New Minister of Veterans Affairs: Mandate Letter, etc.

[The Bread Guy]

From the new Minister's Mandate Letter just out - also attached if link doesn't work ...

... Veterans and their families have earned our respect and gratitude.  Veterans should not have to fight their own government for the support and compensation they have earned.  As Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, your overarching goal will be to ensure that our government lives up to our sacred obligation to Veterans and their families.  I expect you to ensure that Veterans receive the respect, support, care, and economic opportunities they deserve.  You will ensure that we honour the service of our Veterans and provide new career opportunities, make it easier for Veterans to access services – including mental health services – and do more to support the families of Canada’s Veterans.  I ask you to work closely with your colleague the Minister of National Defence to ensure a seamless transition for Canadian Forces members to the programs and services of your department.

In particular, I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes, to deliver on your top priorities:

    Work with the Minister of National Defence to reduce complexity and strengthen partnerships between Veterans Affairs and National Defence.  As both Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, you will drive efforts to close the seam between these two departments and make public a roadmap with key milestones of action.
    You will continue the successful implementation of already announced initiatives, including:
        the increased value of the Disability Award;
        expanded access to the Permanent Impairment Allowance;
        providing injured Veterans with 90 percent of their pre-release salary, and indexing this benefit;
        the new Veterans Education Benefit;
        the nine re-opened Veterans Affairs service offices, the newly opened office in Surrey, British Columbia, expanded outreach activities to Veterans in the North, hiring of more service delivery staff, and full implementation of all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to Veterans;
        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, including the recently expanded Veterans Family Program at all Military Family Resource Centres;
        the end of the time limit for surviving spouses to apply for vocational rehabilitation and assistance services;
        doubled funding to the Last Post Fund;
        improved career transition services to help Veterans gain skills to successfully transition to the civilian workforce;
        the Caregiver Recognition Benefit, paid directly to Veterans’ caregivers;  and
        the new Veteran Emergency Fund and Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund.
    Re-establish lifelong pensions as an option for our injured Veterans, 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.
    Streamline the current suite of benefits with the goal of reducing overlap and administrative burden, and further improving Veterans Affairs Canada staff performance as well as the client experience for Veterans both as they transition to civilian life and as their needs change throughout their lives.  You will also improve transparency and communications so that Veterans and their families have clarity and predictability of available benefits and services.
    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.
    Implement the creation of a centre of excellence in mental health to enhance research and best practices and establish a second centre of excellence based on the area of greatest need.
    Increase the Veteran survivor’s pension amount from 50 percent to 70 percent.
    Eliminate the “marriage after 60” claw-back clause, so that surviving spouses of Veterans receive appropriate pension and health benefits.
    Work with the Minister of National Defence to develop a suicide prevention strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and Veterans.

These priorities draw heavily from our election platform commitments ...

 

[jollyjacktar]

Promises, promises... I'll wait to see how much is implemented.

 

[Rifleman62]

Tony, did you do a word check to compare to Hehr's letter to see if there are any changes. Sentences maybe rearranged and the listing may be changed but the BS probably continues.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Tony, did you do a word check to compare to Hehr's letter to see if there are any changes. Sentences maybe rearranged and the listing may be changed but the BS probably continues.

Good catch - I didn't do a detailed side-by-side, but attached is Hehr's mandate letter, and here's the operative wording from that:

... Veterans and their families have earned our respect and gratitude.  Veterans should not have to fight their own government for the support and compensation they have earned. As Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, your overarching goal will be to ensure that our government lives up to our sacred obligation to veterans and their families. I expect you to ensure that veterans receive the respect, support, care, and economic opportunities they deserve. You will ensure that we honour the service of our veterans and provide new career opportunities, make it easier for veterans to access services – including mental health services – and do more to support the
families of Canada’s veterans. I ask you to work closely with your colleague the Minister of National Defence to ensure a seamless transition for Canadian Forces members to the programs and services of your department.

In particular, I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory, and Cabinet processes, including our first Budget, to deliver on your top priorities:

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 ...

Biggest quick-glance change I can catch is no more procurement stuff on the new associate minister of defence's plate.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Bumping with the latest from CBC.ca -- new VAC minister appears to be Jody Wilson-Raybould ...

Montreal MP David Lametti is Canada's new justice minister, taking over the role from Jody Wilson-Raybould, who has been moved to Veterans Affairs Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is shaking up his inner circle in what's likely to be the last change before Canadians head to the polls later this year. CBC News is carrying the swearing-in live beginning at 8 a.m. ET online, and the swearing-in ceremony began 8:45 a.m. ET at the Governor General's residence at Rideau Hall.

(...)

Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott has been chosen to fill the cabinet vacancy as president of the Treasury Board, and Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O'Regan will replace Philpott ...

Wilson-Raybould bios:  Own web page - Wikipedia

 

[The Bread Guy]

Now official according to the PMO info-machine ...

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced changes to the Ministry and welcomed new members to Cabinet:

    Jane Philpott, currently Minister of Indigenous Services and Vice-Chair of the Treasury Board, becomes President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government.

    Seamus O’Regan, currently Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, becomes Minister of Indigenous Services.

    Jody Wilson-Raybould, currently Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, becomes Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence.

