Veteran’ Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan says Canada can do better when it comes to serving its veterans.
And, with $10 billion in new funding, he says that’s exactly what the federal government is trying to do.
O’Regan was in Kelowna Monday to sit down with area veterans and hear their concerns, the latest stop in a cross-country series of veteran town halls he has held since the start of the year. So far there have been about 40, he said.
“Social media is very good for somethings but it’s not not necessarily the best place to talk about big changes to government programs,” said the minister. “I think its best to get out and hear from people directly and to explain directly what we are doing.”
He estimated between 60 and 70 veterans showed up to the Kelowna meeting Mondy evening at the Royal Canadan Legion hall. The media was not allowed to attend the question and answer session between O’Regan, his deputy minister, former Chief of the Defence Staff retired army general Walt Natynczyk and the vets.
But following the meeting O’Regan said the main aim of the gathering was to answer veterans’ questions directly.
A hot topic was the government’s Pension For Life program for veterans, introduced by the Liberals after coming to power in 2015. A campaign promise, it provides the monthly pensions for veterans rather than the lump sum approach used by the former Conservative government.
O’Regan said he also talked about new education benefit for veterans, which provides $40,000 towards any area of study after six years of service and $80,000 after 12 years of service.
But while more money for the system has improved benefits for veterans he said, it has also increased the number of veterans seeking services and that has increased waiting times.
In bid to address that, O’Regan said $40 million of the new money has been allocated to hire 500 more Veterans’ Affairs staff to process claims.
“There is a level of frustration (t the wait times),” the minister conceded. “I feel that frustration too.”
The issue of wait times came up at the Kelowna meeting and O’Regan said he heard it loud and clear.
“We take it very, very seriously.”
According to Veterans’ Affairs Canada there are 650,000 veterans in this country, 130,000 of whom are its clients. Of that number, 60,000 receive a disability pension and 13,000 of those are eligible for income replacement because they cannot work.
“They are the ones we’re concentrating on,” said O’Regan.
The minister said he took a great deal away from the Kelowna meeting, adding some suggestions will be looked at further and may be used to change how programs in his ministry are delivered in future.
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