Ottawa to spend nearly $53M to help injured vets

The federal government has announced they will invest an extra $53 million to help with housing, in the forms of support, education and financial benefits to better serve disabled veterans, their families and their care givers.

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Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay gestures as Minister of Veteran Affairs Jean-Pierre Blackburn looks on during an announcement of $52.5 million over five years for support for injured Canadian Forces personnel and their families at the Department of National Defence headquarters in Ottawa on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010. (Pawel Dwulit / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Tue. Sep. 28 2010 10:42 PM ET

Ottawa has announced a multimillion-dollar initiative to help military families provide care for seriously wounded soldiers after they leave the battlefield.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay says the government will spend $52.5 million over the next five years, ensuring that these returning soldiers receive a so-called "legacy of care."

The cash from Ottawa will help pay for transitional housing for injured soldiers who are undergoing rehabilitation. It will also fund improved support services for the people living in these facilities, which will include wheelchair accessible transportation to appointments.

Additionally, family members who have had to give up their jobs to care for injured soldiers are now eligible to claim up to $100 a day in compensation.

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, MacKay said that soldiers benefit greatly from the support of their families as they try to rebuild their lives after suffering injuries while in service.

"I can't emphasize enough: the personal investment in those persons is so extremely important to the rehabilitation process and it's difficult to quantify, quite frankly, in dollars," he said during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.

The government will also extend its tuition reimbursement benefits to spouses and other eligible survivors who lost loved ones any time after Oct. 7, 2001. These same benefits will be available to spouses wedded to soldiers who have been permanently incapacitated while serving in the Canadian Forces.

"Extending these opportunities allow eligible survivors and spouses to benefit from this improved access to further education even earlier, from either the Canadian Forces or Veterans Affairs Canada," said MacKay.

Lastly, the government intends to introduce a program that will enable veterans to "obtain help and information" they need, he said.

Together, MacKay said "these new measures will build on previous initiatives to help the Canadian Forces personnel and their families meet the exceptional challenges that they face as a result of their service for Canada."

The defence minister was joined by Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn for the announcement in Ottawa.

With files from The Canadian Press

Comments are now closed for this story

Ron Gill
said

Please don't join the army and don't get hurt. It is appalling to hurt each other.

Dion look alike, act alike, Blackburn
said

Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn states there should be an investigation done to see what's going on over there at Veteran Affairs....Wait a second...Since he is in charge, shouldn't he know????? MR Harper, fire this clown, bring back the pre 2006 Veteran's Charter, and treat today's Veterans with at least the same respect as our brave WW1, WW2 and Korean combat vets.

azahn
said

Whoopty-doo, that's 5 mil a year. I doubt that would cover the toilet paper budget in the parliament building.

Disgusted in Cornwall
said

To any individual $50 odd million seems like a big pile of cash, but to any government organisation it is little more than chump change....How much of this will actually go to the vets and how much will be soaked up by the fat cats at the VA to hire more people and give each other perks and pay hikes....How much did that last boatload of Tamil refugees cost us?How much was spent on the G20?If we are going to insist on sending hundreds of our young men and women to the other side of the world and put them in harm's way then I truly believe the very,very least we could do is give the the reassurance that we will take the best of care with them when they return to us and not put them in a line up behind refugees,political photo ops and anyone else who feels they have a priority on the Gravy-TrainFifty Million dollars is not aid to these men and women......It is an insult!

Dave Barton in Newington
said

I think there is another side to war that few of us that have never been in battle can even consider. Pictures of flag draped caskets and veterans with arms and legs missing are a glaring display of the terrible cost that confront the families of those who went to the other side of the world in order to protect every one of us and the lives that we have all learned to cherish and take for granted.After working as a volunteer bartender at a Royal Canadian Legion for many years and befriending many Vets and Peacekeepers I have formed the opinion that NOBODY walks away from war without wounds. And sometimes the worst of these wounds lurk deep in memories where healing is just not as easy as the ones repaired by stitches and surgery.Thank you every single guy and girl that went to war so I could enjoy my pension and my garden and the total freedom to call our PM a damn fool if I so wish without fear of being rounded up and shot for expressing that opinion.Everyone that returns to us after fighting a war for our benefit does so with terrible wounds. And the worst possible obscenity is to sit back and claim that they are all fine and need nothing from us, the very people they fought for....

Helga Quebec
said

Well it's about time our career political elite leeches start using Canadian taxpayer's money to pay for sensible things such as helping war veterans who have served our country and protected us, rather than piss it away on 3rd world corruption or hand more to the socialist utopia on steroids separatist French Disney Land Quebec handed 60% of federal equalization transfers (leaving only 40% for 9 provinces and 3 territories to divide up amongst themselves) using Canadian taxpayer's money to fund ridiculous perks (no other province in Canada or territory have these perks - they can't afford to) such as "free" invitro-fertilization treatments of over $30,000.00/per Quebec couple who want a genetically produced Quebec baby (don't want adoption) and the $7.00/per day daycare. The people I know who have kids outside of Quebec have to pay $30.00/day per child.

