Fall 2019

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Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 1

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PUBLICATION ADVISORYThe Blue Beret Newsletter is an official publication of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association (CPVA) reg-istered with Library & Archives Canada.

PUBLISHINGThe Blue Beret is published in May and November. We welcome items of interest to Veterans. Articles should be provided at least two weeks prior to the month of publication and be submitted in electronic format. Please address queries, comments and articles to the Editor at donald@donmacpherson.com. The Blue Beret is available on the CPVA website at www.cpva.ca.

DISCLAIMEROpinions expressed by contributors in The Blue Beret are not necessarily those of the CPVA. An Editorial Review Board reviews all articles for form and content.

AUTHORIZATION FOR REPRODUCTIONUnless otherwise indicated, the information contained in The Blue Beret may be reproduced, in whole or in part, and by any means, without charge and without permission from the CPVA, provided reasonable due diligence is exercised in order to ensure the exactitude of the information reproduced, that the CPVA is mentioned as the source organization, and the reproduction is not presented as an official version nor as a copy having been

made in association with the CPVA or with its consent. To obtain permission for reproduction please email the Editor at donald@donmacpherson.com.

THE CANADIAN PEACEKEEPING VETERANS ASSOCIATIONFounded in 1991 by Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans and federally incorporated in 1993, the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association (CPVA) is a national, democratic, apolitical, non-profit, Veterans-only organization open to all Veterans. More on page 14.

COVER PHOTOFront Cover || 11 November 2019,Ottawa, ON.Canadian Armed Forces members stand sentry at the Remembrance Day ceremony held at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.Photo: Private Jonathan King, Canadian Forces Support Unit (Ottawa) Imaging Services (SU17-2019-1270-003)

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Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 1

Veteran’s Service Card Veteran’s Service Card Now Available to All VeteransNow Available to All Veterans

Donald MacPhersonPresident, CPVA

“The Veteran’s Service Card is more than just a piece of plastic in your wallet. It is a tangible recognition of your service, service to this country, and a true connection to the Canadian Armed Forces community years after you have hung up your uniform.”

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan

As covered in the Fall 2018 edition of the Blue Beret, the rollout of the Veteran’s Service Card (VSC) is going as

planned and applications are now open to all veterans. Appli-cations were being accepted in stages, but now any Canadian Armed Forces veterans released before February 2016 may apply.

You may apply for the VSC if you have completed basic training and were honourably released from the Canadian Armed Forces.

Applications are being accepted online at a secure online portal, or you may submit your application by mail after first downloading the PDF form. Complete the form on your computer, then print it out for submission.

When submitting your application, you should have a passport-quality photo and government-issued identification. A copy of your CAF service record would also help move things along more quickly, especially if your service ended a consid-erable time ago requiring a trip to the archives, but is not required.

The VSC resulted from a call for action by CAF members and veterans in the Veterans Ombudsman’s report of 2012, intended to serve as a symbol of recognition for former members. Not

PHOTO CREDITSPage 1 || Stock photo, government of Canada (https://veterans-service-card.canada.ca/en/)

only does it encourage a long-term affiliation with the CAF, it will also ensure links to Veterans Affairs Canada support programs as you transition to post-service life.

While some companies or organizations may offer discounts to VSC holders, it is not intended to replace the CFOne card delivered by Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, which includes the CANEX rewards program and the official discount CF Appreciation program (I personally use the free luggage benefit with WestJet or Air Canada a couple of times each year!). BB

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Veterans’ Consultation Group MeetingVeterans’ Consultation Group Meeting

Continued on page 3

Donald MacPhersonNational President, CPVA

CPVA, along with other veterans’ groups on the national stage, attended a meeting hosted by the Royal Canadian

Legion at Legion House in Kanata on 16 November 2019.

This was one of a series of such meetings held so that the various veterans’ organizations can get a feel for what each other is up to, network with the other players in our area of operations, and occasionally coordinate our approach with like-minded associations. While some years have reportedly been more raucous, this year’s meeting was calm and congenial, mostly a product of the lull on operations over the past few months during the election and pending the government’s announcement of Cabinet appointments.

Two informative presentations kicked off the meeting. Suzanne Le, Executive Director of the Multifaith Housing Initiative (MHI), talked about their project to develop housing for homeless veterans on the former Air Force Base Rockcliffe in Ottawa. Construction started this fall.

MHI began in 2001 with a mission to provide safe, affordable and well-maintained housing in inclusive communities. Starting as an initiative between Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim communities in Ottawa, the organization has since branched out to include Hindu, Unitarians, Baha’i and other faiths from across the city of Ottawa. MHI currently has 139 units, housing between 300 and 400 people, at four sites in the Ottawa region.

