Veterans Affairs minister moves to address complaints

Great comments/discussion guys!! Good news as well, looks like the "wait" is over we should find out the details of the bill Monday the 30th at 3:00pm it looks like.

http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=NoticeOrder&Mode=1&Language=E&Parl=41&Ses=2&File=4


On a side note when a person asked him today on Facebook when theses benefits should be up and functioning his answer was "By end of June for new statutory benefits and earlier for others - those are my goals".  


Cheer's

I agree propat, they need to end the buyout. Basically, they need to stop thinking that getting monthly pain and suffering payments along with payments for economic and non economic losses, as a bad thing, since they each compensate for different aspects of a Veterans life, that is affected by a severe disability. The PA pension compensate for the actual symptoms of the disability, the PIA compensates for the effects that the disability has on our daily living, the Attendance Allowance to compensate our spouses for the dependance we have on them and the ELB to compensate for losing our ability to work. Obviously not all Veterans are going to get these benefits, just the most severely disabled, but of those Veterans out there that are getting all of these benefits, most, in not all, are still making less than a members of parliament.

just end the buyout that's all. yup all the smaller problems with the NVC will be there as they have been since its inception . yup all the problems with the PA will still be there as they have been forever . but we really cant start trying to fix these things while at the same time looking past that big elephant in the room .

most of the problems with the NVC get fixed by ending the buyout . most of the problems that are left become much less of a problem by ending the buyout .

instead of making a thousand changes that still not treat all disabled vets equal make only one that will.

END THE BUYOUT !!!

its really just that simple.

I know for a fact I can find the word equal in three different places .

the dictionary.

the PA.

and the Canadian charter of rights and freedoms

always question authority.

propat.

A few thoughts.

Ain't this all just a real feck'n catch 22? I thought it always was???

I think the majority here would agree there are good aspects to both the NVC and the PA.
But how could any GoC party consolidate the best of both? Very very difficult. Even if they avoided an abortion, any collateral damage and improved the department. That would be an improvement to their status quo now which is.... (your words here:).

There needs to be a PA / NVC "bridge" umbrella so NO ONE slips under the radar and all are treated similiarily in most ways. Complicated shyte.
Frankly, I'm looking forward to next Christmas. (I know, I'm nuts) After the announcements, the budget, and the election. THEN we will know what's what...

Just thinking out loud. pinger.

Excellent read guys !

The PA was granted per the disabilty table, and had no bearing on employment. A person could be getting a 100% pension, and still work without any penalties. Under the NVC, if you collect ELB or EELB, any employment earnings are either deducted at 50% or 100%, or it stops the benefit altogether.

bigrex this is a very good point ive said it myself a few times in different ways but here is the thing.

we all have to support ourselves and our families this is a must .

for those that obviously will not work anymore they lose a lot in the buyout as compared with a PA guy in the same boat. both will have access to rehab.

same thing can be said for the guys that will obviously be able to gain gainfull employment despite there disability . both will have access to voc rehab .

but those guys on the borderline on the NVC yup they loose a lot on the NVC as compared to the PA BUT as for voc rehab or rehab what will ya do with that ????

do I try my best on voc rehab hopefully be able gain meaningful employment because that IS WHAT I WANT??? now in doing so if I am successful I stand a good chance of loosing all my monthly benefits and if I relapse I may be without any income at all.

or do I just give up and try to settle with the pittance I get from the NVC because some income is better than none????

I PA guy in the same boat can try VOC rehab and in the end may end up loosing his new NVC monthly benefits but its not near as much of a gamble because he will always have his PA pension and never left without an income.

the NVC was designed to save money through the buyout THATS IT THATS ALL!!!!!

to say this is for integration into society ore the workforce or rehabilitation or wellness of disabled vets is not disingenuous its outright BS !!!

