Veterans denied access to care while beds sit empty

New Democrats joined veterans and their families to repeat their call for the federal government to allow all veterans access to Department of Veterans Affairs run hospitals and long-term care facilities across the country.

“Today there are over 10 empty beds at Camp Hill here in Halifax, yet these beds cannot be filled by post-Korea veterans due to strict eligibility criteria,” said Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Eastern Shore), Official Opposition critic for Veterans Affairs.

Federal regulations limit eligibility to veterans long-term care centres like Camp Hill to only World War II and Korean War veterans. Veterans who served in the Canadian Forces “post-Korea” are not eligible for care at these types of facilities.

“A veteran is a veteran is a veteran. With empty beds, it makes sense to allow a younger generation of veterans’ access to these exceptional veteran care centres,” added NDP MP Robert Chisholm (Dartmouth—Cole Harbour).

The federal government is effectively downloading the cost of long-term care for this younger generation of veterans to the provinces. Veterans not eligible for a placement at Camp Hill turn to provincial long-term care facilities.

“The federal government has a responsibility and moral obligation to provide the same federally funded level of long-term care to all veterans, regardless of where and when they served,” said NDP MP Megan Leslie (Halifax)