Dyck last August in the Ottawa Press Gallery and that dispicable injustice done to a dying vet and police officer really really motivates me in not letting the Conservative Government forget what the VRAB did to Brian and his family. Don't know what your background is but I am not a lawyer by any means but 26 years as an investigator in the RCMP has given me the experience to look a little deeper into things and see it for what it is. I know Dennis and respect his tenacity in what he is doing and from what I hear he is making headway with his case. I know it has taken a toll on him but he does not quit. Nor do I. Its sad to hear that you have given up but that is your choice but in the long run you will benefit from the efforts of those that do not. I am a charter member of the Canadian Veterans Advocacy and the issue about the way the VRAB is not over by a long shot. Whisky45

[Guest]

Dude your beating a dead horse, this has been talked and talked and talked about. Don't wasteyour time on it, and life! The system is not going to change. To be quite honest, don't let it wrap your life up as it is. So many Veterans including myself and Dennis Manuge have been eaten up by all of the shit! Don't let it eat you up. leave it up to the guys that have some knowledge and can file with the proper entities. I say this because it is so repetitive to see new people come in and say " hey look what I found" when it was found 100 times before. Yes it is known that VRAB panel members are this and that. But to be honest, I wouldn't want to many ex military or doctors on the panel anyway. As for panel members consulting with doctors I agree with you but this has Bren beaten up many times as well.! My advice, if you lose initial applications with VAC, walk away...95% of review and appeals are denied! Live with your ailments and get on with your life. I'm so deep in this bullshit, I've lost too much already, family, friends and on and on. Sorry if I sound crude, but I

[Guest]

To all
Have been doing some investigating into the what resources are used by the Workmans Compensation Board of Ontario in comparison to the VAC Adjudicators. I believe this will help the Veterans Omudsman’s office in making a further point in regards to the deficiencies plaguing the VAC adjudication process. While searching the Workman's Compensation Board (WSIAT) site for medical resources available to the adjudicators I was amazed to find the following :

Medical Resources

This section contains links to WSIAT's medical discussion papers and some medical-related internet resources.
WSIAT Medical Discussion Papers. The Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal (WSIAT) commissions Medical Discussion Papers to provide general information on medical issues. Each Paper is written by a recognized expert in the field selected by WSIAT, and each expert is asked to present a balanced view of the current medical knowledge on the topic. Written for the benefit of parties and lay adjudicators in WSIAT appeals, the Medical Discussion Papers are not peer reviewed.

Medline Plus
U.S. National Library of Medicine includes links to medical dictionaries and drug information

Pubmed
MEDLINE database
Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy

17th ed.
MedHunt: Medical Document Finder
Health on the Net Foundation
The Library Spot
medical page

CPSO On-Line
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario



While reviewing the Veterans Review and Appeal Board their are no medical resources listed in regards to interpreting medical documents that are presented as evidence in a soldiers or an RCMP officers Med file.. I have included a list of the present VAC adjudicators with their bios and they are only two nurses on the board and NO MEDICAL DOCTORS.

I had a diagnosed case of sacroiliac dysfunction or SI dysfunction as a result of a hard fall on the Ice while on duty working at the Toronto airport. In my medical documents presented to the board their was an xray report that only showed spinal degeneration which was consistent to my age. The mistake the board made was the SI joint that joins your tailbone to your hip is a cartilage and not a bone which would not show up on an xray. Only a CT scan or MIR or this procedure using a special dye can detect an injury to the SI Join. So what did the board conclude the xray did not show any injury but mild back degeneration. A qualified doctor would know the difference and unfortunately my doctor failed me in getting the right test for proof. The question here is the VAC adjudication Board qualified to interpret medical reports and if not who do they go to in order to get a qualified opinion before making a decision which as you know can have a profound impact on a serving member of the military/RCMP or disabled veteran.

If you look at the following list of the present VAC adjudicators their are a lot of lawyers, businessmen, etc. A fair question to the VAC Adjudication board is what medical expertise to they rely on in order to make a life alternating decision for a disabled soldier or RCMP officer? Seems that the Workmans Compensation board have their shit together and VAC is taking the bargain basement approach just like the RCMP. The list of VAC Adjudicators are as follows;


Jean-Paul Arsenault
Mr. Jean-Paul Arsenault has had a varied career working in both the public and private sectors, including twenty-one years with the provincial government of Prince Edward Island. Through an Interchange Canada assignment with the federal government, he served as Executive Director of the Veterans Appeal Board from 1994 to 1995 (shortly before the establishment of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board). His private sector experience includes an eight-year association with a Charlottetown-based human resource consulting firm. Most recently, he has worked for Parks Canada as the Director of Human Resources for Eastern Canada.Mr. Arsenault holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick and a Masters in Business Administration from Université Laval. He has a great interest in Acadian history and genealogy and has written a number of articles for historical reviews on these topics. He and his wife, Elva, have three grown children and two grandchildren.
Mr. Arsenault’s appointment to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board is effective August 30, 2010.

