Office of the Veterans Ombudsman - Media Centre - News Releases

Veterans Ombudsman Recognizes Exceptional Leadership in the Veterans Community

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:04:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Guy Parent, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman, awarded the Veterans Ombudsman's Commendation to four individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership on behalf of Veterans.

"These individuals' remarkable efforts contribute to the betterment of the lives of Canadian Veterans." said Mr. Parent. "I am very pleased to acknowledge their exemplary commitment to the fair treatment of Veterans and their families, the work they do is truly admirable."

The Veterans Ombudsman's Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups who work courageously and tirelessly to identify and advance issues on behalf of Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP, and their families. The Ombudsman will present the commendations to the recipients during a short ceremony that will be held at a later date.

This year's recipients are:

Jerome Burke is a dedicated ambassador for the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS). He served in various executive roles with ANAVETS over the past ten years and currently serves as Vice President of the Dominion Command and as their National Advocacy Committee Chairman. Jerome spearheaded major fundraising events for his ANAVETS' unit and many other organizations – raising tens of thousands of dollars for his community. Jerome is also member of the Royal Canadian Legion. With his extraordinary leadership, Jerome demonstrates the positive impact Veterans have on their communities. Jerome resides in New Waterford, Nova Scotia.

William (Bill) Gidley has contributed more than 10 years to the RCMP Veterans' Association, including serving as Executive Director. In his recent role as National Advocate for the RCMP Veterans' Association, Bill remained committed to promoting the fair treatment of Veterans and their families in accordance with the Veterans Bill of Rights. A noteworthy leader, Bill has been at the forefront of helping RCMP Veterans obtain benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada. Bill resides in Orleans, Ontario.

John D. Gillis has dedicated more than 50 years of tireless service to the Royal Canadian Legion, many years to the Korean Veterans Association and has held executive roles with the Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS). His distinguished leadership and superlative work with the Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg exemplifies the deep concern he has for the welfare of the most vulnerable Veterans. John continues to be a committed, active member of the Deer Lodge Foundation Board and its Joint Veterans Committee. John resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

David Munro, currently serving as Zone Commander, South/Mid Vancouver Island, for the Royal Canadian Legion, has devoted more than 20 years to serving Veterans, including as President of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association. He actively participated in the development of the New Veterans Charter, and played a significant role in the crafting of the Seventh Book of Remembrance. With remarkable leadership, David was instrumental in the development of low income, quality housing for Veterans and seniors in his community, and in initiating the Cockrell House project for homeless Veterans, in Colwood. David resides in Chemainus, British Columbia.

Veterans Ombudsman Launches Initiative for the Upcoming New Veterans Charter Parliamentary Review

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:04:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada's Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent released today a report entitled Improving the New Veterans Charter: The Parliamentary Review. Its purpose is twofold: to focus discussion for the fast approaching parliamentary committee review of the enhancements to the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Act, commonly known as the New Veterans Charter; and to act as a catalyst to broaden the review to include a discussion of the New Veterans Charter, as a whole.

"The October 3, 2011 coming into force of Bill C-55, the Enhanced New Veterans Charter Act and amendments to regulations, brought about much needed changes and began the process of making the New Veterans Charter a truly 'living' document," said Parent. "Importantly, a clause was included stating that a comprehensive review of the provisions and operations of the amendments to the New Veterans Charter would be undertaken within two years by designated/established Senate or House of Commons Committees."

In preparation for the review, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman analyzed the more than 200 recommendations for improvements to the New Veterans Charter proposed in various reports since 2006. It found that 145 of the recommendations dealt with three key transition issues: financial instability and decreased standard of living caused by reduced post-release income; limitations in vocational rehabilitation and assistance programs, which can affect second career aspirations and employment options; and difficult family environment situations due to insufficient family support.

"These military to civilian life transition challenges need to be addressed urgently because they can potentially affect a Veteran throughout his or her life," said Parent. "The first opportunity to do this is the parliamentary review."

In the lead-up to the review, the Veterans Ombudsman will continue to meet with Veterans and their families and Veterans' organizations across Canada to discuss the best way forward on this issue. In coming months he will publish a follow-up paper with specific evidence-based recommendations to address the Charter's shortcomings in relation to military to civilian life transition challenges.

The full report is available online at www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/reports-rapports/reviewcharter01-examencharte01-01-2013-eng.cfm.

