It's hard to believe after what the Harper Cons have done to our veterans, that they could treat or betray them even more than they already have.
But that's exactly what they are doing. First they closed down those veteran service centres for no good reason.
Now they're going after their healthcare plans.
Retired soldiers and Mounties, along with wounded veterans and their families, are among a group of former federal employees that the government targeted for savings in its budget Tuesday.
In its economic plan, the government announced it was going after $7.5 billion in savings by forcing participants in the government’s health plan for public servants to pay half of the costs, up from 25 per cent. Before 2006, it was even lower.
Which isn't just callous and inhuman, it's yet another betrayal of trust.
“I’m very disappointed in this move,” said Gordon Moore, Dominion president of the Royal Canadian Legion.
“These men and women put their life on the line. These young men and women who served 30, 35, or 40 years in the Canadian Forces or the RCMP, they made a commitment, and the government made a commitment at that time that they would look after them for life. “And now the government of the day is turning its back on these veterans of both the Canadian Forces and the RCMP.”
And what makes all of this even worse is that the Con were warned about the consequences of their actions.
While veterans and the public were being assured two years ago that budget cuts would not affect services at Veterans Affairs Canada, internal documents show departmental officials weren’t sure how they would manage with fewer offices and staff.
But went ahead anyway, while trying to conceal the consequences like only Cons can.
Documents obtained by Postmedia News show the government deployed a carefully crafted communications strategy two years ago to try to douse surprise and outrage as news of the closures and layoffs spread. Bureaucrats were instructed to provide pre-approved, cookie-cutter responses as requests for information came in, assuring the public the government was still committed to helping veterans and indicating that service would actually increase.
Which makes the way Julian Fantino bullied them even more disgusting.
And makes him look even more like a cowardly lapdog, if that's possible.
It's outrageous, it's depressing, it makes me so angry to see the elderly and the vulnerable treated in such a shabby manner.
But as I said before, I am proud to be on the side of those veterans, and I firmly believe that they will help us mightily to defeat that evil regime.
For we will not just be acting in their name, but also in the name of all those who gave up their lives to keep Canada free and make it a better place...
Once we had Victory in Europe day.
Then we had Victory in Japan day.
The day we liberate ourselves will be Victory in Canada day.
And it will be one of the most glorious days this country has ever seen...
Please click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
My late father was a pilot on bomber raids over Nazi Germany attacking oil refineries, shipping yards and submarine pens. Some of his crew members are still alive and are now required, by the Conservative government, to access services via the internet. These folks just can't do it. The removal of local veteran offices is a hardship for them.
ReplyDeleteA jumped up mail room clerk and security guard should not dictate the services required by our veterans.
hi anon...I quite agree with you, the idea of forcing elderly vets to navigate the internet instead of dealing with a real person who knows their particular problems is entirely wrong. And let's not forget this is just to save a few dollars so they can bribe some voters in the next election. The Cons are callous swine who have lost their moral compass if they ever had one...
DeleteWell? Harper himself is a Neo-Nazi, the Canadian Nazis donated to Harper's Alliance in 2002. There is? Harper was Policy Chief for his, Northern Foundation of 1989. There was Harper's good buddy Wolfgang Droege and his, Heritage Front. Wolfgang was murdered in 2005.
ReplyDeleteSix members of my family served during WW2. We went to war so, we wouldn't have an evil fascist dictator running this country. One of my brothers was 17 when he joined. Down the road in that war? He was given the duty of, burying Concentration Camp Victims with a bulldozer.
Quite frankly. Harper is not worth our young Canadian boys to die for.
hi anon....I can't imagine what your brother must have been through, but all those who fought and died fighting the Nazis are heroes in my book and don't deserve to be treated to be treated so shabbily by those grubby Cons...
DeleteI cannot recommend you to Progressive Bloggers because the connection is not working. Did you know that? Also, your post has been overtaken by today's news regarding the fact that veterans' medical records are being transferred to a U.S. private firm by Harper. This is truly a blow below the belt and one Canadians would never have believed possible. But, you know what, let's never be surprised by anything they do because nothing is beneath them. Now veterans will have to depend on a U.S. firm approving or not their need for treatment. Furthermore, they will have to wait for their files to be transferred from this company to the Veterans' Affairs Office in Canada. What rigmarole! This work used to be done by public servants working in the Veterans' Affairs office. Now Harper has given the work to a private company and one that is American. What poison flows in their vein?!!!
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes I saw that Progressive Bloggers was down today, but I didn't know that the Cons are transferring medical; records to a private U.S. firm. And all I can say is that just when I think the Harperites have hit rock bottom, they keep burrowing down even further. To me the way you treat vets. or any seniors for that matter is a matter of morality. And clearly the Cons have none...
DeleteAnd to see this on the CBC site yesterday, Tony Clements smug grin just about sums it all up for the Cons.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/retired-soldiers-mounties-hit-by-conservative-budget-changes-1.2535875
hi Inse...I saw part of that interview live, and I just had to switch away. I can't stand even the sound of Clement's voice. His behaviour in Muskoka during the G8 summit, which was clearly aimed at buying votes in a riding he had only won by 28 votes, was so blatantly outrageous he should have resigned. And to see him brag about killing 19,000 jobs in the name of austerity is enough to make me vomit. The day he goes down along with all the other Con rats will surely be a great day....
DeleteSimon do you know where the grave in that picture is located? I'm a Dunn myself.
ReplyDeletehi anon...yes I do, it's located in the town of Wick in the north east tip of Scotland. And is one of the many graves of Canadian flyers that can be found in that region, and that I visit and clean any weeds out of every time I return there. In the Moray region slightly to the south, where my family lives, there were two big RAF bases during the Second World War that trained pilots, including many Canadians, to fly bombers. And because it's a place where the highlands meet the North Sea many young pilots and their crews did not survive that training. Young Dunn was one of them, who perished along with the entire crew when his bomber slammed into the side of a mountain. He may not have made it to Berlin and back like my grandfather, but he is a heron nonetheless...
Deleteit kind of works like this, if they can't access medical care or it takes too long or it costs to much, they die sooner. that way oil can stevie can save even more money.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell are Canadian medical records doing in the U.S.A.? Do they plan to ship the rest of them there also. Once they are in the U.S.A. these companies, under American law, have to show them to their government, if they ask, for security reasons.
hi e.a.f...the very idea of saving a few dollars on the backs of veterans is in itself completely obscene. And as for handing their records over to a private American company it's simply beyond belief. But then as I have pointed out before, Stephen Harper went into politics with the support of a group that was founded to destroy medicare. And if the Cons had their way they would hand over our medicare system to the same gang. So consider that outrageous action a warning to all of us...
DeleteWe are not productive, so the sooner we die the better. This is typical libertarian thinking.
ReplyDeleteShould we be happy we are not being gassed? Mmmm, maybe when I starve I may ask for a nice little shot in the arm since Québec is about to legalize it...
hi fem progress...yes the Cons do think like that. But hopefully we can soon put them down, politically speaking, before they can do even more damage our violate our values further. My instinct when confronted by bullies like them, is to fight them even harder...
Delete"And as for handing their records over to a private American company it's simply beyond belief."
ReplyDeleteThis has been the case in BeeCee for years now as under Capo Gordo billings and records for MSP were contracted out to an American firm, Maximus if I remember correctly. Thus making our health (mental and physical) history accessible under the Patriot Act........one could be turned back at the border for a medical condtion.