Veterans & Family, going forwards

To throw more complication into this for those on SISIP but are reservists SISIP calculates your LTD based on time of injury and VAC based at time of release. I was a Pte when injured but released a Cpl. Any guesses to how this might work?

To me, it would seem that they will look at everyone who is getting SISIP, to see who is a VAC client. If they are, then ELB will top them up to 90%. Hopefully this is only a temporary measure, or that would mean that they do not plan on increasing SISIP to match ELB. One problem I can see with this plan would be for those who get SISIP immediately after being released, could be left waiting several months for the ELB to get approved. And what happens when they stop getting SISIP? Does the 15% top up stop as well?

Maybe Big Rex will know this but the comment about switching Sisip LTd clients to ELB , what does this mean? Does that mean the LTd guys will get 15 percent from VAC? Unsure?

I am with you on that Lost Trucker. It looks like typical Lieberal BS. Running around managing by crisis to all special interest groups as they continue to screw the military and it's veterans. JT is in way over his head. I'm surprised he wasn't at any 4/20 smoke ins yesterday.

excellent post and thanks for the update.  i just have one question to start....lol

1) Why is the increase in the disability award and retro not happening until April 1, 2017?  Why isn't this happening immediately upon passing of Bill C-12?  Many Veterans can't wait until April of next year.  Next year's budget will be out by then possibly changing or eliminating it.  Is it a funding issue or a delay tactic?  Its the lack of communication that has Veterans frustrated and angry and losing confidence in the current government.

Refugees got immediate funding.....Veterans got to wait a year.  Nice to see our government priorities.  Many Veterans fought and died, and many have life long injuries for this country while persons from other countries get the priority.  Am I the only one who has a major problem with this???

great stuff danny thank you so much for that.

propat

Sit. rep. from Mr. M. Blais, for those who do not have Facebook.

Michael Blais

4 hrs ·
Situation report. First of all, I am sure that you have read the group announcement and Maj. Mark Campbell's assessment of the last policy meeting. As you know, I am a participant. I want to reassure everybody who has supported the Canadian Veterans Advocacy that we are united at the policy group level into ensuring the government conforms to the mandate letter the prime minister provided the Minister of Veterans Affairs.

I understand that we wish all 15 of the promises would have been in this year's budget and included within the legislation the government brought forth a couple of days after the budget was tabled. I too was disappointed that the option of returning to the pension act was not in this year's budget, however, we must understand that the new government is undertaking new due diligence procedures, this will be very expensive, and it is important that we drill down get it right. This has been done and I am very confident after the last policy advisory group meeting that the chosen stakeholders are united, the objectives established in the CVA harmonization plan will eventually be adopted.

There has been a lot of discord about the Pension Act.

This has triggered many, artificially created an atmosphere of distrust when it is not warranted. We must remain focused, these are very serious issues, I can tell you dialogue we have had in person with the minister, his staff, Gen. Natynczyk, various ADM's and directors on the pension Act that they are committed to the mandate letter. At the SH level, everybody seems to be revitalized and confident the new mandate will redress many of the systematic issues we have addressed, including the disparity in the lump-sum award.

I would also note the government brought forth legislation three days after the budget that would secure a six of the 15 promises. First of all, the lump sum award will be raised to $360,000, the aggregate raise, depending on the percentage you were awarded, will be applied to all veterans who were subject to the new veteran charter. This is very important on the E quality standards, the Critical Injury Benefit was very exclusionary, as noted the past week with veterans advocate Robin Brentnall's hunger strike. It is also believed that the CIB be was only created to satisfy the equities lawsuit in the sense that it would bring, through the side door, the lump sum award up to the tort law which presented one of the foundations of the lawsuit.

the second positive quotient is the raise on the Earnings Loss Benefits and yes SISIP to the 90% threshold. there were discussions on ensuring both programs were accorded equal standards and unity at the policy advisory groups level to attain this goal. At CVA level, we have suggested that all personnel who are currently on SISIP be identified by Veterans Affairs Canada and brought on the ELB rolls at 15%. Those who are eligible for Retirement Income Security Benefit support at age 65 will therefore have a seamless transition. I would also note this addresses one of the Equitas foundations.