Wilfred Arsenault
Mr. Wilfred Arsenault brings a strong background in community development and business administration to his role as Member of the Board. Most recently the Chief Entrepreneurship Officer with the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development PEI, Mr. Arsenault has spent his career serving the people in his community. From 2000-2007, he sat as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Évangéline-Miscouche District, an Acadian and French-speaking region of Prince Edward Island. During this time, he gained valuable experience in the review and interpretation of new and existing legislation as well as in public consultations. Before entering provincial politics, Mr. Arsenault spent 13 years as General Manager of the Baie Acadienne Development Corporation administering programs for small and medium-sized businesses. He also worked with a Chartered Bank for 14 years in the management field. Mr. Arsenault has contributed a great deal of time and expertise in the role of president and member of various service organizations in his community. He has three adult children and is married to Emily Duffy. They reside in Miscouche, P.E.I.

Edouard Belliardo
Mr. Edouard Jacques Belliardo was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2005. Mr. Belliardo graduated from Loyola College with a B.A. in 1967, from McGill University law faculty in 1970, and became a member of the Québec Bar in 1972. He has been practicing law since 1974 in civil litigation and family law, and has specialized in family law for the past 20 years. Mr. Belliardo also is an accredited mediator.

Richard Bonin
Mr. Richard Bonin was appointed as a Commissioner of the Canadian Pension Commission in 1993. He has a B.A. from the Université de Montréal and has studied political science and public administration at the Université du Québec. Prior to his appointment, he was Director of Finance for the St. Sacrement Hospital Foundation, and held managerial positions with many other organizations. In the political arena, he has been a policy advisor and press secretary to Ministers at federal and provincial levels. He is an Honorary Member of the Régiment de Maisonneuve and of the St. Sacrement Hospital Foundation. He is also a member of the Canadian Cancer Society.

Pierre Champagne
Mr. Pierre Champagne was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2009. A trilingual lawyer who has specialized in family mediation, Mr. Champagne also served as a military musician with the Canadian Forces Primary Reserve for 23 years and commanded several professional military bands in Quebec. His knowledge of the law, experience with the military and dedication to his community will serve him well in his new role as Member of the Board. Mr. Champagne obtained a degree in music in 1983, followed by a law degree in 1988, both from the University of Montreal. During his law career, Mr. Champagne has pleaded cases in every jurisdiction and before every form of tribunal in Canada. He has also served as a municipal councillor for the Town of Warwick, Quebec and most recently worked as an aide to Yvon Vallières, a long-time member of Quebec’s National Assembly. Mr. Champagne has a long history of working to strengthen his community, having served as member and chair of the Société du Musée Laurier and the tourism development corporation for Bois-Francs. He has also volunteered many hours of his time to support local youth involved in minor hockey, scouts and air cadets as well as other groups in need.

Joanne Cowan-McGuigan
Mrs. Joanne Cowan-McGuigan was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. She brings many years of experience on a variety of tribunals to her role as a Member of the Board. Mrs. Cowan-McGuigan, who is bilingual, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the Université de Moncton and a Master of Social Work degree in Policy, Planning and Administration from the University of Toronto. She began her professional career as Director, Programs for Women, with the Alcoholism and Drug Dependency Commission of New Brunswick and went on to develop and implement programs designed specifically to meet the needs of women, disabled persons, and native peoples.
In 1989, Mrs. Cowan-McGuigan was appointed to the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal and spent the next nine years hearing cases and rendering decisions on complaints alleging discrimination contrary to the Canadian Human Rights Act. She also has served as a member of the New Brunswick Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities and as a member of the New Brunswick Insurance Board.
In addition, she has dedicated much of her time and energy serving as a volunteer on numerous boards, including the Rothesay Joint Board of Police Commissioners, the Hestia House Board (a shelter for battered women), and the Board of the Imperial Theatre in Saint John.