Their newest project is the Andy Carswell Building, a home specifically for veterans, a departure from their previous projects. Also a departure from their other sites is the inclusion

of support services for these veterans, including counseling, mental health services, and more, tailored to the needs of each veteran.

MHI is working with several other organizations on this initiative, including Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, Helmets To Hardhats, Ottawa Salus, Soldiers Helping Soldiers, Support Our Troops, The Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command and District G, and True Patriot Love. Salus will be administering these services, with caseworker support from Veterans’ Affairs Canada.

The building itself is named for Andy Carswell, father John Carswell, President of Canso Investment Counsel, who made a substantial gift to MHI to get the project started. Squadron Leader (Ret’d) Andrew Carswell, AFC, CD, now aged 96, is a WW II veterans of the RCAF and was stationed at Rockcliffe after the war. Mr. Carswell wrote a book about his experiences during the war — Over the Wire: A Canadian Pilot’s Memoir of War and Survival as a POW.

In total, the building will cost $11,500,000, to which the federal government has committed $6,500,000. MHI is raising the remaining five million dollars, of which about half has already been raised (donate here).

Next, we received a detailed briefing from Craig Dalton, the Veterans Ombudsman, covering the impact his office has been having and noting some of the difficulties they have had in working around their mandate. For example, the OVO’s office

Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 3

CPVA 2nd Vice President Attends Legion Christmas Gathering

Tim Sparling was back at Legion House a week after the Consultation Group meeting to represent our association at the annual holiday gathering hosted by the RCL. Another great networking opportunity to see and hear the movers and shakers in the veterans’ community. BB

reports to the Minister VAC, rather than to Parliament, which would be preferred.

Mr. Dalton went into some depth about their mandate which is outlined in detail on their website as follows:

● To review and address complaints by clients of Veterans Af-fairs Canada and their representatives arising from the appli-cation of the provisions of the Veterans Bill of Rights;● To identify and review emerging and systemic issues related to programs and services provided or administered by the Department or by third parties on the Department’s behalf that impact negatively on clients;● To review and address complaints by clients of Veterans Af-fairs Canada and their representatives related to programs and services provided or administered by the Department or by third parties on the Department’s behalf, including in-dividual decisions related to the programs and services for which there is no right of appeal to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board;● To review systemic issues related to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; and● To facilitate access by stakeholders to programs and services by providing them with information and referrals.

In particular, the OVO does not have the mandate to look into individual cases where the veteran believes they have been wronged. Mr. Dalton does believe, however, that it is better for such veterans to engage the office even if their problem is not believed to be within the office’s mandate.

In the near future, the OVO would like to examine desired outcomes of the three different pension schemes (The Pension Act, the New Veterans’ Charter, and Pension For Life), then make more of a national conversation about how the benefit programs should work to achieve those desired outcomes.

Before concluding the meeting, a roundtable discussion among the various representatives occurred where current initiatives were raised and directions discussed.

This was my first such meeting, and I was pleased to be joined by Ray Kokkonen (Immediate Past President and current Treasurer) and Tim Sparling (Vice President). Afterwards, David Hyman (2nd Vice President) joined us for a cordial lunch nearby. Seldom do I get the chance to have a gathering of executive members with as much experience and knowledge as I did on this day. BB

PHOTO CREDITSPage 2 || MHI Facebook page.Page 3 || courtesy David Hyman

Consultation Group Meeting, Continued from page 2

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The returning Liberal government recently announced the selection of Cabinet members, including Lawrence

MacAulay, Member of Parliament for Cardigan, as the new Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Mr. MacAulay has represented Cardigan, in eastern PEI, for nine consecutive elections after first being elected in 1988. His previous Cabinet appointments have included Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Solicitor General of Canada, Minister of Labour, Secretary of State (Veterans), and Secretary of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency).

In keeping with Prime Minister Trudeau’s initiative, the Minis-ter’s Mandate Letter has been released and is reproduced here. While about half of the letter consists of direction given to all Ministers, the latter half is specific to Veterans Affairs and is worthy of serious consideration.

Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence Mandate Letter

Dear Mr. MacAulay:

Thank you for agreeing to serve Canadians as Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

On Election Day, Canadians chose to continue moving forward. From coast to coast to coast, people chose to invest in their families and communities, create good middle class jobs and fight climate change while keeping our economy strong and growing. Canadians sent the message that they want us to work together to make progress on the issues that matter most, from making their lives more affordable and strengthening the healthcare system, to protecting the environment, keeping our communities safe and moving forward on reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. People expect Parliamentarians to work together to deliver these results, and that’s exactly what this team will do.

It is more important than ever for Canadians to unite and build a stronger, more inclusive and more resilient country. The Government of Canada is the central institution to promote that unity of purpose and, as a Minister in that Government, you have a personal duty and responsibility to fulfill that objective.

That starts with a commitment to govern in a positive, open and collaborative way. Our platform, Forward: A Real Plan for the

Middle Class, is the starting point for our Government. I expect us to work with Parliament to deliver on our commitments. Other issues and ideas will arise or will come from Canadians, Parliament, stake-holders and the public service. It is my expectation that you will engage constructively and thought-fully and add priorities to the Government’s agenda when appro-priate. Where legislation is required, you will need to work with the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and the Cabinet Committee on Operations to prioritize within the minority Parliament.

We will continue to deliver real results and effective government to Canadians. This includes: tracking and publicly reporting on the progress of our commitments; assessing the effectiveness of our work; aligning our resources with prior-ities; and adapting to events as they unfold, in order to get the results Canadians rightly demand of us.

Many of our most important commitments require partnership with provincial, territorial and municipal governments and Indig-enous partners, communities and governments. Even where disagreements may occur, we will remember that our mandate comes from citizens who are served by all orders of government and it is in everyone’s interest that we work together to find common ground. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is the Government-wide lead on all relations with the provinces and territories.

There remains no more important relationship to me and to Canada than the one with Indigenous Peoples. We made signif-icant progress in our last mandate on supporting self-determi-nation, improving service delivery and advancing reconciliation. I am directing every single Minister to determine what they can do in their specific portfolio to accelerate and build on the progress we have made with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples.

I also expect us to continue to raise the bar on openness, effectiveness and transparency in government. This means a government that is open by default. It means better digital capacity and services for Canadians. It means a strong and resilient public service. It also means humility and continuing to acknowledge mistakes when we make them. Canadians do not expect us to be perfect; they expect us to be diligent, honest, open and sincere in our efforts to serve the public interest.PHOTO CREDITS

Page 4 || File photo of MVAC from the VAC website. Continued on page 5

New Minister New Minister of Veterans Affairsof Veterans Affairs

Donald MacPhersonNational President, CPVA

Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 5

As Minister, you are accountable for your style of leadership and your ability to work constructively in Parliament. I expect that you will collaborate closely with your Cabinet and Caucus colleagues. You will also meaningfully engage with the Government Caucus and Opposition Members of Parliament, the increasingly non-partisan Senate, and Parliamentary Committees.

It is also your responsibility to substantively engage with Canadians, civil society and stakeholders, including businesses of all sizes, organized labour, the broader public sector and the not-for-profit and charitable sectors. You must be proactive in ensuring that a broad array of voices provides you with advice, in both official languages, from every region of the country.

We are committed to evidence-based decision-making that takes into consideration the impacts of policies on all Canadians and fully defends the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. You will apply Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in the decisions that you make.

Canada’s media and your engagement with them in a profes-sional and timely manner are essential. The Parliamentary Press Gallery, indeed all journalists in Canada and abroad, ask necessary questions and contribute in an important way to the democratic process.

You will do your part to continue our Government’s commitment to transparent, merit-based appointments, to help ensure that people of all gender identities, Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, persons with disabilities and minority groups are reflected in positions of leadership.

As Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, you will continue to ensure that the Government lives up to its sacred obligation to our Veterans and their families. You will continue to ensure that Veterans receive the respect, support, care and economic opportunities that they deserve. This includes working with the Minister of National Defence to ensure a seamless transition for Canadian Armed Forces members to Veterans Affairs Canada programs and services.

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will:

● Create a new rapid-response service staffed by social workers, case management counsellors and peer support workers.● Ensure that every single Canadian Veteran is directly offered a conversation with a support worker to make sure they know about the help available to them and how to access it.● Provide Veterans with a new benefit of up to $3,000 in additional free counselling services before a disability claim is required.

● Implement a system of automatic approval for the most common disability applications.● Work with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Devel-opment and Disability Inclusion to create national employ-ment and training support services to provide career coun-selling, job matching and other employment help tailored to the needs of military and policing families.● Build new, purpose-built accessible and affordable housing units, with a full range of health, social and employment supports for Veterans who need extra help.● Conclude contribution agreements to support the creation of the Centre of Excellence on Chronic Pain and ensure that the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Re-search can continue to respond to the unique health needs of military members, Veterans and their families.● With its contribution agreement in place, ensure funding to help the Juno Beach Centre continue to deliver its mandate to preserve the legacy of all Canadians who served during the Second World War.● Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one Veteran, one standard” approach is upheld.● Continue to streamline the current suite of benefits with the goal of reducing overlap and administrative burden, and further improving Veterans Affairs Canada’s performance, as well as the client experience for Veterans, both as they tran-sition to civilian life and as their needs change throughout their lives.● Improve transparency and communications so that Veter-ans and their families have clarity about and predictability of available benefits and services.

These priorities draw heavily from our election platform commitments. As mentioned, you are encouraged to seek opportunities to work across Parliament in the fulfillment of these commitments and to identify additional priorities.

I expect you to work closely with your Deputy Minister and their senior officials to ensure that the ongoing work of your department is undertaken in a professional manner and that decisions are made in the public interest. Your Deputy Minister will brief you on the many daily decisions necessary to ensure the achievement of your priorities, the effective running of the government and better services for Canadians. It is my expec-tation that you will apply our values and principles to these decisions so that they are dealt with in a timely and responsible manner and in a way that is consistent with the overall direction of our Government.

Our ability, as a government, to implement our priorities depends on consideration of the professional, non-partisan advice of public servants. Each and every time a government employee comes to work, they do so in service to Canada, with a goal of improving our country and the lives of all Canadians. I expect you to establish a collaborative working relationship with your Deputy Minister, whose role, and the role of public

Continued on page 6

New MVAC, Continued from page 4Donald MacPhersonNational President, CPVA

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This op-ed was written by Lou Cuppens for submission to several periodicals.

As preparations continue for the forthcoming NATO summit in London, Canada once again is considered as a “defence

freeloader”. Of the 29 NATO members who share in the costs of “collective security”— one of the founding pillars — only seven nations have met or exceed the 2% of GDP defence expenditure target that NATO nations have committed to. Historically, Canada has never met the agreed-to target. This year’s projection is that we will meet only 1.3% and looking at our defence spending as outlined in our Nation’s Defence Policy (Strong, Secured, Engaged) of 2017, it would appear that there are no plans in the future to achieve the 2% goal that was agreed upon by our diplomats.

The USA carries most of the Defence burden of NATO at 3.4% and US defence officials are calling out other NATO nations for not meeting their agreed expenditure targets and this includes Canada. How long will Canada remain a “Defence Freeloader”?

While the fixed wing search and rescue aircraft delivery, promised for decades, is now a reality. Is our defence procurement timely? I conclude not. Poignant examples include

the fighter replacement programme — long touted as urgent, yet not even at contract stage. Who carries the defence load for North American surveillance and interdiction? Not Canada. What about the funds to modernize/replace the North Warning system that we share with the USA? No mention of this is found in the Defence Policy. What about underway replenishment vessels for the Royal Canadian Navy? Surely the Davie Shipyard’s hasty contract of Adm Norman-fame is not the end-state!

Personnel strengths of the Armed Forces are considered too small for a country our size. Concurrent operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Mali, and domestic operations have over-tasked the Canadian Army to the point that “operational pauses” had to be imposed to allow for a recovery period. Given the poor publicity concerning support to veterans — even the PM’s comments that veterans are asking for more than the nation can afford — one wonders how recruitment and retention are progressing.

National Defence and Security is a multi-faceted dimension and much more coordination among government departments was absent during the formulation of the 2017 plan. How long will Canada be considered a “Defence Freeloader”? BB

LGen (Ret’d) Louis CuppensSpecial Advisor — Advocacy, CPVAHow Long will Canada How Long will Canada

Remain a “Defence Freeloader”?Remain a “Defence Freeloader”?

servants under their direction, is to support you in the perfor-mance of your responsibilities.

We have committed to an open, honest government that is accountable to Canadians, lives up to the highest ethical standards and applies the utmost care and prudence in the handling of public funds. I expect you to embody these values in your work and observe the highest ethical standards in everything you do. I want Canadians to look on their own government with pride and trust.

As Minister, you must ensure that you are aware of and fully compliant with the Conflict of Interest Act and Treasury Board policies and guidelines. You will be provided with a copy of Open and Accountable Government to assist you as you undertake your responsibilities. I ask that you carefully read it, including elements that have been added to strengthen it, and ensure that your staff does so as well. I expect that in staffing your offices you will hire people who reflect the diversity of Canada, and that you will uphold principles of gender equality, disability equality, pay equity and inclusion.

Give particular attention to the Ethical Guidelines set out in Annex A of that document, which apply to you and your staff. As noted in the Guidelines, you must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality, and both the performance of your official duties and the arrangement of your private affairs should bear the closest public scrutiny. This is an obligation that is not fully discharged by simply acting within the law.

