Ottawa's Plan Not Good Enough for Disabled Vets, Advocate Says

so, if I understand this all correctly, we have been screw** royally again?

What a tricky pickle eh? The dynamics of words.

" "The option should be available before the end of the government's first term in 2019, Hehr said. "Frankly, in my view, sooner than that." "

A tad vague anyone? Assumptions?

I always bear in mind the words of said political promises. Did they ever have a expiry date? Not to my knowledge, Was anything promised by a certain time for starters?

Not that I'm aware of...

Politician covering his own backside ?
Or Politician trying to explain that he is unsure as to when ..if ever they will bring back the lifelong pension ?

Rex ..nobody's disputing the mandate letter here..what I'm talking about here is one particular promise from that mandate letter which is bringing back the lifelong pension.
No I wouldn't think or it shouldn't take 4 years to implement this..that is my point..I don't want this particular promise to go through without the proper process an no I don't expect it to take 6 Months..but if you read what the MVA is saying he is saying 4 years..or should be in place by the end of their term (SHOULD) using words like should means that he is unsure an has no Idea how long or even if it will ever get done..then he say's in his own view..perhaps sooner than that..again no clue.
Listen..when he first started talking about this everything looked or sounded good..then he went to say well over a year..if you remember his magic wand comment..now this ? What's next ? You see where I'm coming from ?
It's no wonder we have heard little on this particular promise..My concern is not waiting one or two years to get this done..an yes I want it done right but I also want it done..one or two years is fine with some progress reports along the way..but when the people in charge of getting this implemented don't give updates on it..an the updates we do get change from over a year to should be by the end of their term..shows us all that they themselves are unsure of this particular promise in terms of it's implementation..like I said before without proper transparency on this issue an from what we have read coming from our MVA on this particular issue thus far.. one just cannot sit back an say well they have 4 years to get this issue implemented but it won't take 4 years to get it done because by that time it will be too late to say or do anything about it.

I agree with your points bigrex but  why not be transparent and honest with Veterans and tell us in plain speak how long it is actually going to take to make these changes instead of making promises that lead us to believe change is right around the corner versus in reality it being a long ways away. I resent lip service and don't want that from a MVA whomever that person may be.

This is just a politician covering his own backside. He was told that the promises were to be completed during this mandate, so technically, he has four years to implement all of the promises, but that doesn't mean it will take four years. Would you rather him say it will be done within 6 months, and then backtrack, or say that it may take four years, and do it in one or two? Everyone agrees that they want them to do it right. In order to do that, they will study it, then write the legislation, and then put the legislation through the HoC properly. If they don't put the bill through the process, people will just accuse them of doing the exact same thing as the old Liberals did with the NVC.

Teen (along with others) have said from the get go that re-establishing the lifelong pension is going to be a big undertaking.  Perhaps the PM and the MVA undermined the magnitude in doing so......Although they may just be realizing this after they pre maturing opened their mouths and downplayed this during campaign promises, they are not telling us anything we didn't know from the beginning.

Many got their hopes up that this would all come about before the end of 2015 or the Spring of 2016 at the latest.  

It is what it is......we may be disappointed/very disappointed.....however most will agree....... just fix it RIGHT.

I hope that when the time comes that it is not only re-established....but increased to what is fair.  The lifelong pension needs to be increased as well as the lump sum.

The MVA needs to learn and apply the meaning of communication.  He might mean well, but by leaving everyone in the dark though vagueness and poor communication could easily become his biggest adversary.  

Riddick

Yes a choice between the lifelong an the Lump Sum..but..if you were to take a good look at all the complaints an all of the problems Veterans are facing it all comes down to taking away of the lifelong pension.
Do you hear any complaints from those who are complete in the PA system ?
Here's your answer..absolutely not..an I will explain why..the PA system is a tax free Monthly benefit that is given until death..it is index an it is " SECURE " A secure tax free Monthly payment that secures a disabled Veteran..that in itself alleviates a whole lot of financial stress to the disabled Veteran..which in turn eliminates the bull that each disable Veteran has to go through with all of the NVC..it's as simple as that..to come out an say that the NVC has good things an it is always progressing towards making things better for the disable Veteran would be fine if the disabled Veteran did not have to go through decades of fighting to even know if they are going to be approved or not.
That's where the problem is..an spin it which ever way you want..the PA system will always be a better option for disabled Veterans.
Now we have another problem in the works..words like " Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr told The Tyee the government won't eliminate the lump-sum payments, but wants to give disabled vets the choice of either a lifetime pension or a one-time payment. Financial advice would be available to help soldiers make the decision, he said.

The option should be available before the end of the government's first term in 2019, Hehr said. "Frankly, in my view, sooner than that."

This is coming from our MVA folks..yes indeed folks our MVA..what does this mean ???
I will tell you exactly what it means..it means that the Liberals are going to hold back on the lifelong pension..the heart of what was promised to Veterans by the Liberals..disappointment absolutely..anyone who says or thinks it takes 4 years to bring back the lifelong pension is living in a complete different world of reality..it's the same old song an dance with a bit of a twist..you can rest assure that the shit is going to hit the fan on this one..big mistake in thinking that Veterans will stand for this type of incompetence..we have been down this road many times before an to be honest it's actually insulting to the Veteran community to hear such bull coming from those who are promising to change the tone towards Veterans..same bull..different government.