Lise Dionne
Ms. Lise Dionne was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. A former lawyer and businesswoman, she brings more than 25 years of professional experience to her new role as a Member of the Board. Ms. Dionne graduated with a Law Degree from the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec in 1979 and was called to the bar in 1980. Since then, she has practiced in the areas of criminal, civil and commercial law and, since 1992, has served as president and board member of Lucas Charbonneau Inc., a Montreal-based business specializing in the sale of luxury items from around the world.

Raymond Fournier
Mr. Raymond Fournier, a native of the Gaspé Peninsula who has lived in the Gatineau region for the past few years, has held various positions in both the private and public sectors. During his time in the public sector, Mr. Fournier has had the opportunity to become familiar with federal government organizations. Thanks to his work as an assistant to MPs and Ministers, he has acquired experience in different areas of activity (regional development, fisheries, etc.) and dealt with the complexity of acts and regulations while ensuring that the public receives the best services to which it is entitled. Raymond Fournier has also worked in the private sector for a number of medium-sized businesses. He has held the positions of Director of Operations and Chief of Human Resources. He has been responsible for negotiating collective agreements and tracking their application. Mr. Fournier has always maintained good interpersonal relationships. His involvement with staff of various business and industrial enterprises and his vast experience will be invaluable assets for the important work performed by the Board on behalf of Canada's Veterans.

Ted Giraldeau
Ted Giraldeau was appointed to the Board in November 2006 upon his retirement after more than 30 years service in the Canadian Forces. Mr. Giraldeau's military career included three years in the Primary Reserves as an infantry soldier and more than 27 years in the Regular Force as an infantry officer. Upon graduation from RRMC in 1983, he was commissioned as an officer in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Throughout his career, he has held a number of command and staff appointments including command of the largest Army headquarters in Western Canada and command of the PPCLI Parachute Company. He has served across Canada and overseas. As the only Canadian Army officer deployed on a French-led NATO peace support mission in Macedonia in 1998-99, he was decorated for meritorious service by the Government of France with the Bronze Medal of National Defence. He also served with the British 4 (UK) Armoured Brigade in Macedonia and Kosovo in 1999. In his last position as the PPCLI Regimental Major, he gained invaluable experience dealing with Veterans' issues, and Veterans' groups and associations.

Roger Langille
Roger Langille was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2008. After graduating with a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Dalhousie University in 1978, Mr. Langille practised law for 29 years. He spent half his career in private practice and the other half as Senior Counsel with the Office of the Attorney General of Prince Edward Island. Mr. Langille has a strong legal background with extensive experience in the preparation and trial of hundreds of cases, from medical malpractice and personal injury claims to contractual disputes, constitutional law challenges and applications for judicial review. In addition to appearing frequently before the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island (Trial and Appeal Division), Mr. Langille has also argued cases before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Federal Court. In 1993, he was appointed Queen's Counsel. Mr. Langille brings to the Board many years of experience working with tribunals, acting as counsel for the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, the Natural Products Appeals Tribunal, the Liquor Control Commission, and the Public Utilities Commission. As well, he has argued cases before the Human Rights Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Mr. Langille is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, a council member of the Law Society of Prince Edward Island and, since 2006, has been Vice President of Special Olympics PEI.

Bernard LeBlanc
Mr. Bernard T. LeBlanc was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. A former bilingual senior partner with LeBlanc Martin Sweet & Delaney Law Firm of Moncton, he brings 20 years of experience as a litigator in private practice to his role as a Member of the Board. Mr. LeBlanc has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honours in Political Science and graduated from the University of New Brunswick Law School in 1986. He has further developed strong adjudicative skills in conducting hearings as Chair of the Mental Health Tribunals for the Moncton area from 2000 to 2006, often dealing with Veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and other mental health conditions. From 2005-2007, he acted as the Independent Chairperson for Correctional Service Canada's Atlantic Institute in Renous, N.B. Mr. LeBlanc has dedicated many years to strengthening his community, having volunteered in leadership roles with the Boys and Girls Club of Moncton, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Moncton, Moncton Minor Baseball, the Moncton Mental Health Association, the New Brunswick Law Society and other service organizations.

