VAC wait times --- tell this to the MVA (he is in loompa loompa land)

Well this thread has gone south, but I will voice my opinion on a few comments above.

First in regards to key board advocates.  Never thought there was any shame in being a key board advocates, I am one!!!

But, when I write my thoughts and opinions right or wrong I hope my message is heard to those that are actually involved in direct talks with groups and the government.  They will either go gee that Steelgunner had a great idea or Steelgunner ideas are so lame.  I can take it and welcome all thoughts good or bad.

In regards to government sides of either blue or red.  I really never thought of any of my fellow members blue or red. I think of all of you as a Veteran first and only a Veteran.  

Groups and causes's may get tangled up in government, ego, and just spite.  But best left alone!!!!  Veterans Remember Veterans and Veterans help other Veterans in any situation!!

I couldn't say it better trooper . . .

Everyone should be able to voice their opinion on any political party, you see this everyday throughout the whole Country, it is in the media, and even in the house of commons. What I don't want to see is anyone pushing their political opinions onto others to the point where it evolves into a useless argument, it is only an opinion. If someone wants to put the Conservatives down, so be it, it's an opinion, if someone wants to put the Liberals down, so be it, it's only an opinion. I put them all down and couldn't care a bit what others think, what's important is what I think, not others. We need to respect everyone's opinion, rather we agree with it, or not, as long as we don't disrespect one another's opinion, things should run smoothly.

Very well said Cdn Vet, touche and welcome to csat.

It is too bad politics has to enter csat somedays. But at the very least, some members should just
" agree that they disagree " And leave it at that. Why is that so hard to do for some people?

Reminds me how politics can mimic the division I saw between the branches years ago.
" Ohh... He's just a grunt, but oh no, I'm a pigeon ! "
Or... he's red and I'm blue etc etc etc.

Well if both were stuck in the same elevator, they still gotta get unstuck.

We are ALL in the same elevator folks.

And that's my pearl of the day.

It is a sad commentary when Veterans are so divided.
How can we possibly fight the government when we fight amongst ourselves.

I am not going to apologize for what I have said or what my beliefs are to anyone.

That said on csat when a member calls me out as a Conservative or I don't like the Liberals when I make a comment based on facts from something said to me from VAC employees I have the right to respond to narrow minded answers.

For years as the publisher, forum master, advocate for VVi I let a lot of political views of members on csat be that...their political view. I never threw it in their face, accused them of being a NDP or Lib supporter because I respected their opinion regardless of what they said.

I stepped down from advocating for 2 reasons. I was put on trial for voting Conservative....I believe the comment was "if you don't vote for the Liberals then you can't advocate for us anymore"

The second reason I stepped down is because someone on CSAT had a person access my VAC file and my private information was stated on this forum.

I am a Conservative. A proud Conservative. The problem with some members of CSAT is they use it against me like Pavlov's dog when they read the answer from me they don't like.

Tooooooo much Otoole kool Aid! At least now things are happening , maybe slowly but there happening ! Conservative values are Donald Trump values and we don't need them here!

New here but not new to reading csat.
I  can also confirm that bigrex is not a keyboard advocate and he has remained as a calming and expert common denominator on csat. With all due respect Teentitan, in my opinion you have  changed in your demeanor on csat since you stepped down as forum master and I don't understand what has transpired to make such a change. I wish you only wellness.  As far as being a keyboard advocate, some of us technically fall into that category and if so, that should be acceptable on csat because that may be all one can contribute given medical and emotional conditions we deal with and we should not be discriminated for being keyboard advocates.

Wait times or for lack of better words (unacceptable wait times) are the fault of the government, governments of all colors. The Conservatives cut jobs in PEI, most of those job cuts went to front line workers dealing with benefits. The job cuts were to save money and the bureaucrats were intentionally slowing the process to keep their future work in check. Now we have the Liberals hiring more workers in PEI, workers that will also intentionally slow the process to keep their future in check. This is the circle were dealing with, so regardless of who's in power, their all the blame. The government needs to keep the bureaucrats in check, they don't, all they do is say look what we done today for Veterans and their families, and the bureaucrats run the entire file. You will not change this by attending meetings or writing to your MP's, it is entirely in the hands of the government, the government is going to spin this like past governments have, and what will probably happen is you will see a faster process time for a short time, then it will back to the same old. We all know full well what the problem is, we know what the solution is, but until (ANY) government starts to stand over the bureaucrats, this will continue.

Pinger,

With the old act, once you got your first approval 5% or more, this was a solid cushion of security for Veterans in waiting to climb that long ladder, it was tax free, so it did not interfere with other income, and was retroactively paid from the day you placed your application, as so for future approvals, paid from the day you applied. So I would say this is far better then the mess they have set up today with the NVC.