I will note that you are responsible for ensuring that your Minister’s Office meets the highest standards of profession-alism and that it is a safe, respectful, rewarding and welcoming place for your staff to work.

I know I can count on you to fulfill the important responsi-bilities entrusted in you. It is incumbent on you to turn to me and the Deputy Prime Minister early and often to support you in your role as Minister.

Sincerely,

Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada BB

New MVAC, Continued from page 5

Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 7

LGen (Ret’d) Louis CuppensSpecial Advisor — Advocacy, CPVA

Ray KokkonenPast President & National Treasurer, CPVA

PHOTO CREDITSPage 7 || 11 November 2019; Ottawa, ON.The Remembrance Day ceremony takes place at the National War Memorial in Ottawa.Photos: Master Corporal Levarre McDonald (aerial photo SU15-2019-1316-061) and Private Jonathan King (marchers SU17-2019-1270-009). Photo of wreaths by Donald MacPherson, CPVA.

Each year, CPVA attends the National War Memorial in Ottawa to lay a wreath on behalf of our membership. Our President,

Donald MacPherson, was there this year to lay the wreath and pay our Association’s respects to those who went before us. BB

CPVA Attends CPVA Attends Remembrance Day 2019 in OttawaRemembrance Day 2019 in Ottawa

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Class Action for Sexual MisconductClass Action for Sexual Misconduct

NARF Wishes Bil C-27 a Happy Retirement

Bill C-27 was introduced by the federal government in October 2016 to allow employers to change employee pension plans,

even after the employees had retired. The National Associ-ation of Federal Retirees, along with the Canadian Coalition for Retirement Security launched a campaign to lobby against this bill.

The legislation as introduced could have allowed Crown corporations and federally-regulated employers to change defined benefit pension plans into targeted benefit pension plans. This would have transferred all the performance risk for a pension plan to the retirees rather than the employer and provided less security for the plan’s members.

Current employees are promised defined benefits for their pensions as part of their compensation, meaning they are a form of deferred wages. Allowing targeted benefit pensions would let the employer take back those wages in tough times, essentially going back on their promise of adequate compen-sation to their employees.

During the three-year campaign, over 50,000 emails to the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament called for the abandonment of this legislation. It appears to have worked, as

the legislation fell silent after first reading and never moved forward. With the rising of the House of commons in June 2019 and the subsequent election, Bill C-27 effectively died.

The NAFR hosted a telephone town hall on September 9 with representatives from all the major parties to discuss retirement security, all of whom promised that their parties would not pursue this type of legislation.

CPVA Special Advisor Pierre Allard has been our front man with NAFR, sitting through many long discussions and reporting back to our organization. He will continue this service as NAFR monitors various Provincial governments and others have also proposed such changes in the past few years. NAFR is also working on other challenges like the impact of corporate bankruptcies on pensions. BB

Donald MacPhersonPresident, CPVA

Seven former CAF members initiated class action lawsuits in 2016/17

alleging sexual harassment, sexual assault or discrimination based on sex, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation in connection with their military service and/or employment with DND and/or NPF. On 25 November 2019, the Federal Court certified these lawsuits as class proceedings and approved a settlement agreement that provides compensation to current and former CAF members or employees of DND/NPF who experienced sexual misconduct.

If you meet the definition of this class, the settlement provides financial compensation for certain members who experienced sexual misconduct and an option to participate in a restorative engagement program for survivors to share their experiences with senior CAF and/or DND representatives.

Additionally, the settlement provides for changes to CAF policies and other measures addressing sexual misconduct in the CAF, and changes to VAC policies related to eligibility for disability payments and reconsideration of claims by a

dedicated unit of VAC staff established to assist with these claims.

If you do nothing, you will automatically remain a part of this class action and will give up the right to sue Canada on your own or bring a Human Rights complaint in regards to these allegations. You may choose to opt out of the class action by submitting a form. This must be submitted to the

administrator no later than 24 February 2020.

To receive funds from this settlement, you must submit a claim and/or seek to participate in the restorative engagement program. Claim forms will be available beginning 25 March 2020 and must be filed by 25 September 2021.

There is a FAQ page available to answer many of your questions, and which outlines levels of financial compensation available to claimants. BB

Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 9

PHOTO CREDITSPage 8 || Adobe stock photo.Page 9 || Adobe stock photo.

Class Action for SISIP LTD AnnouncedClass Action for SISIP LTD Announced

VAC Telephone Scam Alert

Veterans Affairs Canada issued the following alert:

Veterans Affairs Canada is aware of frauds and scams attempting to mimic real federal government services to gain access to personal and financial information. We take these matters very seriously.

