- Reaction score
- 27,526
- Points
- 1,090
The mandate letter for the new VAC minister has been posted to: http://pm.gc.ca/eng/minister-veterans-affairs-and-associate-minister-national-defence-mandate-letter
Top priorities are identified as follows:
Work with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence
Re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for our injured veterans, and increase the value of the disability award, while ensuring that every injured veteran has access to financial advice and support so that they can determine the form of compensation that works best for them and their families
Expand access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance to better support veterans who have had their career options limited by a service-related illness or injury
Provide injured veterans with 90 percent of their pre-release salary, and index this benefit so that it keeps pace with inflation
Create a new Veterans Education Benefit that will provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans after completion of service
Improve career and vocational assistance for veterans through ensuring that job opportunities for returning veterans are included in Community Benefits Agreements for new federally-funded infrastructure projects
Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one veteran, one standard” approach is upheld
Re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans
Create two new centres of excellence in veterans’ care, including one with a specialization in mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues for both veterans and first responders
Provide greater education, counselling, and training for families who are providing care and support to veterans living with physical and/or mental health issues as a result of their service
End the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services
Increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 percent to 70 percent
Eliminate the “marriage after 60” clawback clause, so that surviving spouses of veterans receive appropriate pension and health benefits
Double funding to the Last Post Fund to ensure that all veterans receive a dignified burial
Work with the Minister of National Defence to develop a suicide prevention strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans
Top priorities are identified as follows:
Work with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity, overhaul service delivery, and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence
Re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for our injured veterans, and increase the value of the disability award, while ensuring that every injured veteran has access to financial advice and support so that they can determine the form of compensation that works best for them and their families
Expand access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance to better support veterans who have had their career options limited by a service-related illness or injury
Provide injured veterans with 90 percent of their pre-release salary, and index this benefit so that it keeps pace with inflation
Create a new Veterans Education Benefit that will provide full support for the costs of up to four years of college, university, or technical education for Canadian Forces veterans after completion of service
Improve career and vocational assistance for veterans through ensuring that job opportunities for returning veterans are included in Community Benefits Agreements for new federally-funded infrastructure projects
Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one veteran, one standard” approach is upheld
Re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices recently closed, hire more service delivery staff, and fully implement all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans
Create two new centres of excellence in veterans’ care, including one with a specialization in mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and related issues for both veterans and first responders
Provide greater education, counselling, and training for families who are providing care and support to veterans living with physical and/or mental health issues as a result of their service
End the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services
Increase the veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 percent to 70 percent
Eliminate the “marriage after 60” clawback clause, so that surviving spouses of veterans receive appropriate pension and health benefits
Double funding to the Last Post Fund to ensure that all veterans receive a dignified burial
Work with the Minister of National Defence to develop a suicide prevention strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and veterans
) because they know the bar is set too high for veterans to access those funds and that the money will not be spent. I know of at least a dozen cases here in the Yukon (pop. 34,000) where families of deceased veterans applied to the fund and were denied because the veteran couldn't meet the means test requirements (under $12000 a yr I think). We are talking about vets whose only income is OAS and CPP. I know of no successful requests.
