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New Minister of Veterans Affairs: Mandate Letter, etc.

dapaterson

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The mandate letter for the new VAC minister has been posted to: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-veterans-affairs-and-associate-minister-national-defence-mandate-letter

Top priorities are identified as follows:

Work with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence

Re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for our injured veterans, and increase the value of the disability award, while ensuring that every injured veteran has access to financial advice and support so that they can determine the form of compensation that works best for them and their families

Expand access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance to better support veterans who have had their career options limited by a service-related illness or injury

Provide injured veterans with 90 percent of their pre-release salary, and index this benefit so that it keeps pace with inflation

Create a new Veterans Education Benefit that will provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans after completion of service

Improve career and vocational assistance for veterans through ensuring that job opportunities for returning veterans are included in Community Benefits Agreements for new federally-funded infrastructure projects

Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one veteran, one standard” approach is upheld

Re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans

Create two new centres of excellence in veterans’ care, including one with a specialization in mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues for both veterans and first responders

Provide greater education, counselling, and training for families who are providing care and support to veterans living with physical and/or mental health issues as a result of their service

End the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services

Increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 percent to 70 percent

Eliminate the “marriage after 60” clawback clause, so that surviving spouses of veterans receive appropriate pension and health benefits

Double funding to the Last Post Fund to ensure that all veterans receive a dignified burial

Work with the Minister of National Defence to develop a suicide prevention strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans

 
I'm pretty excited about that tuition bill more then anything
 
dapaterson said:
The mandate letter for the new VAC minister has been posted to: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-veterans-affairs-and-associate-minister-national-defence-mandate-letter

Top priorities are identified as follows:

Work with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence

Re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for our injured veterans, and increase the value of the disability award, while ensuring that every injured veteran has access to financial advice and support so that they can determine the form of compensation that works best for them and their families

Expand access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance to better support veterans who have had their career options limited by a service-related illness or injury

Provide injured veterans with 90 percent of their pre-release salary, and index this benefit so that it keeps pace with inflation

Create a new Veterans Education Benefit that will provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans after completion of service

Improve career and vocational assistance for veterans through ensuring that job opportunities for returning veterans are included in Community Benefits Agreements for new federally-funded infrastructure projects

Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one veteran, one standard” approach is upheld

Re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans

Create two new centres of excellence in veterans’ care, including one with a specialization in mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues for both veterans and first responders

Provide greater education, counselling, and training for families who are providing care and support to veterans living with physical and/or mental health issues as a result of their service

End the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services

Increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 percent to 70 percent

Eliminate the “marriage after 60” clawback clause, so that surviving spouses of veterans receive appropriate pension and health benefits

Double funding to the Last Post Fund to ensure that all veterans receive a dignified burial

Work with the Minister of National Defence to develop a suicide prevention strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans

JT delivering his first smackdown of a Minister at odds??? :)
 
recceguy said:
JT delivering his first smackdown of a Minister at odds??? :)
The Minister would have gotten the letter well before today, and at least one Minister's undergone "message realignment" (before and after), so we'll see if the bureaucrats manage to convince the Minister & his boss about which offices should open/re-open.
 
I like what I read, although doubling the Last Post Fund is a very common bait-and-switch used by every Canadian gvt going back several years. When gvt's announce adding to the LPF, they are being deceptive (hard to believe, I know  ;)) because they know the bar is set too high for veterans to access those funds and that the money will not be spent. I know of at least a dozen cases here in the Yukon (pop. 34,000) where families of deceased veterans applied to the fund and were denied because the veteran couldn't meet the means test requirements (under $12000 a yr I think). We are talking about vets whose only income is OAS and CPP. I know of no successful requests.
 
Wow! Lots of good changes on the horizon. I hope they follow through.

Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one veteran, one standard” approach is upheld
I don't quite understand where this statement is coming from. What kind of difference in standards are seen solider to soldier?
 
"Create a new Veterans Education Benefit that will provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans after completion of service"

That, together with an enhance Supplementary Reserve List and you have the beginnings of a properly resourced Reserve Force.

Three years with the colours gets you 4 years of training during which time you are liable for call up.
 
Pieman said:
Wow! Lots of good changes on the horizon. I hope they follow through.
I don't quite understand where this statement is coming from. What kind of difference in standards are seen solider to soldier?
I hope they're referring to tmt of Reg vs. Res troops with similar conditions in the system.
 
Let's see what comes out of this ....
The Honourable Kent Hehr, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, will host a stakeholder summit with representatives of approximately 30 stakeholder groups from across Canada.

The Minister will deliver opening remarks to participants in the morning. He will rejoin participants at the end of the day, following their discussions, to gather feedback resulting from the sessions.

Location:  Canadian War Museum
    1 Vimy Place
    Ottawa

Date:    Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Time:    8:45 a.m. (EST)

Media are invited to attend the Minister’s opening remarks. The Minister will have a brief media availability following his remarks.

– 30 –
Expectations are high - it'll be interesting to see 1)  what comes out, and 2)  how quickly (or not) some of the ideas can be acted on.
 
It'll be interesting to see who attends as well.
 
They better get PM out of Europe before they say anything else, He has already spent $2B on outside boarders initiatives.  I wonder what project is going to suffer for that? HMMM....
 
Running out of money already I see.  Not that I disagree with these directions but the money has to come from somewhere and the finance minister gets a say... so does the treasury board.  We will see indeed....
 
milnews.ca said:
..... it'll be interesting to see 1)  what comes out, and 2)  how quickly (or not) some of the ideas can be acted on.
3) if they can play well together.

Potential "funding-worthy ideas" and "human nature" are being brought together.

/cynicism
 
Journeyman said:
3) if they can play well together.

Potential "funding-worthy ideas" and "human nature" are being brought together.

Journeyman said:
/cynicism
So young to be so cynical  ;D
 
milnews.ca said:
So young to be so cynical  ;D
I'm sure the cynicism will be rounded out by "bitter and twisted" as I mature  age.  :nod:
 
Journeyman said:
I'm sure the cynicism will be rounded out by "bitter and twisted" as I mature  age.  :nod:
Like the bitters accenting a fine cocktail ....
 
Journeyman said:
I'm sure the cynicism will be rounded out by "bitter and twisted" as I mature  age.  :nod:

The good thing is the transition is seamless. You won't even notice. ;D
 
Who are the 'stakeholders'? I am sure some of them represented veterans before (thanks for the NVC).
I guess nothing came off that mtg? not much news.
I guess no monies left to implement any of the election promisses.  Maybe, just maybe, something will be implemented shortly before the next election?
One may hope
 
Szczep said:
Who are the 'stakeholders'? I am sure some of them represented veterans before (thanks for the NVC).
I guess nothing came off that mtg? not much news.

Holy Christ  man the meeting just happened yesterday and the VAC isn't exactly news for most Canadians
 
I've noticed a lot of vets complaining that there haven't been any changes yet. I believe Minister Hehr said he doesn't have a magic wand that can just fix everything immediately. It's going to take some time. I'd prefer they take some time and get it right and not rush things like the NVC.

From what I have read the Minister has said they have 400 new staff in the pipe and are working on getting the VAC offices re-opened. The Minister mentioned that the pension could take at least a year or more to implement.

There is a crap ton of things the Liberals promised to vets but only time will tell.
 
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