ACVA Committee Report

Supplementary Opinion of the New Democratic Party

New Democrats believe the committee report does not go far enough to address the needs of Persian Gulf War Veterans. It stops short of making a recommendation to address the issue of unequal economic benefits between the two regimes of the Pension Act and that of the Veterans Well-being Act.

As per the testimony of Veteran Sean Bruyea and the brief submitted by Brian Forbes, Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations in Canada, New Democrats believe the two regimes should be harmonized. It is very clear to the NDP that Veterans who filed claims before April 1, 2006 and Veterans who filed claims after April 1, 2006 are entitled to different economic benefits, even though those Veterans may have served in the same operation. This is unjust and unfair and must be addressed, as Senator Rebecca Patterson said in her testimony:

“It shouldn't matter if you served in 2005 and won access to benefits, or in 2007, when we brought in the new charter. When you see one of my recommendations, it needs to be a harmonization in collaboration with a veterans round table to have a look and see what those actually mean.”[1]

Unlike other parties, New Democrats are unafraid to suggest policy changes that may be expensive but are necessary to uphold and honour our duty to Canadians who serve in the Canadian Armed Forces. All Veterans deserve to be treated fairly, with compassion and gratitude for their service regardless of the date of their application for benefits.

RECOMMENDATION

That the amounts payable under column 3 of Schedule 3 of the Veterans Well-being Act be replaced by the “Basic Pension” amounts shown in Schedule I of the Pensions Act and that the lump sum amounts under column 4 of Schedule 3 of the Veterans Well-being Act be adjusted proportionally.