THIS FOUL THING IS DOING JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU SAY IT IS!!!!!

these people not only what you to believe that NVC guys are not only being treated equal to PA guys they want you to believe they are being treated better citing the other benefits and programs available to them but of course never once mentioning they are available to the PA guys as well.

always question authority

propat

The minister was a little disingenuous in that interview, when he claimed that veterans had misconceptions about the NVC regarding the lump sum. He claimed that they were mistaken that the lump sum was the only support offered to them. But it isn't a misconception. Unless you are deemed severely disabled, unable to work due to your disability, or wanting to go back to school, supports from VAC, that have only been in existence since 2006, ends with the lump sum award. You cannot get ELB, PIA or PIAS, or the new proposed RISB and family benefit. At least under the Pension Act, every disabled veteran knew that dependent on the level your disability, you would get a monthly deposit in your bank account for life.

Let us look at the differences between the PA pension and the NVC benefits that supposedly "compliment" the Lump Sum.

Age

the PA did not discriminate against age, while the NVC, some benefits currently end at 65, or will soon be reduced by 30% at 65.

Rank

The disability pension was based solely on the disability, while the ELB under the NVC, is directly tied to pay on release, so an injured Cpl, will make less than an injured Capt, even if the level of disability is higher.

Date of release

Since every vet received the same money as others of equal disability rating, it didn't matter if you released 40 years ago, or 40 days ago. the ELB, on the other hand, because it is capped at 2% while CF pay rates are not, so a person of equal rank released and approved benefits recently could get several hundred more per month than someone who was released 5 or 6 years ago.

Employment

The PA was granted per the disabilty table, and had no bearing on employment. A person could be getting a 100% pension, and still work without any penalties. Under the NVC, if you collect ELB or EELB, any employment earnings are either deducted at 50% or 100%, or it stops the benefit altogether.

Easy to understand criteria.

For the PA pension and even the lump sum, the table of disabilities are pretty self explanatory. If you meet meet certain criteria, you are assessed at certain levels of disability, so the Veteran and their doctor can look at the tables and know what to expect based on the persons medical history. The monthly disability benefit that basically replaced both the PA monthly pension and EIA, the PIA, isn't so clear, and the criteria for approval isn't available to the public. That is why the vast majority can be given the lowest possible rate, in spite of the varying ranges of their disabilities, because we cannot look to see if the rules were properly applied.

lol sounds like its a very hot potato for him . but guess he has his marching orders.

propat

Mr. O'Toole is saying that the NVC is geared towards rehabilitation, and also say's that they are provisions in the NVC to both address those with limited injuries and severe injuries, he also say's that he is working on fixing gaps within the NVC.
It is clear that from his latest announcements that he has already started addressing gaps, and say's more announcements are to come.
As already stated I think most have commended him for this, I know I certainly do.

Mr. O'Toole also suggest that he thinks for the most part the lump sum is misunderstood.

Now for me personally, and this is just my opinion, and I fully understand that Mr.O'Toole  did not write the NVC , he simply is addressing concerns that have come to light in regards to the NVC.
So far I think he is doing and excellent job in doing so.
But I do question the word misunderstand when it comes to the lump sum.
I think most will agree that the NVC does have benefits that addresses both the less severe to the more severe injuries that Veterans face upon being medically released, and the lump sum is only one aspect of benefits available, this leads me to the word rehabilitation.
Don't get me wrong, I am all for rehabilitation, but this can also work against some Veterans who are not quite up to being rehabilitated, in other words it could place a burden on the Veteran to decipher if he or she is fully able to actually be rehabilitated, a balance if you will, between benefits, and rehabilitation, after all let's not forget for one minute that the Veteran has been " medically released "
I think rehabilitation should be and "option " to Veterans upon being medically released.
I am going to say that all Veterans medically released should be entitled to a life long pension, regardless if they choose to re-enter the work force or not.

This notion of combat, versus non combat, is bull, we are all part of the service, and we all are on the call list for combat.

Here is an interview Mr O'toole did with cbc radio last week. click on the "Listen" button in Link below.

http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thehouse/extended-and-expanded-isis-mission-to-be-debated-next-week-1.3000558/erin-o-toole-attempts-to-mend-fences-with-canada-s-veterans-1.3002894

He has some interesting comments on the NVC "lump sum"............


Cheer's

Getting this and future proposals done before summer break and with an election in fall will be interesting. timing (and final details) is everything............

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/erin-o-toole-veterans-affairs-minister-moves-to-address-complaints-1.2993985



Cheer's