I agree Riddick lets have a choice

Pat Stogran might be a veterans advocate and his intensions very well placed, however I disagree with him and he does not speak on my behalf.

Not every vet is in the same condition or position be it mentally, physically or financially. Having an option/choice is a good thing. No one knows what is good or best for some individuals better than themselves.

I say have a choice between lifelong pensions and lump sum. If no one chooses a lump sum......what problem does that present??

Riddick

So there you have it folks..we will be waiting for a long time to see the implementation of the lifelong pension..that is..if we ever get to see it at all !

Veteran’s Affairs Canada Employee’s suffers from?

John Dear, a civilian bystander,. told police he observed a couple of high rate individuals, later identified as staff of VAC who are continually  denying claims, for which veterans are entitled to.  Apparently when respected former members of the Canadian Armed Forces initiated a fair and unbiased conversation with Vac staff, the Vac staff became high rate and started to point fingers and blame the budget and economy to which eventually escalating the situation to the point of a confrontation.
 Outside the building were several era veterans collecting food and blankets for the Veterans for Outdoor Survival Program.  Dear said the group of veterans from the different eras rushed the building in hearing the yelling and screaming and pleas for help, the Vets ran in and stopped the confrontation peacefully. Although most, but not all of the veterans involved in the scuffle were stabbed in the back by VAC, the injury may not appear severe, but are; veterans are tough and survived this cruel and unnecessary unusual punishment.
  After Police and ambulances arrive at the scene, the veterans were transported to the local charity and healing center for The Mentally Tortured for therapy.
“Vac staff were also transported to the local charities, veteran’s homes and elsewhere to witness themselves the frightened, sad, anxious, and disconnected. Afterwards Vac staff upon witnessing such atrocities had to obtain their own therapy to repair their own intrusive, upsetting memories after witnessing first hand the systematic problems of VAC, to which are now causing them Flashbacks, Nightmares, and Feelings of intense distress when reminded of the trauma that veterans are currently facing.
Poor saps had a taste of what it felt like to have pounding hearts, rapid breathing, nausea, muscle tension, the sweats…..the injuries they sustained when they backstabbed all eras of veterans will definitely be embedded into their thoughts for the rest of their days on this round ball.

2019 Lifelong Pension ???

The federal government's proposed change to financial supports for disabled veterans is a "cop out" that will do little to reduce problems like homelessness, says former veterans' ombudsman Pat Stogran.

The government has been criticized for failing to provide needed help and financial support to veterans who suffer disabilities during military service. Last week, a Canadian Press story last week revealed 2,250 veterans are homeless.

Veterans' advocate Tom Beaver said earlier that a number of changes are needed, including the elimination of lump-sum payments for disabilities, which were introduced in 2006 as an alternative to pensions.

Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr told The Tyee the government won't eliminate the lump-sum payments, but wants to give disabled vets the choice of either a lifetime pension or a one-time payment. Financial advice would be available to help soldiers make the decision, he said.

The option should be available before the end of the government's first term in 2019, Hehr said. "Frankly, in my view, sooner than that."

Hehr said his mandate from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau includes providing the pension option to help solve some problems facing veterans, such as mental health issues and homelessness.



But Stogran, a retired colonel who was veterans' ombudsman from 2007 to 2010, said the government should get rid of the lump sum payments, provide pensions and rethink how it deals with disabled veterans.

Stogran said soldiers injured during service may not be in the best place mentally and emotionally to make a choice between a pension and an alluring lump sum payment.

"A distressed soldier will not invest the money, they'll go out and try to find ways to relieve their pain through fast cars and fast living," he said. "I've seen it time and time again."

Other critics note some veterans dealing with mental health issues as a result of their service or disability spend the money -- sometimes on drugs or alcohol -- and are left with nothing.

Stogran said the government should not simply provide disability pensions, but appoint case managers to assess veterans' needs and work with them to ensure they have a reasonable standard of living.

"Set the conditions where disabled veterans do not have to worry about their future," he said. "A veteran should have a reasonable apprehension that they will be able to provide for their families what a full career in the military would have provided them."

Support could include grants to help start businesses or for education, as well funds to help veterans who are down on their luck with housing or other basic needs, he said.

Divorce protection not likely

Beaver, founder of the Coalition of Canadian Veterans, also proposed exempting disability pensions from being considered as income for the purposes of divorce proceedings. He said a disabled vet could end up on the street if a part of the pension is taken from them in a divorce.

But Hehr said he has faith in Canada's justice system to ensure a fair outcome in such cases.

"In my view family courts do a fairly reasonable job assessing a veteran's life, his commitment to his spouse and/or dependents and trying to work out a fair arrangement," he said.

Beaver also said current veterans should be involved in supporting those leaving the military. Veterans who have already adjusted to the change can help those about to leave, he said.

Hehr said his mandate includes addressing that issue by working to "close the seam" between the Canadian Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs. The plan is to make the transition from military to civilian life smoother through a closer relationship between the two organizations.

"We want to ensure they are tying into what VAC (Veterans Affairs Canada) has to offer," he said. "We're going to be working very hard over the next year and a half to close that seam."

That includes access to retraining, mental health services and education provided by Veterans Affairs.

http://thetyee.ca/News/2016/01/15/Ottawa-Disabled-Vets-Plan/