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October 2nd, 2014

Response to unanimous Veterans Committee report is extremely disappointing

At the 120-day deadline, the Minister for Veterans Affairs tabled his response to a unanimous Parliamentary Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs (ACVA) report on the review of the New Veterans Charter, and it is disappointing.

“With this response, the federal government is delaying and denying much needed improvements for injured veterans and their families” said the NDP’s Veterans Affairs critic Peter Stoffer (Sackville-Eastern Shore). “The ACVA Committee's report was unanimous in its recommendations and members expected the federal government to move forward immediately on these issues.”

Stoffer noted that the ACVA Committee’s recommendations would require a substantial increase in financial and human resources, and it is simply not correct for the federal government to say changes can be met within existing budgets of Veterans Affairs and National Defence.

Veterans gave heartbreaking testimony at Committee about the status of veterans’ care. The NDP worked with all parties to submit a unanimous report to Minister Fantino, and this response is the disappointing result.

“We have seen study after study identifying ways to improve the Charter – from our parliamentary committee, the Veterans Ombudsman, and many veterans’ organizations” said NDP Veterans Affairs deputy critic Sylvain Chicoine (Châteauguay—Saint-Constant). The studies are done – now is the time for action to assist injured veterans and their families.”

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For more information, please contact:

Greta Levy, Press Secretary, 613-408-1642 or greta.levy@parl.gc.ca