NATO Veterans Organization of Canada
Organisation canadienne des vétérans de l’OTAN
A Voice for today’s Veterans ~ Une voix pour les vétérans d’aujourd’hui
President's News
Updated - October 20 2012
Priority Access to Long Term Care for all Veterans
Posted October 20, 2012
PRIORITY ACCESS TO LONG TERM CARE FOR ALL VETERANS
"A VETERAN IS A VETERAN"
BACKGROUND
There are a number of lessons to be learned in reviewing the controversial development of the Veteran Community in Canada over the last century. "Speaking with one strong, united voice in pursuing Veterans benefits" is one of the most evident. Unlike the Royal Northwest Mounted Police Veterans Association (now the RCMP Veterans Association) which was founded in 1886, the Canadian Military Veteran community did not really get started in any formal capacity until after The First World War. It was at that time that Veterans started to band together in small, separate organizations in an attempt to convince the government of the day to provide benefits, support and employment for returning ex-servicemen.
By 1925 there were over 15 different veterans associations all competing to be heard , but it wasn't until the Great War Veterans Association took the lead and was able to convince the other separate organizations to join together with them into a new, strong, unified force that they were they able to achieve real success. They came together into a new, single organization, but the real key was that they were now able to speak with one voice on the critical issues of the day. The impact of the enhanced force of numbers speaking as one voice was overwhelmingly successful in finally convincing the government to move forward with new and supportive legislation.
By the end of World War 2 the Veteran community was well established to speak with one clear, forceful voice with the result that a whole host of financial, medical, housing, and labour-related benefits were won to support the Veteran community. The Pension Act and War Veterans Allowance Act were principal among the legislative achievements encapsulating these benefits.
In the years following World War 2, as the War Veterans aged, the demands for Priority Access For Long Term Care in Veterans hospitals grew significantly. The situation was compounded later in the 1970s when the Government decided it would have to close its 11 Veterans hospitals (6871 beds), and with the advent of the National Medi-Care program in 1984, the political pressure grew to turn over the full medical care of the Veterans to the Provinces. Ultimately 10 of the hospitals were closed but in response to the on-going need for Long Term Care and the Pension Act responsibility of the Government of Canada (now in partnership with Provincial Medical Authorities) to provide that care, a cadre of contracted beds in specialized medical facilities were established across the country. Priority Access for Overseas War-Service Veterans to Long Term Care beds in contracted specialized facilities was assured. Furthermore, in recognition of the high cost of providing Long Term Care in a facility, the Government also established the "Aging Veterans Program" in 1981 (later renamed the Veterans Independence Program-VIP in 1986) to help keep the Veterans comfortably at home as long as possible before having to move into a Long Term Care Veterans Home.
TODAY
In 2001 the Government of Canada finally recognized that all ex-military personnel who had served in Canada's Armed Forces were in fact "Veterans":
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New Definition of a Veteran
- meet DND's military occupational classification requirements (MOC-qualified); and
- have been released from the Forces with an honourable discharge.
VAC and the Department of National Defence (DND) have extended veteran status to former Canadian Forces members and Reserve Force members who:
Veteran status recognizes the potential risk that Canadian Forces members assume by donning the uniform and pledging allegiance. Veteran status does not mean that all former members are eligible to receive VAC benefits and services. As in the past, access to VAC benefits and services will continue to be based on your eligibility status and need." All government Veteran-type legislation developed prior to 2005 was directed in support of War-Service Veterans. However, after years of debate and study, the New Veterans Charter of 2005 was meant to correct the situation and address the needs of modern post-War Veterans. But, unfortunately, it fell short of that fundamental objective and documented only a very limited injury-compensation system - it never really highlighted the role and status of post-War Veterans as full Veterans by any definition and specifically didn't award benefits in context of those already provided to War veterans. The authors provided no recognition of the fact that Canada's post-War Veterans served with unlimited liability in both peace and combat environments during the Cold War and in all areas of conflict under the mandate of Peacekeeping and Peacemaking operations. Many served in classified, armed naval and air NATO operations. Many carried physical wounds and many suffered from the mental trauma of conflict and combat. There was no acknowledgement that the stress, pain, wounds and ultimate vulnerability to the final sacrifice suffered by post-war service personnel had the same everlasting effect on mind and body as with War Vets. And as a result today, these dedicated, loyal veterans have never been awarded the full recognition and support in their retirement years that they so rightfully deserve.
It is apparent that the Government regards post-War Veterans as second class and not worthy of the benefits awarded to War -Service Veterans. The most significant of these benefits is "Priority Access to Long Term Care in a contracted facility". VAC provides its current Long Term Care program with Priority Access for Overseas War Veterans though Contracted Beds at specialized medical facilities across the country. These facilities include among others, Brock Farhni Pavilion in Vancouver, Colonel Belcher in Calgary, Perley/Rideau in Ottawa, Sunnybrook in Toronto, Parkwood Hospital in London, Camp Hill in Halifax, and the Caribou Veterans
Memorial Pavilion in St. John's. These contracted facilities have replaced the former Veteran Hospitals (other than St Anne's) that were once run by VAC, but even so, over the last number of years they have become accepted and welcomed by Veterans as "special" and are often referred to as their "Veterans Home". Every War Veteran is able to enjoy the company and support of fellow comrades as they pass their final days in dignity and comfort.
But, these facilities will not be maintained for Post-war Veterans. The situation is urgent since the Government intends to fully phase out all the specialized contracted facilities with the passing of the Last War Veteran - a process starting within the next 2 years or so. Modern-day post-War Veterans are not recognized in the same capacity as War Veterans and will not be eligible for 'Priority Access" into one of these facilities . VAC will simply refer needy Post-War Vets, without Priority Access , to local community beds without particular reference to services provided. Special care, special facilities , and the fellowship of comrades as currently provided will not be available. The Veteran will be isolated from his comrades and institutionalized in a public "Nursing Home".
There are other deficiencies in the New Veterans Charter which also result from the lack of recognition of Post-War Veterans as worthy of being treated in the same manner as the War Veterans. But the issue of "Priority Access to Long Term Care" is urgent. If action is not taken to win full recognition as Veterans with the award of 'Priority Access" as with War Veterans, the whole infrastructure of providing and maintaining "Veterans Homes" will be lost. It is the single most urgent issue facing Veterans today. Win "Priority Access To Long Term Care " and the maintenance of "Veterans Homes" in specialized facilities, and the post-War Veteran community will accordingly have won full recognition as Veterans and all the other benefits that will follow.
RECOMMENDATION
It is reminiscent of 1925 that NATO Vets and 3 other modern-day Veterans organizations are considering coming together in a Veterans Alliance to speak with one voice on the critical issues of the day.
It is recommended that the proposed Canadian Veterans Alliance define all the issues facing post-War Veterans today, but that it adopt "Priority Access To Long Term Care and the maintenance of Specialized Contract Bed Facilities (Veterans Homes)" as a critical and urgent advocacy item to the Government of Canada.
Last modified
October 20 2012