Teen, you can call anyone a keyboard advocate, regarding Bigrex, I know for a fact that he stood up and volunteered to represent VVi, I was the person who sent in he's interest to volunteer. I can say for certain that Rex is not afraid to stand up publicly to do the exact work you did. So stating or suggesting he is a keyboard advocate is not correct.

Rex I'll say it one more time stop making this out to me hating Liberals.  If you and all the others want to think that about me that's fine but you are very narrow minded to think so.

But seeing as that's the way you look at it how about I turn the tables on you.  You have hated the Conservatives the whole time they held office.  Did I ever throw that in your face?  NO.

If you don't want to believe me when I say bureaucrats hate Cons but love Liberals then prove me wrong....get out from behind your keyboard and start to advocate face to face with VAC ADM's, DM's, VAC Ministers and their staff.  Until then you are just making ill-informed decisions and assumptions.

You have to remember I have advocated under a Liberal gov't and a Conservative gov't.  The politics is not the objective.  Making the bureaucrats do their job and to accept change is the challenge.  

Oh and I just did two new applications under the NVC and all my CM from my DO did was  send me the forms after an inhome consultation.  I filled them out,scanned them and uploaded them on My VAC Account. OR I could have mailed it to PEI.  So maybe some people need to ask why your DO is doing PEI's work?  Maybe the DO's are the ones holding up your applications.

The one program established by the Cons that totally pissed off VAC bureaucrats My VAC Account.

Anyone notice that when they use My VAC Account for Health Travel Claims they are in your bank within 3 weeks? That's because it goes straight to Blue Cross' inbox in Moncton. Processed by Blue Cross empolyees. Where in the old days Blue Cross employees did VAC work and VAC workers did Blue Cross work. That was changed and the VAC employees were pissed off that a job that wasn't theirs to begin with was taken away from them.

Any applications you submit via My VAC Account goes directly to the inbox of the next available adjudicator. Where the old way there was an employee who opened the letter, put it in the proper mail box to picked up by a mail runner then it was put in the adjudicators desktop mailbox.

Now each application goes electronically from person to person. No more physical handling of paper which led to lost pieces of paper, misplaced applications. Now they are in que on their computers.

Questions are easily answered with the TOD (Table of Disabilities) created by a veteran that VAC adopted to have better continuity in decisions and expedite decisions....whenever they get to the claims.

My VAC Account and using the electronic highway has upset a lot of employees especially those who had to learn new jobs.

Frontline people do work their butts off to help us but once that application is in your hands it no longer belongs to your DO.

Was wondering that myself Big Rex. .

Teen, the Libs were a failure before they even started in your eyes. But if everything was done in PEI, as you claim, then why does it take DO's several weeks to send your file to Charlottetown? But like Steelgunner said, he submitted a claim in January, and it didn't go to PEI until March. My last claim took around 3 months before it went to PEI. If VAC staff at the DO aren't doing anything with the claims, then why not send them out immediately? Why delay the process for no reason?

Politics, Bureaucrats and unions aside I must say...

Wait times? PA only had it better than NVC by a small tad. (In my experience)
And I've dealt with both for what that's worth.
Thing is, NVC has different complications PA never addressed.

Steelgunner you wrote "  If I was pre NVC and getting a monthly penision cheque I would not worry to much when the claim finally went through. "

I am old charter but I had to fight like freaking hell AND wait for that benefit just like NVC folks when I had nothing. Frack all...just multiple fracking food banks. Don't want to get fired up here but Veteran's encompass both the NVC as well as PA and we should not splinter the difference between the two.

Remember, the GoC wrote the difference...

jmo

For starters gentlemen get your points in order. The DO's do not do the grunt work of gathering the info for your application it's the adjudicators in PEI that do the work. Once you fill out the paperwork it doesn't go to your DO it goes to PEI!

The Cons laid off frontline workers at underused DO's NOT adjudicators!

The Libs are back in control and lo and behold wait times for applications is taking longer by the same adjudicators who are trying to widdle away at the backlog of applications they created!

Stop making everything that is wrong the Cons fault. Neither one of you have talked to VAC employees from PEI so until you get out from behind your keyboards and get face to face with bureaucrats your arguments of it's Harper, Fantino, O'Tooles fault is pathetic.

It's been a year stop giving the guy you all saw as the savior for veterans a break. Tell him to crack the whip and get the damn bureaucrats to work. Oh wait CUPE is the Liberals best friends. The pep rally JT had on his first day of work with a entranceway full off of CUPE workers and oh yeah the meet and greet Hehr just had with new employees in Winnipeg. Guess getting CUPE employees off their butts and do their job isn't a priority in the near future for your precious Liberal government.