w  rd 2 the woss

The month of November is a time of reflection and gratitude for the men and women who have fought for our country. In light of Remembrance Day, Canadians recognize the sacrifices and bravery of veterans and those currently serving in the Canadian Armed Forces. However, with the recent outcry of veterans and their claims to insufficient support, can Canadians recognize what their government has not done for their war veterans?

 

 

The Problem

 

It is important to realize that the Veterans Affairs of Canada isn't dealing with people that only become of importance on Remembrance Day, but real people who struggle to receive the support they require every day. Veterans are seeking medication for illness and injury as a result of their service, mental health support, as well as financial support in order to live their lives back in their home country. They aren’t asking the government to pay for their Christmas vacation, but to simply pay for their fundamental rights. And frankly, the government has not given much.  

 

 

In recent years, veterans have made a cry for more. The closure of 9 veterans’ affairs offices across the country left Canadian veterans stranded. They relied on the offices for one-on-one service, and felt that the mobile apps and hotline phone numbers used as a replacement could not fulfill their needs. Despite the backlash from the decision, the government still moved forward with the closures. Furthermore, over the course of seven years, the government did not spend the $1 billion that was allocated to Veterans Affairs. That $1 billion had the potential to help thousands of people, but was instead left over and returned to the treasury. This fact becomes even more relevant when considering that back in 2012, the National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces both claimed that there were not enough mental-health professionals available for veterans. As a result, one can only ask; Where did that $1 billion go, again? 

 

 

Hope for the Future

However, this will hopefully soon change. With the recent election of the Liberal government, veterans may just have the reason to regain faith. The new Minister of Veterans Affairs, Kent Hehr, and our newly elected Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, promise to begin bringing the veterans what they need immediately. To start, the Liberals have promised to re-open the 9 veterans affairs offices. In addition, Trudeau promised to improve the benefits and support available to veterans by adding $300 million a year, including new education benefits, lifelong pensions, and the improvement of mental-health resources. Veterans and Canadians can rest easy in the near-future with the hope that this time around, the government will start standing by our veterans, and not just on Remembrance Day.