Veterans Ombudsman Finds Disability Benefits Application Process Unfair to Applicants

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:02:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, the Veterans Ombudsman released a report entitled Veterans' Right to Disclosure: A Matter of Procedural Fairness. The report makes a number of recommendations to improve the administrative practices used by Veterans Affairs Canada when processing applicants' service and health records.

Service and health records are retrieved directly from government custodians of records and processed by the Department to prepare a package that adjudicators rely upon to make a decision on Veterans and serving members' application for disability pensions and disability awards. Although the legislation requires applicants to substantiate their claim, the Department relies on the documents it has retrieved, rather than documents provided by the applicants themselves. The Department also fails to disclose to the applicants which documents they will use to make a decision on their application. "Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP have the right to know what information is considered by decision-makers, and they should be able to challenge that information and provide their own." stated Guy Parent, Veterans Ombudsman.

The Ombudsman is of the view that the Department should modify the current procedure to ensure procedural fairness, while continuing to retrieve service and health records for speed and quality assurance purposes. The procedure should not impede Veterans' and serving members' ability to comply with their legislated obligation to substantiate their claim. "While disclosure of information may require a bit more time at the beginning of the application process, the overall process will be more efficient, and more effective, by reducing the need for reviews and appeals."

The report also shows that bias may be introduced when disability benefits officers, who do not have the authority to rule on applications, bring to the attention of adjudicators the documents they believe to be most relevant to the application through the practice of "flagging". "Administrative practices, as much as they might aim for increased effectiveness, should never stand in the way of procedural fairness, particularly when it comes to Veterans' and serving members' rights to participation and to a fair hearing."

The full report is available online at www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca. This is the third of a series of four reports on issues of procedural fairness related to the various steps in the disability benefits process.

Veterans Ombudsman Calls for the Issuance of a Veterans Identification Card and the Formal Recognition of Former RCMP Members as Veterans

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:12:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, the Veterans Ombudsman released a report entitled Honouring and Connecting with Canada's Veterans: a National Veterans Identification Card, in which he recommends to the Minister of Veterans Affairs the formal recognition of former RCMP members as Veterans for commemorative purposes and the issuance of an official identification card for Canada's Veterans.

Currently, Canada's nearly 750,000 Veterans do not hold a common and widely recognized means of identifying themselves as Veterans. They hold no such document that acknowledges their service to Canada, for commemorative purposes or to access the care and services to which they are entitled. "A national Veterans identification card is a way to applaud the men and women who served, while offering them an effective resource that proves their status as Veterans when seeking benefits."

A national Veterans identification card would also allow Veterans Affairs Canada to identify and maintain contact with Canada's Veterans, including those who are not currently its clients. This is critical to effective communications, intervention and planning for future needs.

"The members of the Veterans community in Canada are united by their service and commitment to Canada; this card would tangibly illustrate the strength that unites them and ensure that serving members are formally welcomed in that community when they retire or are medically released from the Canadian Forces or the RCMP."

In this report, the Ombudsman strongly recommends an amendment to the definition of the term veteran currently used for commemorative purposes so to formally include former RCMP members.

"Formally recognizing former RCMP members as Veterans is long over due. These men and women have been protecting Canadians at home and abroad, with their military counterparts, for over a hundred years and they deserve the recognition."

The full report is available online at: www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/reports-rapports/identity-identite-11-2012-eng.cfm.

Veterans Ombudsman to Take Role in Sunnybrook Audit

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 00:12:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, Guy Parent, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman, informed the Minister of Veterans Affairs of his intention to act as an observer to the team conducting the audit of Sunnybrook Hospital.

"Recent allegations regarding the treatment of Veterans at Sunnybrook Hospital are of great concern to me. I welcome the Minister's call for an audit of the facility. That said, as Veterans Ombudsman, I want to ensure that the audit to be carried out by Veterans Affairs Canada is as thorough as necessary to fully identify and address issues of concern."

A formal observer role will enable the Veterans Ombudsman to follow the progress of the audit. "I plan on meeting with Veterans who reside at the facility and their families, and I want to make sure that any concerns they may raise are reflected and considered in the audit."

This is consistent with the mandate of the Veterans Ombudsman to make certain that Veterans are treated fairly and with dignity. Mr. Parent will be seeking the Minister's assurances that he has full access to the audit team and process.

