# New Veterans Affairs Minister



## FSTO (28 Aug 2017)

Kent Hehr moving to something else?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/seamus-oregan-veterans-affairs-minister-1.4264773


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## The Bread Guy (28 Aug 2017)

FSTO said:
			
		

> Kent Hehr moving to something else?
> 
> http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/seamus-oregan-veterans-affairs-minister-1.4264773


There's a swearing in ceremony @ the GG's place at 12:30pm local ...
http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=16970&lan=eng

Also, the story seems pretty clumsily put together, saying he's becoming VAC Minister while also saying "O'Regan will replace Judy Foote, who retired last week, as only cabinet member from N.L." -- which suggests Hehr may be taking Foote's old portfolio.

op:


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## Fishbone Jones (28 Aug 2017)

He can only do better. To do worse than Hehr, he'd have to be dead. I don't think we'll see much though. By the time he gets a handle on things and starts to put his footprint on that ministry, we'll be into the next election cycle. 

Maybe they'll promise a return to lifetime pensions : :sarcasm:


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## The Bread Guy (28 Aug 2017)

recceguy said:
			
		

> ... Maybe they'll promise a return to lifetime pensions : :sarcasm:


... again.


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## jollyjacktar (28 Aug 2017)

Someone in the office was just recently awarded a positive decision.  He said he was given two options.  1. Take a smaller lump sum or 2.  a larger percentage but with the payout in instalments.  Bloody retarded, things could only improve under the present party in power.


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## Jarnhamar (28 Aug 2017)

[quote author=recceguy]

Maybe they'll promise a return to lifetime pensions : :sarcasm:
[/quote]

Completely genuine question, why are life time pensions better than single pay outs?


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## MarkOttawa (28 Aug 2017)

Bio of The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, new Minister of Public Services and Procurement:



> A successful lawyer, dedicated volunteer, and Paralympic swimmer, Carla Qualtrough’s commitment to addressing inequality and championing diversity makes her a strong advocate for Delta.
> 
> Committed to equity and inclusion, Carla has practised human rights law at the federal and provincial levels. She chaired the Minister’s Council on Employment and Accessibility in British Columbia, and was an adjudicator with the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal. Carla has been visually impaired since birth.
> 
> ...



Mark
Ottawa


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## captloadie (28 Aug 2017)

I just did some research on the VAC site, and found this new (?) calculator.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/services/after-injury/disability-benefits/disability-award/da-calc

It appears that they amortize the amount, so taking it over a longer period pays out more (not sure if this is to calculate interest earned, future value of money, etc.)


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## blacktriangle (28 Aug 2017)

Not to throw the thread off topic (it's heading that way) but I did the math of a 10% spread over 5 years. Sure you get a bit more but honestly if you don't need the money right now, take it and invest some of it elsewhere. Depending how you can invest and the market, you can do better. VAC probably invests your cash and makes % off it haha


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## Teager (28 Aug 2017)

jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> Someone in the office was just recently awarded a positive decision.  He said he was given two options.  1. Take a smaller lump sum or 2.  a larger percentage but with the payout in instalments.  Bloody retarded, things could only improve under the present party in power.



How can VAC award you 2 different percentages? As far as I'm concerned if VAC rates you 25% then you are to receive 25% in payout according to the disability payout chart. Only other option is of the member chooses to spread that payment out over a period of time of there choosing. As Capt Loadie pointed out you get more money but I believe it's an estimate based on inflation.


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## Navy_Pete (28 Aug 2017)

I don't think the minister makes a difference; the problems they have run through the bureaucracy. Almost need to burn it to the ground and start over (as an L1 under DND).

The changes to INAC are huge though; they have their hands in everywhere and in theory are part of the large procurements.  Hopefully this will make them at least useful (or not obstructionist).


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## jollyjacktar (28 Aug 2017)

Teager said:
			
		

> How can VAC award you 2 different percentages? As far as I'm concerned if VAC rates you 25% then you are to receive 25% in payout according to the disability payout chart. Only other option is of the member chooses to spread that payment out over a period of time of there choosing. As Capt Loadie pointed out you get more money but I believe it's an estimate based on inflation.



Buggered if I know.  The take away is if he chose the lump sum it was for a smaller amount than an amortized payout over whatever months.  It sounds like a three card Monte table being run by VAC to me.  They can now do a huge smoke show and bleat they're giving a monthly pension like scheme for veterans.  Ain't that just swell of them?


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## Fishbone Jones (29 Aug 2017)

Jarnhamar said:
			
		

> Completely genuine question, why are life time pensions better than single pay outs?



There is tons of reason in threads on this forum. Or you can go elsewhere and Google it up. There is a number of reasons why lump sum is worse than life long pensions. Just off the top, lifetime pensions pay substantially more, but that's for the other thread, not this one.


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## The Bread Guy (29 Aug 2017)

Navy_Pete said:
			
		

> I don't think the minister makes a difference; the problems they have run through the bureaucracy ...


... as well as the rules the bureaucracy has to enforce - and it's the politicians who have to make the big changes.  :nod:


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## Occam (29 Aug 2017)

captloadie said:
			
		

> It appears that they amortize the amount, so taking it over a longer period pays out more (not sure if this is to calculate interest earned, future value of money, etc.)



Interest.  See the NVC, section 52.1 (1) (b).


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## ModlrMike (29 Aug 2017)

I will continue to maintain that those who think that the Liberals who wrote the NVC are prepared to essentially unwrite it and admit they made a mistake, have not given the issue sufficient thought.


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## The Bread Guy (30 Aug 2017)

ModlrMike said:
			
		

> I will continue to maintain that those who think that the Liberals who wrote the NVC are prepared to essentially unwrite it and admit they made a mistake, have not given the issue sufficient thought.


Given another government that _could_ re-instituted pensions didn't, I guess we can only go by what the Team Red is promising now, right?  

Meanwhile, an interesting development with a former Minister of Veterans Affairs:  Team Blue has made former minister Steven Blaney the VAC critic - party news release here, list of critic portfolios attached.  

It'll interesting to see how long it'll take for the Oral Questions to come down to, "Why aren't you changing VA benefits & restoring pensions?" followed by "What did _you_ do to get that done?"  #FormerMinistersNotGreatCritics


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## Fishbone Jones (30 Aug 2017)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> Given another government that _could_ re-instituted pensions didn't, I guess we can only go by what the Team Red is promising now, right?
> 
> Meanwhile, an interesting development with a former Minister of Veterans Affairs:  Team Blue has made former minister Steven Blaney the VAC critic - party news release here, list of critic portfolios attached.
> 
> It'll interesting to see how long it'll take for the Oral Questions to come down to, "Why aren't you changing VA benefits & restoring pensions?" followed by "What did _you_ do to get that done?"  #FormerMinistersNotGreatCritics



Won't happen. The question might get asked, but this government hasn't properly answered a question since they got elected. Nothing but Buttes' circular statements, which aren't answers.


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## The Bread Guy (30 Aug 2017)

recceguy said:
			
		

> Won't happen. The question might get asked, but this government hasn't properly answered a question since they got elected. Nothing but Buttes' circular statements, which aren't answers.


#DareToDream


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## Eye In The Sky (30 Aug 2017)

In minor VA news, a new "highest-ranking CAF Liaison Officer" will be in place shortly as well.  

Article Link

After four years in the top military job in Atlantic Canada, Rear Admiral John Newton is preparing to give up the reins of command on Friday at HMC Dockyard in Halifax to assume a new post.

...

He's moving on to the highest-ranking military job at Veterans Affairs Canada in Charlottetown, where he will work as a liaison officer.

He says he'll be relying on the listening skills he gained with the troops to help him in Veterans Affairs "to listen with empathy and understanding, to give the benefit of the doubt to people's complex stories," he said.

His job will involve understanding which cases are unique, and which are systemic, and working between the two departments to "create better bridging."


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## Gunner98 (31 Aug 2017)

Maybe Rear Admiral Newton can the ask Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs, a former CDS (http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/department-officials/deputy-minister) why it is taking so long sort things out?  General (Retd) Walt has been there since Nov 2014 and it would seem that changing the Minister frequently has not begun improve things!


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## jollyjacktar (31 Aug 2017)

:goodpost:


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## Bird_Gunner45 (31 Aug 2017)

recceguy said:
			
		

> Won't happen. The question might get asked, but this government hasn't properly answered a question since they got elected. Nothing but Buttes' circular statements, which aren't answers.



Weird... I can't remember a single time that Gerald Butts made a statement on veterans affairs.

It's a shame the conservatives weren't still in... they were doing a bang up job of veterans affairs. Basically fixed it all, if only they had 1 more mandate  :sarcasm:

The point- making statements like this are counterproductive. Team blue and team red have both been terrible on the veteran file. It'd be disingenuous to claim that either side was really working for the vets.


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## Lumber (31 Aug 2017)

Simian Turner said:
			
		

> Maybe Rear Admiral Newton can the ask Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs, a former CDS (http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/about-us/department-officials/deputy-minister) why it is taking so long sort things out?  General (Retd) Walt has been there since Nov 2014 and it would seem that changing the Minister frequently has not begun improve things!





			
				jollyjacktar said:
			
		

> :goodpost:



I understand that this is simply how parliamentary bureaucracy's work, but it's still mind blowing when you look at the difference in qualification between the Minister and the "Deputy" Minister. Again, I know it's supposed to work that way, it's just counter intuitive.


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## Fishbone Jones (1 Sep 2017)

Bird_Gunner45 said:
			
		

> Weird... I can't remember a single time that Gerald Butts made a statement on veterans affairs.
> 
> It's a shame the conservatives weren't still in... they were doing a bang up job of veterans affairs. Basically fixed it all, if only they had 1 more mandate  :sarcasm:
> 
> The point- making statements like this are counterproductive. Team blue and team red have both been terrible on the veteran file. It'd be disingenuous to claim that either side was really working for the vets.



I'm offended you're  offended.  :dunno:

The thing in yellow, I can't tell if you're facetious, sarcastic, ignorant, naive or serious. If the last, then you and I cannot discuss anything serious. Mind, being serious is only secondary for you. You're simply defending whichever of the first four words, your belief in the statement is rooted in.

If you were being sarcastic, for the glory of Crom, use the smilie. 

I can't respond to the rest, whether or not I was going to, as I can't assess the direction you wanted to go based on the ubiquous opening.


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## McG (1 Sep 2017)

I think he is suggesting that only an ostrich would use the veterans file to take a shot at their preferred whipping party, because both Liberal and Conservatives have dirty hands in that area.

Maybe we continue this thread without trying to inject unnecessary partisan rhetoric?


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## Fishbone Jones (1 Sep 2017)

I politicised nothing. I told the truth. You're not even on the same planet Sheldon. We are talking about the present, sitting, in control party that is making decisions right now. Open the paper, you can't go back no matter who you want to demonize about what happened in the past. You don't get a free pass to do wrong, because someone back when did the same stupid thing. Now, let the thread get back on track and quite trying to change the narrative again.


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## The Bread Guy (25 Sep 2017)

milnews.ca said:
			
		

> ... Meanwhile, an interesting development with a former Minister of Veterans Affairs:  Team Blue has made former minister Steven Blaney the VAC critic - party news release here, list of critic portfolios attached ...


And, according to CTV, there's been a change ... #FormerMinistersNotGreatCritics

(source Tweets here, here and here)


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