# Veteran Tells Harper Don't Bother Coming to Remembrance Day and Fire Fantino.



## Nemo888 (22 Oct 2013)

http://veteranwatch.blogspot.ca/2013/10/prime-minster-harper-disinvited-to.html


Dear Prime Minister Harper, 

According to Veteran Affairs Canada, Nov 11 is a date that serves as: "remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace."  As a Veteran of peacekeeping, peacemaking, and war I am disinviting you Mr. Prime Minister, and your caucus, from Remembrance Day ceremonies across Canada.  Your continued hostility towards Canada’s Veterans makes you an unwelcome guest.

Mr. Harper you have led a cruel and deliberate campaign of harm against disabled veterans.  Afghan War Veterans that fall under the New Veterans Charter are suing the government in an attempt to regain fair compensation and care.  But your office prefers to waste tax dollars conducting legal delay tactics instead of respecting court decisions. These same tactics were used for seven years against Dennis Manuge while he combatted the unjust SISIP clawback.  In the mean time, disabled Veterans are going bankrupt or will die in poverty.  Continued delays damage both the Veteran and their young families.

We encourage you to allow Veterans to exercise the rights we have defended for other Canadians. 

Minister Julian Fantino, a combative ex-police officer who sees himself above Veterans, leads your information effort.  The minister is working hard to address the "tangle of misinformation regarding how Canada treats" its Veterans.  By the way, that very minister utters much of the tangled misinformation and continues to mislead Canadians.  

Please replace Minister Fantino.

Your government argues that parliament, not the courts, is the appropriate place to address the situation.  Yet, you have had a majority government for years and have done nothing but add a veneer of change.  Furthermore, you feel that this government should not be bound by promises of previous governments because:  "their argument could have a far broader impact than perhaps intended by the plaintiffs".  Canada was built on promises; therefore, your argument makes Canada a lie.  Tell me Mr. Prime Minster, if the government is not bound by previous promises then why should any soldier fight to defend a lie?

Through veiled words and actions you indicate that the economy is more important than the people who protect it.  You knew you were getting into a hard fight in Afghanistan.  I am sure the insurance-minded VAC and SISIP made it clear that disabled and wounded would be expensive.  Bluntly sir, paying down the deficit on the backs of the disabled is repugnant.

If you cannot afford the Veterans you cannot afford the war.


Mr. Harper this letter is not a political attack.  I am conservative by nature and, until recently, Conservative by ballot. Besides, you have bigger troubles than being disinvited to Remembrance Day; you have lost my confidence and vote.  

Please demonstrate appropriate behaviour by taking a minute of silence at 11am on Nov 11 - in your office.

Sincerely,

David T. MacLeod CD MA served in the Canadian Forces 1982-2010.  As an Infantryman (PPCLI) and later an Intelligence Operator, he served in several missions including Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo, the NORAD response to 9/11, SW Asia and Afghanistan.  He holds a BA from University of Manitoba and an MA from Royal Roads University.


----------



## x_para76 (22 Oct 2013)

Thanks for this! Great post! :nod:


----------



## Jarnhamar (22 Oct 2013)

*removed for common sense


----------



## Fishbone Jones (22 Oct 2013)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> Maybe vets would have more money if we stopped paying out bullshit Ptsd claims like giving someone a shit ton of cash because they got Ptsd from working beside a vehicle graveyard in KAF or because they were really really upset at the living conditions of children over there.



Why are you wasting your time in the infantry if you're a trained clinical psychologist?

Quit making judgments about something you know nothing about.


----------



## Nemo888 (22 Oct 2013)

I am wondering where the 5 billion of extra funding Fantino was going on about in the Commons today went. The payouts have been been stable at 3,500,000,000. Payouts only increased by a tiny 1,247,000 in 2012. Payouts to veterans increased by hefty 0.03%.  

How does 5 billion in extra funding turn into 1 million in extra benefits being paid out?


----------



## brihard (23 Oct 2013)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> Maybe vets would have more money if we stopped paying out bullshit Ptsd claims like giving someone a crap ton of cash because they got Ptsd from working beside a vehicle graveyard in KAF or because they were really really upset at the living conditions of children over there.



You're right out to lunch on this one, dude. Traumatic stress doesn't need to come from a single violent incident. It can come from cumulative exposure to circumstances or events that one has trouble wrapping one's head around, or from single instances... Our understanding of the mind is not sufficient to be able to delve into a person's psyche and say what ought and oughtn't lead to an OSI. Hell, there's some interesting research out there civilian side about OSIs brought on by repeated vicarious exposure in 911 dispatchers, or those who work crisis lines.

If the top researchers in this field can't say much conclusive about the onset of PTSD and like psychological injuries, you sure as hell aren't in a position to be trying to claim that all or even many such claims are BS. That's exactly the kind of attitude from professional peers that leads to buddy suck-starting a pistol or hanging himself in his house one night because his or her issues aren't taken seriously.

Is there PTSD 'fraud'? Likely so. I don't believe it's a significant portion of cases, however- certainly not enough to justify risking dismissing legitimate claims.


----------



## cupper (23 Oct 2013)

:goodpost:


----------



## the 48th regulator (23 Oct 2013)

ObedientiaZelum said:
			
		

> Maybe vets would have more money if we stopped paying out bullshit Ptsd claims like giving someone a shit ton of cash because they got Ptsd from working beside a vehicle graveyard in KAF or because they were really really upset at the living conditions of children over there.





			
				recceguy said:
			
		

> Why are you wasting your time in the infantry if you're a trained clinical psychologist?
> 
> Quit making judgments about something you know nothing about.



Exactly, let me be non politically correct, you are as big of a douche as the Numpty that generated this thread, and the one who actully was dumb enough to beleive he was doing veterans good by "Not inviting" the PM to Remembrance day.

Recce, you nailed it first, but I had to vent on all retarded parties involved.

Proud Wounded Veteran both Physically and Mentally​
dileas

tess


----------



## Jarnhamar (23 Oct 2013)

Yes sorry guys you're right my apologies.  Was really frustrated talking with a few upset people who were getting screwed over by the system and not receiving the help they deserved and vented in bad taste without much thought, I'll administer appropriate  administrative punishment.


----------



## mariomike (23 Oct 2013)

> Hell, there's some interesting research out there civilian side about OSIs brought on by repeated vicarious exposure in 911 dispatchers, or those who work crisis lines.



I was assigned to Toronto CACC when recovering from a LODI ( line of duty injury). I agree they have a stressful job. 

Unfortunately, the PTSD legislation for Police, Fire and Paramedics did not include Call Receivers and Dispatchers.


----------



## Danjanou (23 Oct 2013)

Nemo888 said:
			
		

> How does 5 billion in extra funding turn into 1 million in extra benefits being paid out?



Ottawa math 8)


----------



## brihard (23 Oct 2013)

Someone check me on this if I'm wrong, but I've read that the $5b quoted figure includes some $800m in payouts related to the SISIP lawsuit that the government lost? And yet they're trumpeting this as the government acting for veterans?


----------



## PuckChaser (23 Oct 2013)

Nemo888 said:
			
		

> How does 5 billion in extra funding turn into 1 million in extra benefits being paid out?



More VRAB employees to deny claims?


----------



## ArmyGuy99 (24 Oct 2013)

Like I said on Facebook when I saw the article.

$5b in more funding.   $4.55b goes to cover the bureaucratic overhead, and the thousands of veterans get to split the rest for payouts, and our other benefits.

Typical of this government.


----------



## PuckChaser (24 Oct 2013)

MedTech32 said:
			
		

> Typical of this _the last few_ government_s_.



FTFY.


----------

