Peter Stoffer takes PR job with Trauma Healing Centers

Stoffer to advise Ottawa law firm on veterans cases

Former long-time NDP MP, champion of veterans continues to give back through volunteer work

Beatrice Britneff

Wednesday, November 16th, 2016
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

A well-known Ottawa-based law firm has recruited former NDP member of Parliament Peter Stoffer to help advise it on cases involving veterans and their families.

Effective today, Stoffer — a long-time champion and vocal supporter of veterans’ causes and former opposition critic for Veterans Affairs — is volunteering as a strategic advisor to the Michel Drapeau Law Office.

Drapeau, a former military man and colonel who retired in 1993, is known for specializing in legal cases related to veterans. His firm represented Sheila Fynes, whose son, Cpl. Stuart Langridge, took his own life at CFB Edmonton in 2008. The Fynes family sparred with National Defence over an inquiry into Langridge’s death and the eventual findings of the inquiry.

Stoffer, who represented the riding of Sackville-Eastern Shore for 18 years until he was defeated in the 2015 election, said Drapeau called him personally and indicated his firm is “doing an awful lot of work now in relationship to military and RCMP veterans.” Stoffer said Drapeau asked if he would be willing to advise the office on a volunteer basis on how to deal with particular cases.

“I said, ‘I’d be happy to give you advice,'” he said.

“We are delighted to welcome a person of Peter Stoffer’s caliber and breadth of experience to our law firm,” the law firm wrote in a news release published Wednesday morning. “Mr. Stoffer has proven himself as an agent of reform and a beacon of inspiration to our Firm and the Veteran’s community.

“We look forward to working with Mr Stoffer to assist Canadian Forces and RCMP veterans, an underserved community. Mr. Stoffer will bring to us an unequalled level of expertise and wealth of experience.”

Advising Drapeau’s office is one more responsibility to add to the already busy schedule Stoffer has been keeping up since he packed up his office on Parliament Hill last fall. The former union activist has continued to make veterans’ issues the focus of his post-Ottawa life; he said he currently volunteers with about six or seven other veterans affairs groups or organizations, including the Veterans Legal Assistance Foundation and the Trauma Healing Centres.

“It’s a good busy,” he said.

Stoffer will also be chaperoning a group of 40 students from Coal Harbour High School in Nova Scotia on an 11-day pilgrimage to some of Europe’s battlefields, including Vimy Ridge. He said he spent Remembrance Day this year watching ceremonies at several cenotaphs and visiting a number of Legions, among other things.

Stoffer’s work with Drapeau’s law firm will build on what he’s been doing on his own time. He still receives “about five or six calls a day” from veterans and vets communities across the country looking for assistance and guidance, he said.

“I stay on the phone and listen to them and try to offer the best advice I can,” said Stoffer, who once received an award from the Veterans Ombudsman for his work on behalf of Canadian Forces veterans, RCMP veterans and their families.

While he said he misses the people he worked with on Parliament Hill, he’s very much enjoying the outreach he’s doing now and has no plans to stop anytime soon.

“To be honest with you, I get an awful lot of joy for being able to assist military and RCMP veterans and their families and … now first responders as well,” he said. “And also just being able to say ‘thank you’ once again on a regular basis. They’re the heroes of our country and they deserve the respect and dignity.”

https://ipolitics.ca/2016/11/16/stoffer-to-advise-ottawa-law-firm-on-veterans-cases/[/b]

Peter Stoffer takes PR job with Trauma Healing Centers

Oct 12, 2016



The NDP's former long-time Veterans Affairs critic, Peter Stoffer, has landed a new job with an organization that helps veterans and others suffering from trauma such as PTSD.

Stoffer is taking a contract position with Trauma Healing Centers as a public relations advocate. The company's head office is in Cole Harbour, N.S., and it has offices in Moncton, Fredericton and Ottawa.

It helps veterans, first responders and civilians dealing with emotional and physical trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

Helping people heal

"We want people to become well again and to become the people they always have been, and to get them back on the path to recovery," said Stoffer. "It takes a long time, but the Trauma Healing Centers are there to assist these individuals in that path and I'm very proud to join them today."

Stoffer was the NDP MP for the Nova Scotia riding of Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook for 18 years and regularly spoke out on veterans issues. Even after his defeat in the last election, he helped get a 94-year-old veteran into the Camp Hill veterans hospital in Halifax.

Now Stoffer will work for a company that uses and promotes a variety of methods to relieve pain, including cannabis.

"If you require one-on-one treatment, they are here to help you," said Stoffer. "They work on physician referrals and they do everything from massage therapy to nutritional services, psychiatric and psychological assistance, and as well the proper way to use medical cannabis."

Boosting company's profile

The company says it has helped more than 2,500 patients since opening in January 2015.

Kyle Atkinson, the organization's president, hopes Stoffer will raise their profile.

"He's very well-connected in the military veteran world and in the political arena as well," said Atkinson. "One of my goals is to establish a positive relationship with Veterans Affairs Canada to help them better understand how we are working with veterans get the help they need for their condition."

Stoffer, 60, sits on several boards dealing with veterans issues. He said his year away from politics has refueled his desire to press for additional supports for vets.

"This is a great opportunity and I look forward to it immensely," said Stoffer. "To be honest it will get the juices flowing again."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/stoffer-takes-pr-job-with-trauma-healing-centers-1.3801986