VAC Spending/Downsizing (merged)

[blackberet17]

Gosh, the First World War Vets are gone, the Second World War Vets (1 million + served) as well as the Korean Vets (26,000 served) are near the end, VAC biggest "Clients" base, and 40,000 served in Afghanistan. Plus Peasekeeping.

I ask again: How many Public Servants does it take to repeatably say NO on a form letter?

That would be Adjudicators. They are a different bag from the Case Managers and Client Service Agents, which are the subject of the job posting.

 

[Rifleman62]

I was speaking of VAC as a whole.

If your "Clientele" has declined due to case load, your admin is eased due computers, etc, you don't need as many Clerks, Adjudicators, Case Managers, Client Service Agents, Managers et al let alone that useless piece of self promotion "Salute".

Salute to whom, VAC? How much does that cost per year?

Salute!
Veterans Affairs Canada: Proudly Serving Canada's Veteran Community

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/news/salute

Rubbish.


blackberet17, answering: How many Public Servants does it take to repeatably say NO on a form letter?

That would be Adjudicators.

Implied consent that is the job of the Adjudicators!

 

[Remius]

your admin is eased due to computers,

:rofl:

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Now any idiot can create a form and build an empire around it to protect almighty form. Whether the form is needed, redundant or wanted is immaterial. the form and process must live on! 

 

[Tibbson]

The more I work towards retirement and the more I work to get various issues dealt with the less and less I want to retire.  My wife can't understand that and I know it may not make sense but I just don't have any stomach left to start a whole new round of fights and struggles.  Those issues are what is making me want to retire in the first place, not prep for Round 2.

 

[Teager]

OTTAWA — The Harper government’s road map to this year’s federal budget suggests it is prepared to pour more money into programs and services for the country’s veterans, while largely holding the line on defence spending.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement released the 2015-16 spending estimates on Tuesday, even though it’s unclear when the budget will be tabled.

The Conservative government’s final fiscal plan before this year’s election was postponed until at least April by Finance Minister Joe Oliver, who said he needed the time to assess the impact of collapsing oil prices.

The government has been under mounting political pressure to improve the suite of benefits and entitlements for ex-soldiers.


The estimates, which are not the final word on the budget, project modest increases in the amount spent on disability awards and supplementary benefits.
Despite that, overall spending at Veterans Affairs is expected to decline by 1.5% — or $54 million next year, something federal officials attribute to the declining number of Second World War and Korean War veterans.

Veterans Affairs Canada spends just over $3.5 billion per year.

Over at National Defence, another politically-charged portfolio, spending is expected to increase by 1.5% — $280 million — in the coming year, bringing the military budget to $18.9 billion.

Officials say they will be saving $709.2 million in capital costs, some of which is likely related to the cancellation of the army’s plans for a close-combat vehicle and delays in acquiring maritime helicopters for the air force.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2015/02/25/early-spending-estimates-suggest-more-money-for-canadian-veterans-though-not-for-defence-spending/

 

[Rifleman62]

What about the morale of Veterans who have suffered from VAC deny, deny, etc, etc ?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/veterans-affairs-morale-plunged-alongside-staffing-levels-survey-1.2982470


Veterans Affairs morale plunged alongside staffing levels: survey
'It's just another indication of how deep this government has cut and the effect it has had': Liberal critic

By Murray Brewster, The Canadian Press Posted: Last Updated: Mar 05, 2015 10:28 AM ET

The latest survey of Veterans Affairs employees shows that the number of staff who say the quality of their work has suffered has more than doubled since 2008.

The latest survey of Veterans Affairs employees shows that the number of staff who say the quality of their work has suffered has more than doubled since 2008. (Jason Franson/Canadian Press)

The most recent survey of federal employees shows Veterans Affairs Canada is an increasingly unhappy place with plunging morale and a frazzled workforce.

The evaluation, published by Statistics Canada for the federal Treasury Board, asks dozens of questions on topics ranging from satisfaction with equipment to workplace harassment.

It shows that the number of staff who say the quality of their work has suffered — either because of fewer resources or a lack of departmental stability — has more than doubled since 2008.

That level of dissatisfaction is between 1.5 and two times the rate of the overall federal civil service.

And the surveys, conducted every three years since 2008, show a steady decline in employee satisfaction that appears to mirror Conservative job cuts at Veterans Affairs that began in 2011.

There's a clear connection between the two, said Liberal veterans critic Frank Valeriote — especially since the surveys also broadly track the size of the department through the survey response rate.

"It's just another indication of how deep this government has cut and the effect it has had," Valeriote said.
Steps taken to address concerns: department

The department recognizes the results of the survey and has already taken steps to address the concerns in areas of workload, communication and training, said Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Janice Summerby.

"Senior management is committed to increasing consulting with staff members and taking action so that service excellence for veterans remains paramount," Summerby said.

The survey also found 86 per cent of Veterans Affairs staff were proud of the work that they do, she added.

That may well be, Valeriote acknowledged, but clearly service has suffered, judging from the number of anecdotal complaints from veterans, he said.

Federal government performance reports released last year show that between 2009 and 2014, Veterans Affairs eliminated 897 positions across the department, with 33 per cent of those cuts coming in the section that administers pensions and awards.

The auditor general complained last fall that the department was taking too long to answer and decide on the applications of soldiers who applied for mental health support.
Services for vets 'dramatically affected' by cuts: Liberal MP

The Harper government insists it has only eliminated "backroom administration" and that service has not suffered.

