One Veteran, One Team - Update 22 Jun 2012

As I shared in a previous blog, my team recently assembled for an all-staff retreat, during which employees from our Ottawa and Charlottetown offices gathered for two days to share information, discuss plans and connect with colleagues. The Office holds these retreats twice a year, and they serve as a great way to plan upcoming initiatives and solidify working relationships.
Along with bridging the geographical gap between offices, the retreat was an opportunity to discuss the current year’s plans and priorities as well as the issues we plan to look at in the coming months.

We plan to continue looking at issues of procedural fairness throughout the adjudication process. We will also monitor decision letters from Veterans Affairs Canada, and ensure that the recommendations laid out in our report Veterans’ Right to Know Reasons for Decisions: A Matter of Procedural Fairness are being implemented. We will also follow-up on our analysis of Federal Courts decisions pertaining to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board to ensure that improvements are being made based on the recommendations laid out in our report Veterans Right to Fair Adjudication. We plan to produce follow-up reports on both of these issues in order to keep you informed of the progress being made.
The retreat also provided an open forum where all staff could share ideas. It was clear through their questions and suggestions that the team takes its work very seriously, and they are all very eager to contribute to the office’s plans and projects. It was encouraging to see the enthusiasm and passion each and every one of them has for helping Veterans.
I know that this enthusiasm, passion and desire to assist Veterans will be seen in the work we continue to do. I look forward to putting these new initiatives into place, and will keep you informed as the work progresses.

Guy

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