Canadian Veterans Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

Matt Edwards - Observation Post

Go down

Matt Edwards - Observation Post Empty Matt Edwards - Observation Post

Post by Trooper Sat 17 Feb 2018, 7:16 pm

Matt Edwards shared his post.

Feb 17, 2018


Matt Edwards - Observation Post 27971840_10156213875223980_3661342117665588628_n

"Window Dressing II"

An Observation Post Column by Captain (Retired) Matthew Edwards, CD

Some time ago I wrote a story about the Conservative Party trying to get elected by using "Window Dressing" type "benefits" that were really nothing but a transparent attempt to get elected by appearing to appease the public by showing that they cared about Veterans.

I could easily make the case that the Liberal government of Canada is trying the same thing although an election is some time away. Minister of Veteran Affairs (MVA) Seamus O'Regan announced a "lifetime pension" in December but an examination of the alleged "benefits" reveals that they are nothing. Really, nothing to talk about.

For example, the core of the New Veterans Charter was supposed to be the lump sum Disability Award (DA). It is stated to be for the non-economic consequences of a service injury. Maybe, maybe not. However, the DA had it's critics. Some even say it is the sole replacement for the Pension Act (PA) pension. That certainly is the depiction of the DA presented in court. No mention is made to the judge of the "suite of benefits" that is stated in the Canada Gazette! Some complained that they would like the ability to take the DA as a periodic payment. So they changed the payment in 2011 to allow the payment of annual payments.

So, to recap, the DA was a single payment at first from 2006 to 2010. Then the Veteran had an option to take it each year for any number of years. Then the government said it fixed the lifetime pension problem THEY CREATED in 2006 by ending pension awards by the creation of a monthly payment where the DA could be paid as an OPTION instead of in a lump sum or annual payments.

Will the Canadian public, which includes the disabled Veteran, accept such "Window Dressing?" Smoke & Mirrors. Tricks. Shell games.

Another example of the dishonesty I did not expect from my own Member of Parliament (MP) was when the December "lifetime pension" announcement had VERY LITTLE to do with the change from the lump sum to a lifetime annuity. The bulk of the speech was about the end of the NVC. Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is transferring six alleged "benefits" into one: the Income Replacement Benefit! So the raison d'etre for the announcement was a sham.

Let me be clear, the IRB is fatally flawed. For starters, it is not replacing INCOME! Income is paid for service. IRB is insurance & the IRB premium is service. Another flaw is the inclusion of explicit INCOME TESTING Canada required in law for the failed Canadian Forces Income Support (CFIS) when the Earnings Loss Benefit (ELB) had a disguised income test. After all, clawbacks are income testing. That is the problem with disguising things behind false words. Sooner or later someone, like your's truly, notices! Then they point out that INCOME TESTING has NO PLACE in Compensation for loss suffered in service. They cannot clawback other money in a Tort lawsuit as per the Bradburn Rule. What makes Canada think it can impose such a law constraining the award of a payment meant to replace the CAPITAL lost in service?

I will oppose this proposed law with all of my might & I want the Veterans of Canada to show the government it cannot simply make arbitrary laws that hurt the nation. Canada's democracy is not a succession of elected dictators, on paper. Laws made by our elected representatives are given delegated political power by us. We voluntarily submit to the authority of the government. As such, laws imposed upon us must be FAIR! We do not have to accept unjust laws, like the NVC!

The NVC cannot survive because CLAWBACKS exist in it, even for the DISABILITY AWARD even though the Regular Force Veteran cannot get Workers' Compensation (WCB), as an example. This proves that it is ABSURD law as that provision has ZERO application & how can you trust incompetent lawmakers?

Simple.

Trooper
Trooper
Administrator

Posts : 1275
Join date : 2017-10-07

https://cvdbsf.forumotion.com/

Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum