Stakeholder Committees / The Latest VAC Fiasco

VVi 31 May 2016

By CJ Wallace, Publisher VVi

These Stakeholder Committees/Meetings mean nothing; nothing for veterans in any event. They are a PR propaganda program induced by the sitting government, no matter which political party holds the reins of power.

Myself and the VVi staff have watched and reported over the past decade when these stakeholder meetings first began. At that time, a few thought maybe there was something with these meetings. Was the government of the day going to start and listen to veterans? Would the government act upon our highlighting of issues, take our advice and recommendations, and implement for the beneficial action of all veterans? Quick answer was, no.

With the latest change up in government, nothing has changed. Mind, many of us that have been advocating for veterans for many years (decades for some), were not too surprised. Politicians and specifically the senior bureaucrats have their own agendas, which do not include the community of veterans, a community so fractured that they do not pose an electoral threat.

Egos, diversion from the main issues, petty disagreements, lack of focus on the new generation of veterans and those generations yet to come, Veterans, selfish organizational interests, generational gaps, what have you. We have weakened ourselves, making our community a neutered, inconsequential political threat to any political party.

The vast majority of politicians or senor bureaucrats do not act for moral reasons, for what is right and justified. Their concerns primarily rest with their reelection and personal greed, be it power, money, or both. Hence, as veterans, we cannot rely on either the politician or bureaucrat. We have only ourselves to rely on or to blame if we are not up to the task of forming a united front to whatever political party forms the government.

Currently, all veterans should focus on the inequities of the NVC. This is a cost-cutting charter executed against veterans. Coming into effect in 2006, the NVC created another class of veterans and directly accosted the 'modern' disabled veteran's ability to support themselves and their family. Although there are many problems with the NVC, the primary concern should be to eradicate lump sum payments and reinstitute monthly annuities for life for disabled veterans. The monthly annuities should be reinstated in arrears to the time that they were removed from the calculation of disabled veterans' benefits. This includes those that have been forced by the NVC to accept lump sum payments or any derivative.

I do not know what should become of these Stakeholder Committees. Should they be abandoned and boycotted? Should veterans decide what the agenda will be? Does some veteran organization take the lead establishing an independent forum with which to confront VAC? Don't know! What I do know is that if veterans remain divided as they are, and kowtow to VAC, the NVC will never be amended to truly look after our disabled veterans.


CJ Wallace, a Regular Army veteran, serves as Publisher VVi, which he founded in 1998.

Well written article Admin!

Bumpsy you still have that way of summing it up! PR campaign.

Really liked your last two paragraphs Bumpsy
Great post overall...

great stuff CJ .

propat

By CJ Wallace, Publisher VVi

VVi 03 Jun 2016

Here we go again with VAC, as per normal, playing silly bugger.

The NVC ELB is to increase from the current 75% of last pay while serving, to 90%. However, we are finding out that those NCM medically released for disabilities, are being bumped down to trained private pay level vice basic corporal pay level for calculation of ELB funds. The average for NCMs under the NVC is expected to be about five percent increase. This does not affect officers. CAF officers medically released under the NVC will average an increase of 20%.

This is best explained in the following extract from Gloria Galloway's column in the Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/increase-in-disabled-veterans-benefits-applied-unequally-advocates-say/article30241470/%20):/

" Canada’s Veterans Affairs Minister is defending his decision to increase an income-replacement benefit for permanently disabled veterans by a small amount for those who make the least, but as much as 20 per cent for the higher ranks, saying all who qualify will make more than 90 per cent of their pre-release salary.

But veterans’ rights advocates point out that the proposed increase to the Earnings Loss Benefit will still be applied unequally, to the detriment of those seriously injured former members of the Canadian Armed Forces who were at the low end of the pay scale or who were discharged decades ago, before military salaries climbed.

They argue that any attempt to replace the income of veterans who are so disabled that they can no longer work should take into account what those soldiers would have received had they not had to leave the military..."


The question then becomes,” WTF is going on?”

Is this another VAC trick to divide and conquer the veteran's community?

Is this a cost saving mechanism for the government?

Is this strictly a government PR game?

Is it that this government is just as corrupt and immoral as all previous governments?

The unfortunate answer is, yes to all of the above. Veterans, not so unlike the CAF, are strictly political tools to be played with by our politicians. Historically in the past 40 years, plus, politicians have used veterans as pawns for their ego-centric PR games. It continues today with this federal government.

There are many that have criticized the civilian insurance approach to coverage as under Manulife. However, SISIP is a contact held by the CDS, and it must conform to contractual law. What has been happening for at least the past decade, under the NVC, is VAC's attempt to bring everything, every benefit, coverage, rehab program, etc, under its roof and direct control. As I stated in 2006, disabled veteran conditions under the NVC will be subject to the whim of the Minister VAC.

Legislation is easy to change, especially with a majority federal government. Changes can be made on whim either by or through the Minister VAC. Contracts with outside insurance entities, however, are not subject to these malignant whims and must adhere to tort law. This recent fiasco is a prime example how disabled veterans can be left out in the cold, without any protection under any legislation.

Yes, the NVC needs to be scrapped, not just amended. A veteran directed policy needs to be put into place demanding contractual agreement guarantees for all veterans. The VAC bureaucracy and politicians have to be taught to respond to the veteran community, and not the reverse. This will only happen though if veterans can form a common front.

CJ Wallace, a Regular Army veteran, serves as Publisher VVi, which he founded in 1998.

CJ wrote

” WTF is going on?
Is this another VAC trick to divide and conquer the veteran's community?
Is this a cost saving mechanism for the government?
Is this strictly a government PR game?
Is it that this government is just as corrupt and immoral as all previous governments?

The unfortunate answer is, yes to all of the above. "

Old news to me Bumpsy but it's refreshing to know someone else still has their balls attached to their brains.
And yes . . . to all of the above.

Lol, Pinger you get me every time, lol! I agree 100 percent, I just get this feeling that we are fracked up down sideways and it's never going to stop, ever! The real question I believe is , If military members can no longer expect the government to look after them, for life if needed, after being disabled while serving their country and on government orders , then maybe it's time for military members to think about becoming unionized , God , maybe thru collective bargaining something can be achieved!

Navrat - Great pt. I would think that new folks joining have got to be hearing thru social media about how we have all been fracked at the end of the line. Recruiting must be hurting, or will hurt soon if this keeps up. Then what do the desk pilots do when no one wants to join? VVV...

yup was never for that but to prevent things from happening like what happened in 06 I'm guessing its time has come . if ya cant trust the GOC anymore ya gotta do something .

propat