Re: OVO A Failure

by **Kramer** Thu 06 Apr 2023, 11:10

I wonder how many vets turn to them for help vs how many they choose to help or how many they turn away........like myself?

I like the office of the BPA, can't say they are perfect but they have been a heck of a lot more helpful than the VO.

Curious....if no one uses the OVO what would happen? Would they continue to be bean counters and post useless reports and statistics? The government pays them with our money, but what happens when the government determines their usefulness has been outlived? Photo Ops can only go on for so long.......one would think.

by Unknown Soldier Wed 05 Apr 2023, 20:24

Kramer wrote:The comment below is from a veteran advocate: David MacLeod

"Failure within the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman
Hello!
One of the objectives of the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) is to build trust between veterans and VAC.
I have been removed from the Veterans Ombudsman's Advisory council. Evidently, I'm past my date of expiry (there are limited terms on VOAC). I'm glad. My time on VOAC had proven to me that the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is not effective. the veterans on VOAC are trying but it seems that there is little listening by the OVO.
I wrote (in part) the following to Minster MacAulay and Minster Anand yesterday:
· The Desmond Fatality Inquiry highlights that trust in VAC has declined.
o During the Desmond Fatality Inquiry, the Government of Canada lawyer, Lori Ward, made every effort to blame Desmond for not having access to his records. This revolting display of bureaucratic arrogance by Lori Ward is unacceptable and made clear the poor attitude of the Government of Canada. Despite Lori Ward’s efforts, testimony during the Desmond Fatality Inquiry laid bare that the methods of access to Service Healthcare Records are dated and inadequate.
o On 16 June 2021, as a member of the Veteran Ombudsman’s Advisory Council (VOAC) I had a meeting with Nishika Jardine, Veterans Ombud; Jamie Morse, Special Advisor, and Duane Schippers, Deputy Veterans Ombudsman concerning the Desmond Fatality Inquiry and Service Healthcare Records:
· In reference to the difficulty in accessing SRH, Nishika Jardine made the unfortunate comment, “I don’t know David, I’ve got mine.” I am genuinely pleased that the Ombuds has copies of her SHR, but not all veterans do. Older veterans, or those that were released prior to 2013 often struggle to get the very documents they need to make a claim. The Ombud seemed to have difficulty in realizing the struggles of veterans accessing their SHR. This concerns me as it seems she may be out of touch on this file.
· Jamie Morse repeated the legal arguments presented by Lori Ward as though they were judgments. Lawyers take instruction from legislation; they do not make judgments. His approach was inappropriate and dismissive.
· Duane Schippers commented that my request that VAC support the effort to have SHR transferred to the provinces was “pie in the sky.”
o Bluntly, with those responses it is unlikely that VAC or the OVO will attain “trust.” A lack of trust may be linked to post-service care. Low trust may also adversely affect retention and recruiting. CAF personnel shortages are likely to continue until post-service care minimizes paperwork, maximizes coordination, and simplifies processes. No one wants to work in a high-risk profession where you are exempt the Labour Code and post-service care is problematic."

I can attest to the fact about record keeping. It is so easy and convenient for VAC and or the OVO to say they don't have your records!! It's because they don't look! They don't look, because they just don't care! The OVO needs to go.....a useless office that picks and chooses the cases they think will make them look good in the media and are easy wins. Why should any case be easy? Again......VAC doesn't care. Getting swept under the rug, fall through the cracks or.....D, D and D......all the same.

I can say first hand the OVO is corrupt, the Ombud is a liar and Jamie Morse is a dick, I'm currently dealing with Schippers his true intentions are yet to be proven, time will tell if he is full of lip service.

by **Kramer** Thu 16 Mar 2023, 10:23

The comment below is from a veteran advocate: David MacLeod

"Failure within the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman
Hello!
One of the objectives of the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) is to build trust between veterans and VAC.
I have been removed from the Veterans Ombudsman's Advisory council. Evidently, I'm past my date of expiry (there are limited terms on VOAC). I'm glad. My time on VOAC had proven to me that the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is not effective. the veterans on VOAC are trying but it seems that there is little listening by the OVO.
I wrote (in part) the following to Minster MacAulay and Minster Anand yesterday:
· The Desmond Fatality Inquiry highlights that trust in VAC has declined.
o During the Desmond Fatality Inquiry, the Government of Canada lawyer, Lori Ward, made every effort to blame Desmond for not having access to his records. This revolting display of bureaucratic arrogance by Lori Ward is unacceptable and made clear the poor attitude of the Government of Canada. Despite Lori Ward’s efforts, testimony during the Desmond Fatality Inquiry laid bare that the methods of access to Service Healthcare Records are dated and inadequate.
o On 16 June 2021, as a member of the Veteran Ombudsman’s Advisory Council (VOAC) I had a meeting with Nishika Jardine, Veterans Ombud; Jamie Morse, Special Advisor, and Duane Schippers, Deputy Veterans Ombudsman concerning the Desmond Fatality Inquiry and Service Healthcare Records:
· In reference to the difficulty in accessing SRH, Nishika Jardine made the unfortunate comment, “I don’t know David, I’ve got mine.” I am genuinely pleased that the Ombuds has copies of her SHR, but not all veterans do. Older veterans, or those that were released prior to 2013 often struggle to get the very documents they need to make a claim. The Ombud seemed to have difficulty in realizing the struggles of veterans accessing their SHR. This concerns me as it seems she may be out of touch on this file.
· Jamie Morse repeated the legal arguments presented by Lori Ward as though they were judgments. Lawyers take instruction from legislation; they do not make judgments. His approach was inappropriate and dismissive.
· Duane Schippers commented that my request that VAC support the effort to have SHR transferred to the provinces was “pie in the sky.”
o Bluntly, with those responses it is unlikely that VAC or the OVO will attain “trust.” A lack of trust may be linked to post-service care. Low trust may also adversely affect retention and recruiting. CAF personnel shortages are likely to continue until post-service care minimizes paperwork, maximizes coordination, and simplifies processes. No one wants to work in a high-risk profession where you are exempt the Labour Code and post-service care is problematic."

I can attest to the fact about record keeping. It is so easy and convenient for VAC and or the OVO to say they don't have your records!! It's because they don't look! They don't look, because they just don't care! The OVO needs to go.....a useless office that picks and chooses the cases they think will make them look good in the media and are easy wins. Why should any case be easy? Again......VAC doesn't care. Getting swept under the rug, fall through the cracks or.....D, D and D......all the same.

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