Veteran Affairs is Disgusting
said

So not only has Veteran Afffairs been stealing from our vets thru turning down claims, short changing, and forcing lump sum payments,.. but they have also been leaking private medical documents, without permission of the Vets, in order to sway illegal discussions in VA favour... one word, DISGUSTING!

Sam C
said

I think anyone who is appointed Ministers of Veterans Affairs and/or National Defence should have at least a minimum experience of basic training in the Canadian Forces so they (Ministers) at least has the basic idea of what they are saying. Until then, they know NOTHING!

Pittance
said

Pittance..... Tories should be ashamed to be attached to Veteran Affairs, it needs to be revamped badly. They spend more money on there VA organzation than they do on the vets.

Niagara George
said

Actually I was too generous to the King. The true spending per injured soldier will actually be closer to $5000 per year. A sad story just gets sadder.

Fire Blackburn
said

Making headlines, without really helping the vast majority of Veterans. Very few will qualify for this program, the rest are still left in the dark, maybe with a lump sum payment that they had no choice but to accept. Veteran Affairs is vicious, and has been stealing benifits from Vets for years, now it is finally being known to the public. FIRE THE MINISTER OF VA, HIRE THE OMBUDSMAN IN HIS POSITION>>> SOMEONE WHO CARES!

Federal Disgrace
said

This is good help for only a small number of Veterans! Most injured war veterans DO NOT qualify for these new benifits, therefore, most Vets will see no improvement in this "New Veteran's Charter, formed in 2006. The Federal Goverment has to stop taking advice from Veteran Affairs, and start listening to the Veteran Ombudsman! Bring back the pre 2006 system! Cancel the "Lump sum/ buy off a vet" program!

Niagara George
said

Here we go with another example of King Steve and friends making fools of Canadians. $50 million spread over 5 years. That's a grand total of $5 million per year. From the articles I've read, the professionals estimate there are 10 seriously injured soldiers, for every one that dies. Do the math yourself, and you will find that is approximately $10 000 per year per injured soldier. Now think about medical costs. Think about life without an arm or a leg. Think about a life filled with the emotional trauma that often accompanies foreign service in war zones. For some, $10 000 a week will not be enough to give them quality of life. Once again, the Cons are conning Canadians and from some of the posts, I see the usual Steve lovers are lapping it up. It is so sad to hear Peter McKay, the PC leader who sold his party to these neoCon, glory-seeking, power-hungry scums, acting as their spokesperson for this poor excuse for an announcement.

Military Spouse
said

I am very Happy to see the physically injured soldiers finally get retribution but as a wife of a military member who has severe PTSD and thinks that the care and compensation for this is rediculous, for 7 years I have had to give up my job to care for my husband and our child which I do because this is my family and in return he gets medically released with a petty pension that runs out at age 65. On top of this the proper medical care there is for emotional stress is a joke he is told to try and live his life for a while without the help of a social worker so he doesn't become dependent upon help. But the real reason is there is not enough help to go around. There are some major problems within the Pension and medical systems that need to be fixed immediately too many soldiers and their families are suffering.

suzette
said

what about the veterans and their families from the other wars?ones that were denied because of gov't. foul-ups?

Been there done that, CD
said

When I came home from the Middle East in 1980, I went to my hometown, dressed in full CF's. I was mistaken for a bus driver but I didn't mind, obviously the woman didn't know a military uniform. Today everyone knows what our soldiers look like in dress. The same goes for VAC as they have been doing this for years, it was just never publicized like it is today. For all you political hacks, stop looking for your conspiracy because it just isn't there. Stop looking to blame recent governments as it goes farther back than that. And take this to the bank, only the Brits and Aussies have better plans and look after their veterans better than we do, nobody else including the Americans does better. I've been treated well by VAC, even after going through the crap I knew was going to be there. I listened to the seminar and heard that extreme patience was required. Was anyone else listening? I know I heard, "The first appeal probably won't be successful but the second will likely get you there."

macpriest
said

Great, now how about clearing up the SISIP fiasco Mr Minister and Prime Minister. You are being taken to court over that one, and we are just as hurt.Google SISIP clawback if you don't remember that one. Its where 75% doesn't mean 75%.