You are reminded that VAC will never request a Social Insurance Number, banking or credit card information over the phone.

We urge Veterans and all Canadians to be vigilant hen a person claiming to be from Veterans Affairs Canada asks for personal or banking information. If you believe someone is fraudulently seeking your personal infor-mation, we encourage you to report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your local police. BB

Link to Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre here.

The Federal Court has certified Simon Logan v. Her Majesty The Queen as a class action involving all former members of the

CAF who on or after 17 July 2012 received long term disability benefits and/or dismemberment benefits under Division 2, Part III(B) f SISIP Policy 901102, and had an allowance from the cAF in effect on the date of their release from the CAF or, in the case of a Class “C” member, when the injury was incurred or the illness was contracted.

All class members have the right to participate in the class action and are included automatically unless you opt-out with your form received no later than 28 January 2020. The law firm of McInnes Cooper is handling the class action case. They may be contacted at sisipclassaction@mcinnescooper.com or (902) 444-8417.

This class action was initiated in March 2007 on behalf of disabled veterans whose SISIP Long Term Disability benefits are reduced by the amount of the monthly VAC Disability Pension they are receiving under the Pension Act. It challenges the authority of the Government to lawfully deduct the VAC Disability Pension from the SISIP LTD benefits, found to be “fundamentally unfair” by the DND Ombudsman in a 2003 report entitled “Unfair Deductions from SISIP Payments to Former CF Members.”

McInnes Cooper is presently creating a database of those who may fit the definition of the class. If you want to be included in this database, you should email or telephone them and provide the following information:

● Your name;● Your address;● Your dates of service in the CAF;● Your date of medical release;● The date you started receiving a VAC disability benefit;● The date you began receiving SISIP LTD benefits; and● The amount by which your SISIP LTD benefits were reduced by your VAC disability benefits.

The key element here is the opt-out date this coming January should you not want to be included in the class action. BB

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PHOTO CREDITSPage 10 || 23 October 2017, Rideau Hall, Ottawa.Photo supplied by Larry Gollner.

Focus on the CPVA: Focus on the CPVA:

Larry Gollner, CPVA PatronLarry Gollner, CPVA Patron

Tom HoppeFormer President, CPVA

This month we start a series of short articles profiling some of CPVA’s own senior staff, beginning with

BGen (Ret’d) Joseph E.L. (Larry) Gollner, OMM, CD, our Patron.

Larry was National Director of the PPCLI Volunteer Patricia Programme in 2005 when he joined CPVA. This was a Veterans Helping Veterans Programme that he organized after the return of 3 PPCLI from Afghanistan along with its dead and wounded and the lack of proper support from VAC.

Harold Leduc and Dave Munro recruited Larry into the CPVA in 2005 and until 2007 he was an active member of the CPVA negotiating team contesting the ill-conceived New Veterans Charter. Larry was appointed Patron of CPVA in 2009.

Larry joined the PPCLI as a soldier in 1956. Upon completing his basic and parachute training, he was posted to 2 PPCLI which became his parent unit. He rose through the ranks and took command of the battalion in 1976 in Cyprus. During those twenty years he did two tours in Germany, an exchange tour with the British Army Rifle Brigade, and attended the Canadian Army Command and General Staff College. After command of 2 PPCLI, he had a number of staff appointments in NDHQ, FMC HQ, and NATO HQ including being the Chair of the NATO Infantry Panel and Director of Infantry in the Canadian Army.

He attended the National Defence College and, after a posting to Vancouver to coordinate CF support to Expo 1986, he returned to Ottawa as Director General of Reserves and Cadets before being posted as Commander of Northern Region, his last appointment in the CF. Larry retired in 1993 and went into business in Victoria. In 2006, he was honoured with the appointment as PPCLI Colonel of the Regiment. He served in this honorary appointment for four years and was twice able to visit PPCLI Battlegroups in Afghanistan. He remains an active member of the PPCLI Association, CPVA, and the Canadian Airborne Forces Assn among others. BB

BGen (Ret’d) Joseph E.L. Gollner, OMM, CD, with Governor General Julie Payette, CC, CMM, COM, CQ, CD, DStJ, at the First Poppy ceremony at Rideau Hall, October 2017.

Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 11

Newfoundland & Labrador Chapter: Junior Peacekeeper Awards

Wayne Miller from the Newfoundland and Labrador Chapter has sent along some photos from their school outreach program, featuring their highly successful Junior Peacekeeper Award program. Students earn the award by being outstanding role models in their schools, displaying kindness, under-standing, and support to their fellow classmates.

