OTTAWA – Government plans to no longer provide subsidies to ailing veterans living in private care facilities in the Ottawa area is unacceptable, says New Democrat Veterans Affairs Critic Peter Stoffer.

“It is despicable that the Harper government has taken away financial support to ailing veterans who opt to live in private care facilities,” said Stoffer. “The Conservatives have basically cut off a lifeline to these men and women. I implore the Minister to re-instate financial assistance to veterans who choose to live in private care facilities close to their home community.”

Stoffer noted that many veterans opt for private care facilities in order to remain close to their families and friends rather than go to a veterans’ hospital several hours away. Also, many veterans are in private care facilities because of long waiting lists for admission to veterans hospitals.

“When a veterans’ health begins to suffer, they often don’t have time to wait for openings at a veteran’s hospital. They need help immediately,” says Stoffer. “This system of providing a choice to veterans to live at a private care facility works quite well. So if it isn’t broke, why is the Harper government trying to fix it?”

Stoffer added that the policy change may be related to discussions that St. Anne’s hospital may be transferred from federal jurisdiction to Quebec.

“The last thing Ottawa should do is to transfer veteran’s hospitals to provincial jurisdiction,” says Stoffer. “These brave men and women served our country well. It is time our federal government served them well in return by providing assistance and quality care right to the end of their natural lives.”