Once again, we must be patient. We have endured 10 years of neglect, many of the the problems are complex and discussions are indeed we inquired if we are to ensure the hundreds of millions of dollars promised is spent effectively.

Once again, the mandate letter that the prime minister provided Hehjr is very definitive on the Pension Act, while it did not happen during this budget, we have to also remember the government had only been in power for five months, two of those of which were spent either in limbo until the ministers and their staffs had been hired or Christmas vacation. I know for a fact that many staffers at Veterans Affairs Canada work through the vacation in order to prepare and submit the appropriate documentation for inclusion in this year's budget. Perhaps if there was more time, more of the promises would have been addressed.

I would close by reassuring everybody once again who has concerns about the return to the Pension Act. We discussed this at length during the last policy group meeting, there is unity on this issue, the formula is clear and simple. I am very hopeful that it will be written out in the appropriate form by the co chairman's of the committee within the next month and submitted, formally, by the time we go to the stakeholder summit in May. Hopefully, the chairman will brief the "Summitr" stakeholders and there will be unified support there in. While I am confident, I also understand this is not done yet! That we must continue to apply pressure on the pension act issue until it conforms to our objectives.

Stay strong. There is much going on, Sylvain participated in the first service delivery advisory group teleconference yesterday and their first meeting has been set for early June. The mental health policy group will be struck shortly, I am expecting a call any day and will advise you to the dates they plan on sending and the agenda therein. On the medical marijuana front, as you know I am heading the beneficiaries component of the minister's inquiry and will be hosting an event that will piggyback off the stakeholders Summit in order to improve attendance. I will be inviting 6 veterans at VAC expense to join myself and ADM Walker for a morning session of consultation and open dialogue. I would note the inquiry is now broken into three components, beneficiaries, service providers, and physicians.

The tentative date for the stakeholder assignment is May 10, the beneficiaries component of the medical marijuana inquiry will set the following morning. Once again, I am very interested in obtaining written testimony. It is impossible to bring everybody to Ottawa, but you can have your voice included. This nation is vast, if you are a beneficiary of Veterans Affairs Canada Medical Marijuana program, we are very interested in knowing why you have been prescribed marijuana, the positive effects it has on your respective health condition, any improvements in quality of life and any issues that you have identified through the process of seeking a doctor, submitting your script, the delivery of your medicine and any other problems you may feel require address meant. I will be reaching out at the end of the month to confirm those who will be selected from the many. If you wish to attend , please state so and why you would be a good representative for the community. It is important for me to have diversity, all genders, veterans of all eras and ranks represented in in order to present a fair and balanced pool for discussion.

I would conclude by thanking you once again for your support. It has been an arduous five years, many of you have been with me/us since the CVA's conception, without your steadfast support, particularly during times of discord or when the slings and arrows were flying as we encountered malcontents and political inspired adversities during the journey.

We are close now, the primary objectives established five years ago are within grasp, the light is bright.

Let us not falter. le us not fall prey to negative commentary and speculation without foundation. We must stay focused on the mission we have set, we can make a definitive improvement in the quality of life for our veterans, the opportunity to improve on so many levels is before us.

Mission, team, self.

Mission success is looming.

The team is strong and unitesd.

The self's are bloodied but unbowed.

At this time, I am satisfied. Discussions with the minister and DM, eyeball to eyeball, were productive and based on the mandate letters sacred obligation promises. The policy advisory group is not the same old, same old, there is new life, we are on point and the group is unified/committed in redressing the Canadian Veterans Advocacy was founded upon to attain December 10 of 2010. Seems like yesterday… Not! LOL

There was an issue that was not brought up due to the exclusion in the mandate letter albeit it was promised during the election. The clawback., unlawful, that ELB recipients experienced from 2006-12. The cons excluded them when they harmonized the SISIP and ELB programs. We will be engaging on this level next week now that the dust has settled. Will advise.
Bravo Zulu to each and every one of you for your support.