Our armed forces personnel aren’t just “soldiers”, they’re someone’s child, someone’s mother, someone’s father, brother or sister, who put aside their own wellbeing to stand up for Canada and Canadians. And so it is that, especially during Veterans’ Week, citizens of Northern Alberta stop to consider the sacrifices that our brave service men and women and their families made and continue to make, giving us the freedoms we’re privileged to have.

It is my hope that each of you will take the time to think about those freedoms and the sacrifices made by our Canadian forces in order that we continue to enjoy them. In communities, at schools, and at memorial sites across Northern Alberta, we remember and honour all members of our military who have made sacrifices, both past and present, to preserve Canadian values and help create a better and safer world for Canadians and people across the globe.

Thank you to all those who have served, and continue to serve, our great country.


News From Ottawa

Getting Results for Veterans

This Conservative Government stands shoulder to shoulder with our Veterans, who have always stood up for freedom, democracy and rule of law.  That is why over our first five Budgets, we have increased spending on Veterans programs by over $2.5 billion.

Improving Services for Veterans

• On September 28, 2010, Minister MacKay and Minister Blackburn announced $52.5 million in new spending to establish a “legacy of care” centred around five new initiatives to care for injured soldiers, sea and air personnel.  These initiatives contribute in a tangible and lasting way to their recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration into civilian life.
• Working jointly with the Department of National Defence, our Conservative Government has opened Integrated Personnel Support Centres on 19 CF Bases and Wings as part of a national network dedicated to the care of ill and injured CF personnel, former personnel, their families and the families of the deceased.  Among other things, these centres offer “one-stop” services for DND and Veterans Affairs Canada to help to eliminate the transitional gap for those leaving the military
• Our Conservative Government has added a 24 hour, toll free help line, the VAC Assistance Service, for Veterans and their families who need access to professional counseling services.
• We have created an innovative new service in local communities (Clinical Care Managers), mental health professionals who provide guidance and support to Veterans with complex mental health issues and have barriers to receiving care.

• On September 19, 2010, Minister Blackburn and Minister MacKay announced $2 billion in new funding to enhance financial support for Veterans and their families.
• Veterans who have experienced catastrophic injuries that leave them unable to work will receive an additional $1,000 a month for the rest of their lives.  This amount will be added on to 75 percent of their salary, as well as an allowance of $536 to $1,609 a month.  Within the next five years, 500 Veterans will be eligible for this additional monthly amount.
• Access to the permanent monthly allowance for seriously injured Veterans will be expanded.  More than 3,500 Veterans are expected to be eligible for this allowance within the next five years.
• The proposed changes will increase the minimum monthly income for those Veterans by changing the formula for the earnings loss benefit to ensure that no eligible Veteran will receive less than $40,000 per year.  Approximately 2,320 Veterans will benefit from this change.
• We successfully implemented the New Veterans Charter, which represents the most sweeping changes to the way we care for our Veterans in 60 years.  In addition to maintaining full financial supports for our modern day Veterans, the NVC breaks new ground by also focusing on the wellness of our Veterans and their families.

• Our Conservative Government has reversed the Liberal cuts to Allied Veterans benefits.  We also extended those vital benefits to Allied Vets from the Korean War.  These changes have helped about 4,600 Vets and family members.
• We have increased funding available through the Veterans Independence Program.  We have extended this essential suite of services to thousands of Veterans widows.  There are now more than 35,000 survivor clients who are receiving VIP benefits.

• Our Conservative Government introduced the Veterans’ Bill of Rights.  This strengthens the Government’s ability to respond quickly and fairly to the concerns of Canadian Veterans.
• We created the position of Veterans’ Ombudsman, and appointed Colonel Pat Stogran as the first Ombudsman.  He has done an excellent job advocating on behalf of Veterans, and his successor will be named in the coming weeks.
• We’ve provided approximately $57.2 million of ex-gratia payments to fulfill our pledge to address the decades-old issue of Agent Orange tests at CFB Gagetown.

• The Veterans Affairs network of Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinics now consists of 10 specialized clinics, (the Department of National Defence (DND) operates another five clinics.) of which 9 are out-patient clinics located in Fredericton, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, London, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.  The tenth is the ground-breaking Residential Treatment Clinic for Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs) at Ste. Anne’s Hospital (in Montreal) that provides intensive care to those Veterans suffering from the most severe cases of Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs). 
• The newest clinics are located in Fredericton, Montreal, Ottawa, Edmonton and Vancouver.  In addition, the Operational Stress Injury (OSI) Clinics located in Quebec City, Winnipeg and Calgary have recently undergone expansions.
• We continue to maintain a strong partnership with the Department of National Defence (DND) through the joint VAC-DND Operational Stress Injury Social Support (OSISS) Program.  This national peer support network provides support to Veterans, still serving CF members and their families who are affected by Operational Stress Injuries, as well as support to bereaved family members who suffer a loss due to military service.  There are 28 peer support coordinators whose role is to assist former and still serving military members and 20 family peer support coordinators (8 of whom are VAC employees) who assist the family members of those who have an operational stress injury.  Many OSISS staff are co-located in VAC District Offices and/or VAC OSI Clinics.

• We’ve ended uncertainty about the future of the Juno Beach Centre in France by committing $5 million over 10 years toward maintaining the memorial and education centre in Courseulles-sur-Mer.
• We’ve provided $450,000 over three years to support the Dominion Institute’s Memory Project, which brings our Veterans in to schools to speak to students and community groups.  More than 1 million students have had the chance to listen to our Veterans’ stories through the Memory Project.
• We’ve instituted a ceremonial presence and interpretive guides (along with other new security measures) to protect security and the integrity of the National War Memorial and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
• We’ve stepped in to assume ownership of the Canada Memorial in Green Park, London.  We approved spending up to $250,000 to restore it as a fitting tribute to our soldiers in the First and Second World Wars, and we are spending an additional $100,000 a year on its annual maintenance.
• We have brought remembrance to Canadians in new and innovative ways through partnerships with community and national organizations, and by using social media such as Facebook and YouTube.