The photo above was taken at the annual Remembrance Day service at Holy Spirit High School in Conception Bay, NL. The remaining photos were taken at Octagon Pond School in Paradise, NL. BB

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Like many federal government departments, the VAC went quiet this fall for the looming election and subsequent naming of the new Cabinet. As a result, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) has been slow to update their website with new material. This seemed like a good time, then, to feature a report we missed last year. We would like to reproduce the message from the Ombudsman and the executive summary of the report, which may be downloaded in its entirety.

Please note that Guy Parent was the Ombudsman at the time of this report.

Message from the Ombudsman

I am pleased to publish my report Meeting Expectations: Timely and Transparent Decisions for Canada’s Ill and Injured Veterans. It focuses on the most common complaint my Office hears from Veterans: the length of time it takes to get a disability benefit decision from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).

The frustration and increased stress that this causes Veterans and their families must be eliminated. They deserve to know when a decision can be reasonably expected. If it will take longer than VAC’s 16-week service standard, they deserve to know why it will take longer and when their revised decision date will be. Both their mental and physical health care needs often depend on it.

What is especially worrisome to me is that our review suggests that not all groups of Veterans are treated equitably. Women wait longer than men; Francophone applicants wait longer than Anglophone applicants. Any differences in wait times for decisions should be based on need. All Veterans deserve timely decisions, regardless of factors such as language and gender. Discrepancies also exist in the way the Service Standard Start Date, or the date the “clock starts ticking”, is established, and under what conditions health care expenses incurred while waiting for a decision are reimbursable. As well, if a Veteran dies while an application is in process, their application may be withdrawn because VAC does not have the authority to allow such payments if there is not a spouse or dependent child.

Executive Summary

The most common complaint the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) hears from Veterans is the length of time it takes to get a decision from Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). Media has repeatedly covered the backlog of files, yet Veterans continue to voice their frustration about unreasonable delays.

Eliminating these delays is important. It is unfair to make Veterans and their families wait unreasonably for compen-sation to which they are entitled, especially when a favourable decision can also provide access to needed health care benefits. Furthermore, delays can mean unmet service-related health and financial needs and frustration for those waiting without any idea of when a decision can be expected.

To study this issue, 1,000 disability benefit first applications were analyzed, on-site visits with VAC staff were conducted, and all available internal and external documents that provide staff with instructions on processing and adjudi-cating applications — everything from legislation to business processes — were reviewed.

The analysis suggested that VAC quickly processes applica-tions submitted by Veterans with World War II or Korean War service, as well as applications prioritized due to medical risk or financial distress. The majority of all other disability benefit first decisions, however, took longer than the established 16-week service standard — sometimes much longer.

When files were reviewed for trends, three patterns emerged:

● Inconsistencies in how certain groups of Veterans were treated:

❍ Francophone applicants waited longer than Anglo-phone applicants, on average.❍ Delays were longer for women compared to men.❍ Because of discrepancies with how the Service Standard Start Date — or the date the “clock starts ticking” — is determined, Veterans with less need may see their applications move forward in the queue before others.

Veterans Veterans Ombudsman Ombudsman Report on DecisionsReport on Decisions

Craig DaltonVeterans Ombudsman

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❍ Disability benefit decisions made under the Pension Act provide better access to treatment benefits. For exam-ple, health care expenses incurred while waiting for a decision are reimbursable going back 90 days prior to the date of application, while those who fall under the Veterans Well-being Act only receive coverage on the date of decision. The backlog worsens this inequity. Delays mean some Veterans must pay for their own treatment while they wait or forego it altogether.❍ Veterans and their families are treated unfairly when the Veteran dies while an application is in progress and they do not have a surviving spouse or dependent child. Current legislation does not permit VAC to pay disabil-ity benefits to an estate in these circumstances. Delays make this situation even more unacceptable. It is not fair that, due to delays outside the applicant’s control, there may be instances when an application dies with the claimant.

● A lack of prioritization for those who may be at risk for having unmet health needs:

❍ VAC automatically prioritizes applications submitted by elderly Veterans. As members of a vulnerable popu-lation, this helps to ensure they have no unmet health needs.❍ Other Veterans can request a faster decision when they have an unmet health need or when experiencing financial distress. However, this process is not adver-tised and there is no way to know if everyone who needs it makes the request.❍ Others with potential unmet health needs are not tracked or prioritized. For example, those about to transition out of the military.

● A lack of transparency and communication throughout the process.