Edmond Fraser Maher
Captain Edmond Fraser Maher was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2008 and brings with him a strong military history and medical background. Capt. Maher was a serving member of the Canadian Forces - Health Services for over 20 years. Since graduating from Nursing in 1976, he has acquired extensive medical expertise and military experience and has developed a broad understanding of service related medical conditions and disabilities. Capt. Maher has front-line experience from Operational Deployments in Croatia, Bosnia and Afghanistan. He has held several military positions, including Platoon Commander of Surgical Services -1 Canadian Field Hospital; Surgical Nurse and team leader within various specialty areas including Orthopaedic, Plastic, Neurosurgery, Urology and General Surgery; Senior Nurse of Surgical Services in Afghanistan, and Flight Nurse attached to 413 Search and Rescue Squadron. Capt. Maher is also a Bagpiper with the Ottawa Police Services PipeBand and volunteered with the Orleans Challenger Baseball Association for mentally and physically challenged teens.

John Morrison
Mr. John Morrison was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2006. He has a strong administrative tribunal background with extensive experience in interpretations and application of federal and provincial legislation and jurisprudence.
Mr. Morrison has served as a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (1991-1998), as Vice-chair of the Social Benefits Tribunal of Ontario (1998-2005), and as a Disability Determination Adjudicator under the Ontario Disability Support Program Act.

Brian O'Kurley
Mr. Brian O’Kurley was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. He holds a Bachelor of Education Degree specializing in physical education and a Master of Education Degree in educational administration from the University of Alberta.
Mr. O’Kurley’s education experience in Alberta and Ontario includes service as a teacher, vice-principal, and principal. He has been involved as a volunteer organizer, coach, and trainer in school athletics and community minor sports programs in the Ottawa region. Mr. O’Kurley is a member of the Royal Canadian Legion. From 1988 to 1993, Mr. O’Kurley served as a Member of Parliament for Elk Island, Alberta, and he was a member of the Standing Committee on Environment, the Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Technology, and the legislative committee on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act. Mr. O’Kurley lives in Ottawa. He is married and is the father of four children

Ellen Riley
Ms. Ellen Riley of North Vancouver, British Columbia, was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in August 2006. She received a B.A. from the University of British Columbia in 1977 and an LL.B. from the University of Victoria in 1982. She was admitted to the bar of British Columbia in 1983. Ms. Riley has had extensive experience in interpretation and application of federal and provincial legislation acquired while practising law, including civil litigation and personal injury law, and working with various law firms in Vancouver since 1982. Since 1998, she has been a member of the National Advisory Panel to the Canadian Chemical Producers Association, an independent multi-disciplinary panel established to sensitize the Association and its members to public concerns related to the chemical industry and to offer advice on issues related to chemicals and safeguarding the public.

Malcolm Stockton
Malcolm Stockton was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board on February 5, 2007. A former high school teacher, he practised property and commercial law in Niagara Falls, Ontario, until he became a full-time member of the Ontario Municipal Board in September 2003. Prior to joining the OMB, Mr. Stockton had served on the Ontario Labour Relations Board, as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Niagara South Board of Education, as a fact-finder, mediator and arbitrator for the Education Relations Commission, and as a Workload Resolution Arbitrator for Ontario colleges. A lawyer since 1975, Mr. Stockton is a graduate of Queen’s University and Osgoode Hall Law School.

Brent Taylor
Born in Lachine, Québec, and a resident of New Brunswick for over 30 years, Mr. Brent Taylor was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. He is a former broadcaster, educator, newspaper columnist, and businessman. He was a member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly from 1991 to 1995 and served as chairman of caucus and chairman of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. From 1998 to 2007 he taught technology, law, and legal research at the Fredericton campus of Atlantic Business College. In 2003 he was named to the Premier’s Commission on Legislative Democracy; studying the democratic system, citizen engagement, governance, and accountability. The Commission reported its findings in January of 2005.
He is a volunteer firefighter, member of the board of the Miramichi Watershed Management Committee, and district communications officer with New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Organization. He has been a licensed Amateur Radio Operator since 1984, and was active in minor and amateur hockey from 1992 to 2004. In a professional writing career spanning more than 20 years, his newspaper columns on public affairs have appeared in the Fredericton Daily Gleaner, the Miramichi Leader, the Miramichi Weekend, and the Financial Post.

Angela Vautour
Ms. Vautour was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in 2007. She is a native of Claire-Fontaine, New Brunswick. Ms. Vautour has over 20 years experience as a federal public servant working for several departments including: Parks Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, Human Resource Development Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Public Works Government Services and the Canada Firearms Centre. She was elected as Member of Parliament in 1997, representing the riding of Beauséjour-Petitcodiac in New Brunswick. Ms. Vautour also served on a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal as Vice-Chair, New Brunswick Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission and also served as a Member of the New Brunswick District Education Council, School District 11. Ms. Vautour is also a proud mother of 2 children.