Remembrance Day 2012: An Open Letter to Canadians from the Veterans Ombudsman

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:11:00 GMT

We come together during Veterans' Week to pay tribute to those who have lost their life in service to our country. We recognize the more than 750,000 Veterans in Canada who have served our country honourably – as part of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP – both here and abroad, in times of peace and times of conflict. And we acknowledge the men and women who continue to serve today.

As the Veterans Ombudsman and a Canadian Veteran, I want you to know how significant and meaningful your act of remembrance is to Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP. For many Veterans and their families, Veterans' Week, and particularly Remembrance Day, brings to the fore painful memories; your expression of gratitude is a source of pride and great comfort to them. It is an acknowledgement of their personal sacrifice, resilience and strength.

On Sunday, Canadians will pause in silence to remember the Fallen. We owe an eternal debt of gratitude to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. We pay tribute to them through our collective moment of silence every November 11, but we live every day in the peace and security for which they fought.

While the majority of men and women leave the service healthy, too many return carrying physical, mental and emotional reminders of their service to our country. As a nation, we owe them and their families the assurance that they will be properly cared for upon their return. Ensuring that their needs are met is our country's most meaningful expression of gratitude.

Come November 12th, our Veterans will put away the uniforms and medals that symbolize their service, but be assured that their loyalty and commitment to Canada remains strong. Across the nation, Veterans better their communities with their skills and leadership, as volunteers, coaches, teachers, entrepreneurs, public servants, etc. There is not one community in Canada that is not stronger and more enriched in spirit because of the ongoing commitment on the part of its Veterans.

A Veteran's contribution to our country never ceases. And neither should Canadians' gratitude to our Veterans. I encourage Canadians to acknowledge the service of the Veterans in your communities, each and every day.

Lest we forget.

Guy Parent
Veterans Ombudsman

Veterans Ombudsman Issues Report on Veterans Review and Appeal Board

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, the Veterans Ombudsman released his report entitled Veterans' Right to Fair Adjudication, an analysis of decisions of the Federal Court and Federal Court of Appeal pertaining to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (the Board).

Veterans who are dissatisfied with decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada have the right to appeal their case to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, who must determine if the laws governing disability pensions and awards have been properly applied by Veterans Affairs Canada. Veterans who are dissatisfied with the Board's decision have the right to apply to the Federal Court for a judicial review of the matter. Since the creation of the Board in 1995, 140 decisions of the Board have been challenged in the Federal Court and 11 of those were subsequently appealed to the Federal Court of Appeal.

In the fall of 2011, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman retained the services of the law firm of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP to perform an independent analysis of the Courts' judgments in those cases. In 60 percent of Board decisions reviewed by the Federal Court, the Court ruled that the Board erred in law or fact, or failed to observe principles of procedural fairness. And despite assurances from the Board that it analyzes Federal Court judgments to ensure that guidance given is reflected in its decisions, Court judgments point to the same errors over an extended period of time.

"This is about the fair treatment of the men and women who have served their country honourably", stated Guy Parent, Veterans Ombudsman. "In the case of 85 Veterans, the Federal Court has concluded that the adjudication process has failed them.

"I recognize that Board members and staff have the difficult task of determining the merits of cases by deciding on questions of law and fact in an environment characterized by heavy workloads, increasingly complex cases, and pressure to issue timely decisions. On average, 50 percent of the Board's review decisions and 33 percent of the Board's appeal decisions varied or overturned a previous decision of Veterans Affairs Canada, in favour of Veterans. This unmistakably speaks to the importance of an independent, quasi-judicial body that Veterans can turn to for redress. Nonetheless, in fairness to Veterans and other applicants, I must conclude that improvements to the Board's decision making are needed.

"The Board has been granted very liberal powers by Parliament and entrusted to make decisions by drawing every reasonable inference in favour of applicants, accepting credible uncontradicted evidence and giving Veterans the benefit of the doubt. The Veterans Review and Appeal Board and the Minister must take quick and decisive action to ensure that the Board fulfills the important role entrusted to it by Parliament and restores the trust of Veterans."

The report's recommendations and case studies can be found in the backgrounder. This report is the second of a series of reports that will be published over the course of the year on issues of procedural fairness.

The full report is available online at www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/reports-rapports/vrab-tacra-03-2012-eng.cfm.

Position of the Veterans Ombudsman: Budget Cuts and Service to Veterans

Tue, 01 May 2012 00:05:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – A news release issued this morning by Official Opposition Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer, as well as a recent news article by Newstalk 980 CJME in Saskatoon do not accurately reflect the position of the Veterans Ombudsman, Guy Parent, with respect to recent budget cuts.

Since October 2011, Mr. Parent has consistently and clearly called for the exemption of Veterans Affairs Canada from the government's recent budget reduction exercise. Following the release of the recent federal budget, Mr. Parent publicly issued this statement via his blog on April 4, 2012:

As you all know, last Thursday, the Government released details of the federal budget. There had been much discussion and speculation about how the budget and the anticipated cuts would affect our Veterans. On Thursday, we learned that Veterans Affairs Canada would be subject to an overall budget reduction of 1.1%. Minister Blaney has issued several public reassurances that programs and services will not be affected, so the Office will be watching very closely over the coming weeks and months as senior managers of the Department determine where and how they will bring about these reductions. It is imperative not only that programs themselves not be affected, but that these reductions not negatively impact the delivery of these programs. We will be vigilantly monitoring to ensure that the Department has the right technologies and systems in place to provide first-rate service to Veterans and to ensure that the right expertise and experience is retained.

Mr. Parent and the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman are monitoring, and will continue to diligently monitor the activities of Veterans Affairs Canada to ensure that the delivery of programs and services are not negatively affected.

Veterans and their representatives who feel that the quality of the services and benefits they receive from Veterans Affairs Canada are being affected by the recent budget cuts are encouraged to contact the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman at 1-877-330-4343.

The full blog issued by the Veterans Ombudsman on April 4, 2012 can be found here: http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/blog-blogue/post-eng.cfm?152.

Veterans Ombudsman Calls On Veterans Affairs Canada to Meet its Legislative Obligation to Provide Reasons for its Decisions

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:02:00 GMT

Ottawa, ON – On 20 February, 2012, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman released a report entitled Veterans' Right to Know Reasons for Decisions: A Matter of Procedural Fairness. This report examined the adequacy of information provided by Veterans Affairs Canada in their decision letters to Veterans who apply for disability pensions or disability awards.

In a review of a statistically valid sample of letters sent between 2001 and 2010, it was found that most were vague, unclear or not understandable. While some letters contained information regarding relevant legislation or references to supporting material, not a single letter provided the applicant with an adequate explanation for the decision taken. Veterans need assurances that their applications for disability benefits have been fully and fairly considered. A detailed decision letter is the essential source of that information.

"Veterans have a right to know why and how decisions are made", says Guy Parent, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman. "These letters concern monetary entitlements that have a direct impact on Veterans' quality of life.

"It troubles me to think that many Veterans may be discouraged from pursuing their applications further because the response letter does not reveal the rationale for the decision. It is equally unacceptable for Veterans to exercise their appeal rights without having been provided with a clear explanation of the decision.

"The findings of this report should not be news to Veterans Affairs Canada. The failure to provide reasons for decisions was first brought to the Department's attention by the Auditor General of Canada in 1998. There is an explicit, legal requirement to provide reasons for decisions and I call on Veterans Affairs Canada to respect this obligation."

To address these issues, the Veterans Ombudsman makes the following four recommendations:

For Veterans Affairs Canada to improve the mechanisms by which disability benefit assessment letters are generated to make sure essential information is captured for inclusion in letters. This information should be presented in a form that is understandable and is in relation to the decision made. An explanation of how this information has been used to arrive at the decision is required. The Department should also ensure that a notice of the right to appeal is contained in every disability benefit decision letter.
For reasons for decisions to be written in plain language. Any legal, medical, or administrative terms used should be explained. A separate brochure or other companion piece would serve this purpose and could be included with decision letters.
For procedure manuals and training modules to be examined to ensure that adjudicators are aware of the minimum information to be provided in letters and what is needed to substantiate the reasons for their decisions.
For quality assurance procedures to be put in place to ensure decision letters fully comply with standards for adequacy of reasons for decisions.

The full report, including sample letters and statistics, is available online at www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca. This report is the first of a series of reports that will be published over the course of the year on issues of procedural fairness.

Veterans Ombudsman Says Rules Used by Veterans Affairs Canada to Determine Eligibility for the Agent Orange Ex Gratia Payment Are Unfair

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:12:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent renewed his call to Veterans Affairs Canada to grant Agent Orange ex gratia payment claims that are being denied to eligible claimants. Parent says that the claims in question are based on eligibility criteria that are clearly not compliant with the intent of the Order in Council (SI/2007-87 and SI/2010-96) that established the Agent Orange ex gratia payment.

"Veterans Affairs Canada is denying claims from caregivers based on a very narrow interpretation of the Order in Council concerning the definition of a 'primary caregiver' and 'principal residence'. The definitions used by Veterans Affairs Canada would not withstand public or legal scrutiny. This is nothing short of scandalous!" said Parent. "One wonders how many other individuals have been denied the ex gratia payment unfairly."

Since November 8, 2011, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman has received a number of requests for assistance from applicants whose claims for the ex gratia payment have been denied by the Department. In one case, the widow of a man who met the eligibility criteria was denied payment on the grounds that she was not the primary caregiver because her husband was in a long-term care facility at time of his death and she did not live with him at the facility despite the fact that this spouse of 50 years continued to live in the principal residence that she shared with her husband for 23 years and continued to attend to his needs for the 17 months that he spent in the facility. Moreover, his name was still on the deed of the principal residence at the time of his death; he continued to receive mail there; and his personal belongings remained within the home.

"No one questions the need for eligibility criteria: Canadians have a right to demand that programs funded with their tax dollars are administered well, and determining who is eligible for programs is part of that," said Parent. "But eligibility criteria must respect the spirit of the legislation to which they refer. The policies pertaining to primary caregivers developed by Veterans Affairs Canada to administer the Agent Orange ex gratia payment do not do that."

The Order in Council defines a primary caregiver as someone who "immediately before the individual died, (a) was primarily responsible, without remuneration, for ensuring that care was provided to the individual; and (b) for a continuous period of at least one year, resided in the principal residence of the individual and maintained the individual or was maintained by the individual."

"The widow in question ensured that her husband received the care that he needed by placing him in a facility when she could no longer care for him at home, and she visited that facility every day to assist staff where possible," said Parent. "Unfortunately, the Department narrowly has interpreted the Order in Council to mean that care must be provided directly by the caregiver."

As for the definition of 'principal residence', Veterans Affairs Canada has again narrowly interpreted the Order in Council by claiming that the caregiver must have lived in the same home together with the individual for an on-going period of at least one year prior to the individual's death. In this case, the Department concluded that the long-term care facility was the husband's primary residence. There is no requirement in the Order in Council for spouses to physically live together under the same roof and the Department's definition of 'principal residence' is at odds with provisions of the Income Tax Act.

Based on this narrow interpretation, Veterans Affairs Canada concluded that the widow did not meet the definition of primary caregiver and denied her claim. "It is clear that this spouse meets the intent of the Order in Council and is being unfairly denied the Agent Orange ex gratia payment," said Parent. "This is unfair!"

The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is also raising questions about a number of other cases where individuals were denied because they did not meet the criteria for extenuating circumstances for late applications. Many of these applicants have provided very legitimate reasons for being late. One case, where the Office was successful in getting the Department to reconsider its decision, involved a serving member of the Canadian Forces on mission in the Middle East. "It is difficult to think of a more valid reason than that for being late," said Parent.

Veterans Ombudsman calls on Veterans Affairs Canada to improve Veterans Funeral and Burial Program

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:12:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, Guy Parent, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman, renewed his call on Veterans Affairs Canada to implement changes to the Veterans' Funeral and Burial Program.

"The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman issued its report, Serve with Honour, Depart with Dignity, almost three years ago – and Veterans Affairs Canada has acted on only one of the seven recommendations. It is unconscionable that Veterans Affairs Canada continues to stall. Veterans Affairs Canada has stated that over 1500 older Veterans pass away every month. Will they wait until the whole generation has passed away before they act?"

The report called on Veterans Affairs Canada to raise the ceiling for Veterans' funeral and burial expenses to reflect industry standards. The average cost of a funeral in Canada today is between $7,000 and $10,000, yet Veterans Affairs Canada provides only $3,600 for funeral and burial-related services, an amount that has not changed since 2001. The Department of National Defence and the RCMP currently provide up to $12,700 in the event of the death of a serving member.

The report also calls on Veterans Affairs Canada to extend the program to all Veterans and to simplify the administration of the program.

"Currently, the families of eligible Veterans are required to plan the funeral of their loved ones from an itemized list, as if the funeral was a coupon-cutting exercise. The current administrative demands place a heavy burden on grieving families.

"It is ironic that on the one hand, Veterans Affairs Canada has said that they are able to reduce their budget as a result of a decline in their client base, and yet there are clearly underfunded programs, like the Funeral and Burial Program, that are not sufficiently resourced to meet the needs of Veterans and their families.

"Veterans who have served and sacrificed for their country deserve to depart with dignity and respect. We would hope that Veterans Affairs Canada takes this opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to support Canada's Veterans to the end."

An Open Letter to Canadians from the Veterans Ombudsman

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:11:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – As Canadians we enjoy many freedoms. Freedom of conscience, freedom of belief, freedom of association, freedom of mobility. These are the freedoms—and indeed, the rights—we enjoy in Canada.

These freedoms were hard won by Canadians willing to risk their lives to defend them. From the First and Second World Wars to the Korean War, through the Cold War and the Gulf War, in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, through decades of peacekeeping and peacemaking missions around the world, as well as operations here in Canada, millions of Canada's young men and women have served to defend our rights and security and gave up a measure of their own freedom to preserve ours. Thousands and thousands of them have made the ultimate sacrifice.

Numbers alone cannot adequately represent the sacrifice of those who serve. The families who support them also make tremendous sacrifices with too little recognition. Mothers, fathers, spouses, sons and daughters stay behind and worry that the next knock on the door may bring the worst possible news. If it does, they carry on with their lives courageously, diminished by their loss. And when men and women in uniform return ill or injured, both they and their families must deal with the effects for the rest of their lives.

During Veterans' Week, Canadians—through hundreds of commemorative ceremonies and events across the country—remember the Fallen, pay tribute to Canada's Veterans of today and yesterday, and salute the men and women of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP who continue to serve our country with pride and courage as did Veterans before them. Later this week, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we will pause in silence to remember those who lost their lives serving our country.

Veterans' Week accentuates many very personal memories for Veterans—good memories and difficult ones. The nation's expression of gratitude is a source of great pride and comfort to Canada's Veterans and their families.

But as Canadians, we must also remember that while the majority of serving men and women leave the service healthy, a great number of them return to civilian life ill or injured. As a nation, we have the obligation to take care of the men and women that were put in harm's way to protect our rights and freedoms. Ensuring that their needs are met is the nation's greatest and most meaningful expression of gratitude.

Let this November 11 not be the only moment of the year that we offer to those who serve our country. As the Veterans Ombudsman and one of Canada's almost 800,000 Veterans, I ask you to remember Canada's Veterans—not just today, but every day.

Lest we forget.

Guy Parent
Veterans Ombudsman

Veterans Ombudsman Responds to Amendments to Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Regulations

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:10:00 GMT

Ottawa, Ontario – Today, Canada's Veterans Ombudsman, Guy Parent, issued the following statement in response to the announced amendments to the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Regulations:

"Earlier today, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that amendments to the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Regulations are now in effect. This is bittersweet news for the Veterans' community.

It is good news that the Earnings Loss Benefit is now set at a minimum of $40,000 pre-tax per year. Veterans Affairs Canada clearly demonstrated that a minimum income of $40,000 is required to ensure that basic needs of food, shelter and clothing are met. The aim of the Earnings Loss Benefit is to provide Canadian Forces Veterans with adequate income while in rehabilitation due to a service-related or career-ending injury. The benefit is provided to age 65 to those Veterans who are unable to work.

Unfortunately, part-time Reservists (Class B Reservists with contracts of less than 180 days and Class A Reservists) are only eligible for a minimum income of $24,300 pre-tax per year. This is unfair, given that part-time service can result in permanent disability directly related to that service. A part-time Reservist's needs for rehabilitation and income support are no different than those of a Regular Force member.

Take the scenario where a Regular Force Member and a part-time Reservist sustain the same injury while on a training exercise. Both are unable to work for the rest of their life. While both of them will receive the Earnings Loss Benefit, the part-time Reservist will receive 40% less than the Regular Force Member.

Those who sustain similar illnesses or injuries while serving their country should have access to the same benefits, regardless of the nature of their service. It is simply a matter of fairness."