Mike S from Pembroke
said

The PC's and Libs are only part of the problem. The people at Veteran's Affairs have way to much power over what a veteran gets. The military releases a soldier under medical reasons such as I was, but when we go to the VA to apply for a pension or help we are told there is nothing wrong with us or it's not the armies fault that your knees are shot or you have a bum back even though for 25 years we are doing force marches with 50 pound packs on our back or every morning for PT you are out running 5 to 10 km in combat boots which the powers to be know is not good for knees and backs but the VA says no pension because you can't prove this is what caused your bum knees. It seems like the VA feels the money is coming out of their pockets. It is also time to stop the claw back of the soldier's pension when they draw CPP. The men and women of the armed forces are not asking for anything but to be treated fairly when they have served this great country. We don't want a hand out but we do want help when we need and deserve it. Clean up the VA department and start helping people that have worn the uniforms of this country. Well done Mr. Harper but there is more that needs to be done for our people in uniform and those who have worn the uniform.

Stu from London
said

Boy, they sure "righted" that "wrong" quite quickly...squeeky wheels and all that.

Wayne
said

Seems like peanuts, we pay 84 million per day in interest on the massive 544 billion dollar national debit. Google Canada's debit clock & have a look at how fast this government is putting our great nation into debit.

Gord.Robson , Nova Scotia
said

The Conservative Government promised to make new funds available and they are keeping their word ! They have shown that they are concerned for our veterans. We (Canadians) feel/know that our military is the best in the world and we want to take care of our men and women in uniform.

JB in Ontario
said

I applaud the Conservatives' initiative and efforts for Veterans.

BCDarr
said

You know what would have been good? If they had spent 52.5 million over 5 years for the G8 and G20 conferences and spent 1 Billion on our vets.They could have even said, 'That's the cost of showing respect to our soldiers.'

BCDarr
said

You know what would have been good? If they had spent $52.5 million over 5 years for the G8 and G20 conferences and spent 1 Billion on our vets.They could have even said, 'That's the cost of showing respect to our soldiers.'

Troglodyte
said

Wouldn't it be nice if they had $58 million? Wouldn't it be nice if they had 58 cents?

Mark
said

These new initiaties are wonderful for the visually injured Vets but what about the rest of them who are just as injured psychologically?

Wet Coast
said

The Conservatives have no vision, no plans. They do everything on the run including this photo announcement. They are letting an amazing Ombudsman go because he was looking after the Vets too well. Who do Harper and MacKay think they are kidding. You are playing with young women and men's lives with your piecemeal photo announcements.

SB
said

Why should Harper- and the Reform Party- get credit for this action? It's kind of like a reckless kid making a horrible mess in the kitchen; after being shamed and forced to clean some of it up, the kid then expects praise for doing so, after he was responsible for the mess in the first place.

Tom
said

The problem with Veteran's Affairs isn't the government, it's with the bureaucrats who think that they make policy. I am being medically released after 27 years of service for back injuries but according to VA there is nothing wrong with my back. I've been through the appeals process, ombudsman's office, etc to no avail. Next stop: Court. At every turn, everyone tells me that yes, i am injured. Yes I am entitled to assistance. VA: nothing is wrong with you. If anyone should be dipped in the excrement, its the bureaucrats.

Jerry G Hart CD Retired Airdrie, Alberta
said

As a retired VETERAN as is my wife, we both gave 20 years to Canada. I say it is about time that the government of Canada look after those that gave all and or are willing to give all, even if it is only a broken finger, which it is about more, much more. They still have a long way to go, however this is a step in the right direction. Remember folks these men and women are willing to defend Canada with their life. Remember also that the folks in Ottawa that are making decisions on behalf of these men and women, you had best be careful. You are voted in to your jobs. Ask the Liberals in NB what happens. Booted from Governing. We have had enoujh.Mr Prime Minister , one of your jobs is to take care of the needs of these Men and Women. It is up you to ensure you take care of and do the right thing for these Men and Women. It is their Life they are willing to forgo for the SAKE OF ALL CANADIANS

Alexandria
said

Thank You Mr.M ckay and the Harper government for trying to fix what 13 years of Liberal nonsense did to our armed services. Any one who thinks all these problems started with the defeat of the Liberals needs to start reading back issues of what went on in Parliament under the little guy from Shawinigan.They were a complete disaster. The problems started way back when sandal wearing Trudeau was at the helm. Thanks again Conservatives for trying to fix things.

Paul
said

Although I am generally a Conservative supporter, I am embarrassed at how we are treating our Vets. Harper can find $1billion for the G20 which could have been done for 1/100th the price by renting a luxury cruise ship yet these Heroes are little more that chattel. Shameful.

Paul
said

Won't take long for Iggy and Layton to complain about this one I bet.

Carl
said

How many positions have been lost in Mr. H's last round of cuts to Veterans Affairs? 100, 200 or 500? plus plans to close Veterans Hospitals coast to coast. Yup 20 new (?) positions should do it!

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