Joan Walsh
Ms. Joan Walsh, a nurse by profession, holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master of Science Degree with a clinical specialty in mental health nursing from Boston University.
She has more than 25 years of diverse experience in the health care field in clinical, academic and administrative settings. Ms. Walsh has served in the Prince Edward Island Department of Health as Chief Nursing Officer for Community Hospitals and Continuing Care, Director of Nursing for Mental Health and Addictions and Director of Nursing for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Hillsborough Hospital. Her academic endeavours include clinical instructor and sessional positions with the Halifax Infirmary, Saint Francis Xavier University and the University of New Brunswick. As Chairperson of the PEI Canadian Study of Health and Aging Centre she was instrumental in the establishment of the Seniors College at the University of Prince Edward Island. Ms. Walsh has served on a number of committees of the Registered Nurses Association of Prince Edward Island, including the Legislative Review Committee. She is a former member of the Queen’s Health Region Research Ethics Committee, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Board of Directors, the PEI School of Nursing Board of Directors and the Prince Edward Island Health Care Task Force and Transition Team.
Ms. Walsh is married with five children and lives on their family farm in Watervale, PEI.

William Watson
Mr. William Watson of Delta, British Columbia was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in July 2006. He is married and is the father of two adult sons. Mr. Watson has extensive experience in private sector arbitration and dispute resolution. Previous positions held by Mr. Watson include Chair, Board of Referees, Employment Insurance Commission; Member, Arbitration Review Panel of British Columbia; Member, Property Assessment Appeal Board of British Columbia; Member, Health Care Consent and Facility Review Board of British Columbia and President, Canada Day Committee for British Columbia.

Richard Woodfield
Mr. Richard E. Woodfield was appointed to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board in March 2007. Mr. Woodfield is from Cambridge, Ontario, where he was very active as a community volunteer for many years. He has a background in telecommunications and was co-founder and Vice-President of an instructional technology company from 1995 to 2002. Mr. Woodfield has served on numerous Provincial Policy Advisory Committees in the Province of Ontario. He has served as a member and Vice-President of the College of Dietitians of Ontario; a member of the Social Benefits Tribunal, Province of Ontario; and until recently, a member of OCRT (The Canada Pension Plan/Old Age Security Tribunal). Mr. Woodfield served in the militia with the Highland Fusiliers of Canada during his teenage years. He and his wife have two adult sons.


I was surprised to not to see the former head of the the Toronto ZOO on the list. Why not have a veterinarian on the board? Who cares if Mr. Arsenault holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of New Brunswick Who cares if Mrs. Cowan-McGuigan, , holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the Université de Moncton. What do these qualifications have to do with interpreting a soldier or RCMP officers medical file??

Captain Edmond Fraser Maher a nurse, is the only one on the list other than the. Psyc. nurse to have any formal medical qualifications but is not a doctor. When was the psyc. nurse actually working as a psyc nurse and not an administrator??

How long has Captain Edmond Fraser Maher practice nursing and does he maintain his license to still be a nurse? Most of all I don’t care how many kids these people have because it has nothing to do with having qualified medical clinicians on staff and on the adjudication board for VAC. Has anyone out there ever had a doctor comment on their adjudication results i.e. any medical opinion to support or not support their claim? I know I did not.

This comparison makes a strong point on how Veterans Affairs Canada is not dealing properly with disabled veterans by not using the proper medically qualified personnel to interpret medical files. It sounds to me that the “Quasi Judicial “ Adjudication Board .for VAC is nothing but a bargain basement approach and it has long made disabled veterans lives miserable who have bled one way or another for this country. The late Brian Dyke is a case in point and how many more are out there?????

Why is it called “Quasi Judicial” To me it means kinda, sorta legal but maybe not really. I do not like this and a good question to ask ; If the quasi judicial Vac Adjudication board makes a huge mistake based on no qualifications to interpret medical files and the information contain within, can they be held accountable if a disabled veteran decides to take civil legal action against them for a bad decision causing undo stress and psychological strain on the service person and family maybe even worsening a condition like PTSD and ALS?

If the board is quasi judicial are they quasi responsible to their adjudication decisions? I do not recall anywhere that says they are immune to being sued or VAC for that matter for letting this happen. Food for thought.


Hope this is of some help

Eric Rebiere (former Cst. RCMP 37515)

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