    David Lametti, currently Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, becomes Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

    Bernadette Jordan, currently Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions, becomes Minister of Rural Economic Development ...

 

[Jarnhamar]

Jody Wilson-Raybould did an excellent job supporting bill C-71 aiming at turning lawful gun owners into criminals and all but avoiding talking about gangs and gang violence.

And of course the comments about Gerald Stanley and how the justice system can "do better,” in response to Stanley’s acquittal by a jury with no visibly Indigenous members.

Can't wait to see what she brings to the table for vets 

 

[OldSolduer]

Jody Wilson-Raybould did an excellent job supporting bill C-71 aiming at turning lawful gun owners into criminals and all but avoiding talking about gangs and gang violence.

And of course the comments about Gerald Stanley and how the justice system can "do better,” in response to Stanley’s acquittal by a jury with no visibly Indigenous members.

Can't wait to see what she brings to the table for vets 

And the average Canadian voter could care less what she does.  That asylum is run by the entrenched bureaucracy who don’t seem to want to abide by the intent.

 

[iltis1994]

they keep the swap shop chop going and going so the next person can blame the delays on the previous...or,we are waiting for reports...the entire government combined couldn't organize a 2 car head on collision!

 

[Sprinting Thistle]

Just hope that her transition into VAC won't be as traumatic as the last Minister, you know, being a shock to his system and all...but I guess he did get an insight into what veterans experience when taking off the uniform. 

 

[daftandbarmy]

Jody Wilson-Raybould did an excellent job supporting bill C-71 aiming at turning lawful gun owners into criminals and all but avoiding talking about gangs and gang violence.

And of course the comments about Gerald Stanley and how the justice system can "do better,” in response to Stanley’s acquittal by a jury with no visibly Indigenous members.

Can't wait to see what she brings to the table for vets 

Looks like she's been demoted, and will be hard to deal with. Cain Mutiny II, here we come

"After being removed as justice minister, Wilson-Raybould defends her performance

While Wilson-Raybould did not explain her exit, several cabinet colleagues, political staffers and some public servants have told CBC News they found her difficult to deal with.

Some who spoke on background said she could be dismissive and quick to leap to confrontation when a more constructive approach to policy differences might have been employed."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wilson-raybould-justice-veterans-1.4977782

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=daftandbarmy
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/wilson-raybould-justice-veterans-1.4977782
[/quote]

A source with knowledge of the situation told CBC News that She was offered Indigenous Services but turned it down flat. The source said she sees herself as an expert in the domain but was more interested in the Crown-Indigenous relationship and had no interest in service delivery — so she ended up with service delivery for veterans. [/QUOTE]

Ha.

"As a member of cabinet, I will continue to be directly engaged in advocating for and advancing the fundamental shifts in relations with Indigenous peoples that are required and will continue to work with my colleagues and to ensure my voice is heard," she said.

It sure sounds like veterans will be at the forefront of her efforts.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

She only needs to sit on her duff for a few months until we swing into election mode. She could do nothing and it'd still be better than the last two.

In fact, with just a few months left, I'd rather she do nothing, rather than stir up something and walk away from it when defeated.


She should just concentrate on wait times and delivery. No new tweaks or initiatives.

 

[brihard]

She only needs to sit on her duff for a few months until we swing into election mode. She could do nothing and it'd still be better than the last two.

In fact, with just a few months left, I'd rather she do nothing, rather than stir up something and walk away from it when defeated.


She should just concentrate on wait times and delivery. No new tweaks or initiatives.

Yup. Realistically the department is presently on autopilot under the DM and ADMs/directors. She will soon be into election mode. Everything the Liberals intend to get done in VAC before the election is already well underway. At most she will play foil to the odd VAC question in the House, but that’ll be it. She’s a placeholder in a department that does not rank highly in political importance, sad to say.

 

[Kokanee]

Cabinet members make an additional $80k/year just for breathing air, it would honestly be nice if they just temporarily removed the cabinet post and devoted that money towards hiring more worker bees to process claims etc...

 

[The Bread Guy]

This from CBC.ca ...

P.E.I. MP Lawrence MacAulay will be announced as the new minister of veterans affairs Friday, a senior source has told CBC News ...

Official bio here.

Folks falling in @ Rideau Hall as I type ...

 

[Rifleman62]

Saves TD expenses.

 

[TCM621]

This from CBC.ca ...Official bio here.

Folks falling in @ Rideau Hall as I type ...

He is an Old School Chretien-era Liberal. Fair amount of experience, including Secretary of State for veterans back in 94, but one stands out. He was, at one time Solicitor General but was forced to resign due to an inquiry over conflict of interest. But maybe number 5 is the charm.

 

[brihard]

And per my earlier posts- this is just a new chair warmer. Identity of the minister between now and the election is irrelevant, he won’t possibly have a chance to get particularly gripped onto the portfolio, and there will be no significant new initiatives.

Natynczyk will continue steering the ship (or tank I guess) and after the election, we’ll see what happens and who’s in the seat. Everything VAC is doing for the next eight months that tangibly matters is well underway and entirely in the hands of the bureaucracy.

 

[Rifleman62]

The new Minister did say he was going to travel and "listen" to Veterans.  :rofl: