Aid for Veterans in Canada

The ideological lens I decided to choose for this blog is neo-conservatism and the topic I chose to do was aid for veterans in Canada. One article I found that is called Growing frustration among veterans and widow casts shadow on Remembrance Day talks about frustrated war amputees who have not gotten the help from the government they expected to receive. A disabled war veteran who is paralyzed from the waste down speaks of how disgraceful the government can be by honouring them at this time of year around Remembrance Day when he feels that they have turned their back on them. The disabled man commented saying “the government recently threw its weight behind a so-called “helmets-to-hardhats” program, which aids ex-soldiers get into the construction industry — a wonderful resource for someone without physical limitations” (Brewster, 2012). The government is putting their efforts in place for those who can still work but what about those who are disabled?

           

These ex soldiers are not being honored in the way that they should be. They risked their lives and many ended up injured for life because they decided to honor their country. This is where the government needs to step in and honor their veterans. Two more stories were shared in this article, which I would like to share in my blog of another disabled ex veteran and one of a widow who lost her husband:

“Tracy Kerr, wife of a triple amputee who fought in Afghanistan, said she and her family have battled for years to get basic needs, such as a lift to get her husband in and out of the bathtub” (Brewster, 2012)

“Jackie Girouard, whose husband was killed by a roadside bomb in Kandahar in 2006, said the families of many soldiers are denied access to the veterans independence program, which helps with yard work and light housekeeping”. (Brewster 2012)

These are just few of the people who are struggling when the government should be helping them in any which way they can. Yes there are programs accommodated by the government with objectives to help aid vets but they have not helped all of the veterans in need, as many of them are dissatisfied. “Ex-soldiers say much of the dissatisfaction can be traced back to the 2006 New Veterans Charter, which overhauled the way ex-soldiers are compensated” (Brewster, 2012). These people are left to fend for themselves when the government is supposed to support the people who risked their lives for our country. Instead of support they have been deducting money from different services that are supposed to be supportive.

 It is in the next article that I found that the conservatives are trying to end the claw backs on disabled veterans. The article talks about stepping up and allowing more benefits for veterans and ending its practice of deducting veterans’ disability pensions. “NDP veteran’s affairs critic Peter Stoffer said the government deserves credit for “finally doing the right thing,” but noted that the Harper Conservatives are ending the practice only after the related Federal Court ruling” (Wallace, 2012). I find this to be very offensive because since 2006 there have been many veterans who have not received the help that they need and now the government is finally stepping up and doing the right thing. Sure the government deserves credit for finally doing the right thing but they should have started doing the right thing 6 years ago by honoring their Canadian Veterans and giving them the support and benefits they need when they really needed it.

Wallace, K. (2012, October 10). Conservatives end clawback on disabled veterans’ pensions. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/ 1268925--federal-conservatives-cancel-clawback-on-disabled-veterans-pensions

Brewster, M. (2012, November 8). Growing frustration among veterans and widows casts shadow on Remembrance Day. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1284969--growing-frustration-among-veterans-and-widows-casts-shadow-on-remembrance-day

- Alysha