Rick Mercer Fights Back!

[Privateer]

Necro-thread revived for a current Rick Mercer "rant" on cuts to Veterans Affairs:

http://youtu.be/0DsJ8IhWO7w

 

[George Wallace]

Even Rick Mercer fixates on WW II and Korea Vets, no mention of recent.

 

[Privateer]

I think that the emphasis on the older generation is supposed to highlight the absurdity of pretending that such things as iPhone apps are a substitute for in-person assistance.

 

[Edward Campbell]

Cuts to bureaucrats are not the problem: the New Veterans' Charter is the problem. I will repeat what I have said before, veterans' benefits were generous, maybe too generous, but changing the system to one which is downright niggardly, while we had troops in combat, as the Liberal  government did in 2006, was beyond mean spirited - it was immoral.

As Rick Mercer points out there are only 100,000+ of the 1,000,000 veterans who were around 60 years ago, circa 1953, so cuts to the bureaucracy are not just possible, they are past due and automated services and "apps" are appropriate for young veterans. He's trying to cash in on November 11th: shame on him.

 

[Navy_Pete]

So because I'm younger I get to use an app instead of talking to a real person?  That's a bit asinine.  I don't think that a few regional offices in populated areas is too much to ask.  We could fund them by cutting one MP, their office and staff.  Or they could stop advertising about all the good the financial action plan is doing and use it to actually accomplish things.

 

[PPCLI Guy]

I don't think that a few regional offices in populated areas is too much to ask.  We could fund them by cutting one MP, their office and staff.  Or they could stop advertising about all the good the financial action plan is doing and use it to actually accomplish things.

How about we fund them by NOT buying the F35?  Or the CCV?  Or by eliminating the 20 or so Res Inf Bn HQs that are looking after mere platoons of soldiers?

 

[pbi]

Gee..and here I thought the Tories were in our corner. Learn somethin' new every day.

 

[Navy_Pete]

How about we fund them by NOT buying the F35?  Or the CCV?  Or by eliminating the 20 or so Res Inf Bn HQs that are looking after mere platoons of soldiers?

And maybe AOPs while we're at it?  That way it's a tri service questionable capitol procurement cancellation effort.

Still, if they want to find immediate cost savings, cutting the very generous allowances for MPs as well as trimming the numbers in parliment would be a good 'lead by example' story, plus they have some kind of ridiculous annual operating budget north of $500 M.

 

[jollyjacktar]

Even Rick Mercer fixates on WW II and Korea Vets, no mention of recent.

The sound bite that I heard last night was all about our present serving and Afghan vets who are getting the boot before pension elegibility.  The only mention of the First World War soldiers  was the comment from Borden to the Troops on the eve of Vimy Ridge and saying that they had the compact and they would not let us down.  Rick say's now they have.

I heard nothing in his rant I could disagree with.  Mind you, I was listening on the radio and it may  not have been the full rant but I doubt it.  It was fairly long.

 

[George Wallace]

Still, if they want to find immediate cost savings, cutting the very generous allowances for MPs as well as trimming the numbers in parliment would be a good 'lead by example' story, plus they have some kind of ridiculous annual operating budget north of $500 M.

Have you ever heard of any politician voting himself/herself out of a job?  Or even a cut in pay or benefits? 

 

[OldTanker]

If the real issue Mercer is addressing is the lack of accessibility to VA services, then I totally support his rant. Several years ago I had to assist my father (a WWII vet) in dealing with VA, something he had never had to do previously. It was also my first time dealing with VA and I was left with the distinct impression that their strategy was to make it so difficult to contact them that the old(er) vets would simply give up and eventually die. In our case, in pure frustration I approached my Member of Parliament who was able to resolve the issue in a matter of days. If my father had not had someone to assist him, he would have just given up and missed out on something he was totally entitled to. And please don't suggest turning to the Legion, they were not at all helpful. I appreciate Edward's perspective that a dwindling client base should result in a reduced bureaucracy but I think VA is obliged to maintain their focus on personal customer service, particularly as the remaining WWII and Korea vets approach the end. Now is not the time to cheap-out on them. I can accept a different approach (websites, apps) in dealing with veterans of my vintage (Cold War) and younger but again the bottom-line has to remain providing first-class customer service. We deserve it.

 

[dcs]

Although not for a lack of effort on the part of RMC cadets, Rick Mercer's name has not moved forward to receive an honorary degree.
Regrettably similar for Don Cherry, who took the high road to avoid any conflict or focus he felt not appropriate. 

Having just read his response, I truly hope that he will finally receive the consideration he deserves, and the graduating future leaders of the military desire.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Cuts to bureaucrats are not the problem: the New Veterans' Charter is the problem. I will repeat what I have said before, veterans' benefits were generous, maybe too generous, but changing the system to one which is downright niggardly, while we had troops in combat, as the Liberal  government did in 2006 with unanimous, all-party approval in both the House of Commons and the Senate, was beyond mean spirited - it was immoral.

One add-on as a reminder to everyone.  Still, agree with orange bit 100%.

 

[Edward Campbell]

One add-on as a reminder to everyone.  Still, agree with orange bit 100%.

Quite right, milnews.ca; there is plenty of blame to go 'round. At the recent CPC Convention Prime Minister Harper proclaimed himself, and his party, to still be outsiders in Ottawa and that may be, partially, true, but they are, also, captives of the bureaucracy. From the time they took power, as a minority, in 2006 they wanted to contain spending and cut taxes. The New Veterans' Charter is, above all, a cost containment programme so it is not surprising that Conservatives supported it. But they, like the Liberals and the NDP, ignored the moral aspect, and they're still doing that because balancing the budget by 2015 is, now, their political holy grail.

I have said, more than once, that the benefits veterans voted for themselves in the 1920s, the late 1940s and the mid 1950s were, in economic terms, too generous: but 1 in 12 Canadians put on a uniform in 1939-45 so it is not surprising that they and their friends and relations "thanked" them, using the public purse to do so.

Some Conservatives, including some CPC MPs I think, see benefits, especially public benefits and entitlements as a serious problem ~ and not just an economic problem but a social problem, too. Their theory is that such public benefits and entitlements create a culture of dependence that saps the innovative spirit of the population plus, of course, entitlements seem to never end ~ except for veterans' benefits ~ so they are only too happy to believe the senior civil servants in Charlottetown who tell them that the complaints come from only a tiny handful of malcontents who will never be satisfied with anything.

 

[George Wallace]

Some Conservatives, including some CPC MPs I think, see benefits, especially public benefits and entitlements as a serious problem ~ and not just an economic problem but a social problem, too. Their theory is that such public benefits and entitlements create a culture of dependence that saps the innovative spirit of the population plus, of course, entitlements seem to never end ~ except for veterans' benefits ~ so they are only too happy to believe the senior civil servants in Charlottetown who tell them that the complaints come from only a tiny handful of malcontents who will never be satisfied with anything.

Unfortunately, when we look at "What is good for the goose, is good for the gander", we are not seeing that.  Unless our politicians start applying the same economic reforms to their salaries and benefits as they apply to the Public Service, RCMP, CAF and others under their control, we will not see that culture change.

 

[Privateer]

More from Rick Mercer, on (what he states is) the injustice of injured, serving CF members being discharged on account of combat injuries shortly before they are eligible to receive their pensions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R79U0PGpxDM&feature=share&list=UUt3Ag7rdgR6mtzOMEhd_v6g

 

[vonGarvin]

I personally think that Rick Mercer is an arrogant person who is exploiting the fact that it's soon to be Remembrance Day, and on a normal day doesn't give a fiddler's hooey over any CAF members.  I think that his agenda is more Anti-Harper than Pro CAF.


:2c:


Edit to add:

I didn't see this earlier.  I agree:

He's trying to cash in on November 11th: shame on him.

 

[Pusser]

I personally think that Rick Mercer is an arrogant person who is exploiting the fact that it's soon to be Remembrance Day, and on a normal day doesn't give a fiddler's hooey over any CAF members.  I think that his agenda is more Anti-Harper than Pro CAF.


:2c:

I don't think that's a completely fair statement.  I've always seen Rick Mercer as a pretty stand-up guy (notwithstanding that he's actually quite short) and a good supporter of the CF.  Even back in the Decade of Darkness, I remember one of his rants where he came out very strongly in support of the CF and said what great things we were doing.  We were still under the shadow of the Somalia debacle at the time, so he was supporting the troops when it wasn't cool to do so.  The conclusion of his rant was that we deserved a pay raise (our pay was frozen at the time).  I've also been led to believe that one of the reasons he left This Hour Has 22 Minutes, was his disagreements with Mary Walsh over the issue.

 

[pbi]

I personally think that Rick Mercer is an arrogant person who is exploiting the fact that it's soon to be Remembrance Day, and on a normal day doesn't give a fiddler's hooey over any CAF members.  I think that his agenda is more Anti-Harper than Pro CAF.

I disagree. Rick Mercer has a long track record of association with, and support for, the CAF. This is not just "flavour of the month" for him. If a person of his stature is willing to stand up for vets, good on him. We should encourage him.

 

[Edward Campbell]

I don't know Rick Mercer and I don't know much about him. But he's in business, and his business involves staying in the public eye with timely and somewhat controversial rants. He's good at his business and this rant, in my opinion, is just business.