http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-hey-veterans-affairs-canada-crowd-control-shouldnt-be-this-hard
Editorial: Hey, Veterans Affairs Canada – crowd control shouldn't be this hard - Ottawa Citizen Editorial Board - 12 Dec 17
Extract: 1. When Veterans Affairs Canada later surveyed its own staff about the day, reviews weren’t any more positive. The employees cited bad communication, lack of leadership and last-minute decisions. Students who worked as guides at the Vimy Monument had it particularly rough. They were alone, in uniform, and didn’t have radios to call for help from senior staff when problems or questions arose.
2. The federal government, apparently, was oblivious to the problems that occurred last April 9, until Spears (Citizen’s Reporter) followed up. VAC’s summary report for that day touts it all as a grand success, since the 152 VIPs on hand had a fine time. There was only minor reference to the problems everyone else faced; the report suggested a “small number” of critical comments. In fact, the file given to the Citizen contains 400 pages full of complaints. Officials are now saying things could have been done better.
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/vimy-revisited-veterans-affairs-deeply-saddened-by-bad-experience-blames-french-toilets
Vimy revisited: Veterans Affairs 'deeply saddened' by bad experience, blames French toilets- Tom Spears -13 Dec 17
Extract: 1. A top official at Veterans Affairs says the department was unaware last spring of widespread problems at April’s Vimy 100 ceremony in France but now takes full responsibility. “I’m deeply, deeply sorry. I regret to hear all of it, you can be sure … I accept full responsibility for that,” said Mike Jorgensen, a retired brigadier-general who is director general of the Veterans Affairs office that organizes overseas events.
2. Jorgensen’s comments are in contrast to a Summary Report and Lessons Learned document the department produced at the end of June, which in fact described Vimy 100 as a rousing success.“Despite the challenges” of high security and running events in a foreign country, “all events ran on time, on budget and virtually without incident,” that report says. The report was obtained through access to information.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/editorials/1528969-editorial-vets-squeezed-again-in-pension-holdup
EDITORIAL: Vets squeezed again in pension holdup - 13 Dec 17
Extract: 1. Peter Stoffer is right. Despite changes in government in Ottawa, and more than a dozen different veterans’ affairs ministers over the last two decades promising better, faster service, there continue to be unacceptable shortfalls in benefits programs for the men and women who put their lives on the line for this country, says the former NDP MP and longtime veterans’ advocate.
2. The bureaucracy at Veterans Affairs, despite a drumbeat of criticism stretching back more than a decade, inexplicably continues to make life difficult for too many veterans.
3. But the ruling (BC Appeals Court) by Justice Harvey Groberman, who said he had sympathy for the veterans, made it clear the decision was not necessarily endorsing the status quo. “All right-thinking Canadians would agree that they should be provided with adequate disability benefits. If that is not occurring, it is a national embarrassment,” wrote Justice Groberman.
4. Liberal Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan has promised a new lifelong disability pension plan by the end of the year. Let’s hope veterans won’t be disappointed again.
https://www.hilltimes.com/2017/12/13/department-leaves-vets-financial-limbo-behind-half-targets/128223
Department leaves veterans in ‘financial limbo,’ behind on half its targets - 13 Dec 17
Extract: 1. Veterans Affairs missed 54 per cent of its targets last year, which opposition MPs called both 'breathtaking' and 'horrible.' More resources are needed, critics agreed, but the culture also has to change.
2. Disability decisions and applications represented some of the department’s worst results. The vast majority of injured veterans are waiting more than four months to learn if they qualify for financial support. (See graphic at link)
3. “We are looking at the entire disability application process, from intake to decisions, to expedite decisions and respond to Veterans’ needs more quickly,” said (VAC) spokesperson Marc Lescoutre. He said the average turnaround time on first applications is 106 days, for reassessment it’s 71 days and for a departmental review the average is 85 days. One veteran waited 1,007 days for a decision, due to “extensive time required” to assemble the documents in what Mr. Lescoutre said was a “unique” circumstance.
See link for the detailed report.