❍ Due to inconsistencies in how Service Standard Start Dates are determined, turnaround time performance is not accurately reported or easily understood.❍ Veterans are not given enough information about the status of their application, when they can reasonably expect a decision, or the reason for the delay.

Based on the findings, the report makes seven recommenda-tions aimed at:

● Providing timely decisions for all Veterans — regardless of gender, language, or other factors;● Standardizing Service Standard Start Dates so that turn-around times can be meaningfully reported;● Triaging applications based on need;● Eliminating the negative consequences of delays; and

● Providing more information to applicants about expect-ed turnaround times, reasons for delay, and incomplete applications.

Turnaround times will continue to be a top complaint of Veterans and one of the biggest challenges faced by VAC until significant changes can be made more broadly to processes, systems, and approaches to service delivery. By implementing the recommendations made in this report, VAC will be able to better meet the needs of all Veterans and their families in a timely manner.

Compounding these inequities is a growing backlog. That is why I encourage the Government of Canada to act on the seven recommendations in my report. They are supported by evidence-based findings and will enable VAC to better meet the needs of all Veterans and their families in a more timely manner.

Guy Parent Veterans Ombudsman

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Decisions Report, Continued from page 12

K thanks

Veterans Ombudsman SEPTEMBER 2018

Meeting Expectations:

Timely and Transparent Decisions for Canada’s Ill and Injured Veterans

14 The Blue Beret | Fall 2019 | Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association Newsletter of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans Association | Fall 2019 | The Blue Beret 14

The CPVA, founded in 1991, is a national, all Veteran, all volunteer, not-for-profit, apolitical organization

with Chapters from Vancouver Island to St. John’s, Newfoundland. It has its Headquarters in Kingston, Ontario, and is not funded by the Government in any way. Our Mission Statement is: “To be a strong and leading advocate for all Veterans and to provide a forum of comradeship for Veterans”. The CPVA is a longstanding Veterans’ organization, national in scope, which welcomes all Veterans of all generations, of all conflicts, men and women, regular or reserve, military or police, serving or retired, who participated in peace support, peacekeeping, anti-terrorist, or war operations, national and international, overseas or on the home front.

In addition to its long-term work for Veterans, which has produced substantial gains, CPVA has a number of notable organizational strengths such as an effective governance, democratic representation of all members and a nationwide communications network which reaches virtually all Veterans and a large portion of the CAF. As well, the CPVA has a bona fide behavioural sciences capability and component. Below is a summary of some of the Association’s achievements and capabilities:

● CPVA’s proposal in the late 1990’s led to the es-tablishment of the VAC-Canadian Forces Advisory Council, the first forum established by VAC to allow CAF (modern-day) Veterans organizations to partic-ipate equally at the table with the traditional Veter-ans organizations.● CPVA, in its nearly twenty-five years of existence, has provided the Canadian Veterans community with focused, knowledgeable, innovative and coop-erative leadership. This leadership has reached far beyond our own membership and has expressed itself in many ways, ways that have benefited all Canadian Veterans. The Veterans Bill of Rights, the Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, the 1-800 VAC assistance line, the Veteran’s Ombudsman, and the 9th of August National Peacekeepers’ Day being just five achievements of such benefits. The CPVA has also made several appearances at the hearings of the House Standing Committee on Veterans Af-fairs to provide input about various Veterans issues.● CPVA has consistently worked cooperatively, albeit without always being in agreement, with the Minis-

ter of Veterans Affairs and senior VAC staff, provid-ing them with innovative suggestions on a wide variety of topics. Topics such as a comprehensive method of validating VAC’s statistics, rational and reasonable ideas on how to resolve the on-going issue of cash versus disability pension, and other ways to improve the NVC and VAC support to Vet-erans. The Association has always provided strong membership and leadership to numerous VAC com-mittees, working and advisory groups, NVC regula-tory discussions, and so on. At present, the CPVA is a member of the VAC Stakeholders Committee. CPVA, alone amongst Veterans associations, has taken the initiative to recognize the VAC staff for good sup-port and service to Veterans with its outstanding national and regional service awards program.

CPVA’s steady and active leadership to the Canadian Veterans community, while avoiding public confron-tation with VAC, has earned it a reputation for being a straight-shooting Veterans organization that has a proven and recognized capacity to reach far beyond its own membership to influence events and activ-ities affecting all Canadian Veterans. CPVA is a staunch member of the Veterans Consultation Assembly and fully supports the collective initiatives of about twenty Veterans groups. BB

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CPVA President Donald MacPherson awaiting his turn to lay the wreath at the National War Monument in Ottawa on 11 November 2019.

CPVA