Figures tabled in the House of Commons at the end of January show that 205,213 military and RCMP veterans sought federal assistance in 2014, a decrease of seven per cent from 2006.

That alone is sufficient justification for cuts to the workforce, the government has said in the past.

The workforce survey simply adds to the growing body of evidence that the cuts have gone too far and are impacting the quality of service provided to ex-soldiers, Valeriote said.

"We've got veterans complaining. We've got an auditor general saying it's taking too long to process claims," he said.

"The data is telling you that the front line has been cut, drastically. It is clear that the ability of Veterans Affairs to provide the services our veterans require has been dramatically affected."

The embattled department late last year posted notices saying they were looking to hire dozens of new front-line staff across the country who are willing to start work "as soon as possible."

 

[ixium]

I put in a claim for an injury and had to wait 29 weeks for an answer. This was after waiting about 6-8 weeks for the medical file to get to VAC (the main building I assume)

Now I have to deal with a branch of VAC and after all that waiting and they came up with that they want one of their doctors to access the injury, but that I'd have to wait for them to request the medical documents again before they even wanted to book my medical appointment. They wanted me to wait an additional 6-8 weeks for the paperwork again.

She couldn't explain why they aren't in a place that is accessible by anyone handling the case.

That is why this system is messed up, everywhere is run like it is a separate entity

 

[Rifleman62]

Make a complaint. You already have the basics of your complaint, just flesh it out a bit more with as much detail as you can think of.

Please WRITE to your MP with the same info as you will do for the following:

http://www.ombudsman-veterans.gc.ca/eng/complaint

Submit a Complaint – Overview

If you are a client of Veterans Affairs and you feel you have been treated unfairly, or you would like information about how to solve a problem, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is here to help.

Please note that you must try to have the problem solved using one of the various ways offered by Veterans Affairs before coming to our Office.

For more information on your right to complain, please see the Ombudsman mandate, which is part of the Order in Council.

Four Ways to Submit a Complaint

You can submit a complaint by telephone, mail or fax using the information provided below, or you can file your complaint online by following the easy steps on this Web site.

Note: Please submit each complaint only ONCE to avoid duplication and confusion.

1. Telephone

Toll-free telephone:
    1-877-330-4343
Outside of Canada, call collect:
    902-626-2919
Office hours:
    Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Atlantic time)

Note: Please leave a message if you call outside of office hours. An Ombudsman Service Representative will call you back on the next business day.

2. Mail

Print a blank complaint form, fill it out and mail it to the address below:

Print Blank Complaint Form PDF version [Help] (approximately 80 KB - opens a new window)

Office of the Veterans Ombudsman
P.O. Box 66
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
C1A 7K2

3. Fax

Print a blank complaint form, fill it out and fax it to one of the numbers below:

Print Blank Complaint Form PDF version [Help] (approximately 80 KB - opens a new window)

Local:
    902-566-7582
Toll-free:
    1-888-566-7582

4. Online

Follow the four easy steps below to submit your complaint using our secure online system. Once you get to Step 2 you will have approximately ONE HOUR to complete the form before it times out. If the form does time out, you will have to go back to Step 1.

 

[McG]

It looks like staffing levels will be going partially back up.  100 new caseworker positions are to be created.  While the growth will be much less than the cuts were, the union seems to be endorsing the number but worries that action will be dragged-out to make itan election issue.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-to-restore-100-front-line-case-workers-for-veterans/article23909999/

 

[blackberet17]

My thoughts as well, MCG.

Due to the downsizing being rather...unrefined...and indiscriminate...cuts were made in areas where improvements were required instead.

Hopefully, most of the positions can be filled by those who were let go. Otherwise, training time will be needed for the new folks.

 

[McG]

More confirmation that downsizing at VAC directly contributed to reduced support for veterans.  This time, the source is from the department itself.  The numbers show things got even slower through 14/15 FY.

Staffing cuts at Veterans Affairs hit frontline service
Lee Berthiaume
Ottawa Citizen
03 Jul 2015

Injured ex-soldiers are being forced to wait longer for support from the government as the number of employees working at Veterans Affairs Canada has fallen to levels not seen since before the war in Afghanistan.

The revelation is contained in internal briefing notes for Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole, poking holes in the Conservative government’s assertions that recent budget cuts and layoffs at the department have not affected frontline service.

Veterans Affairs Canada spokeswoman Janice Summerby said the department will hire more than 100 new disability benefits staff, “both temporary and permanent, to help ensure veterans receive faster decisions on disability benefit applications.

“Hiring additional disability benefit employees means better and faster support for military veterans, Canadian Armed Forces serving members and their families at all stages of the disability benefits application process,” she said.

But critics say the documents prove the government cut too far and too deep at Veterans Affairs, while the new hires are a drop in the bucket of what’s needed.

“The layoffs have had a detrimental impact,” said NDP veterans affairs critic Peter Stoffer. “They’re scrambling to rehire people now, but you need a lot more people than that.”

The briefing notes obtained by the Citizen through the access to information law were prepared for O’Toole upon his appointment as veterans affairs minister in January. They provide a historic look at staffing levels within the department, as well as where recent cuts have been made.

According one to briefing book, the number of people working at Veterans Affairs shrank 21 per cent from a high of 3,904 in 2008-09 to 3,085 in 2013-14 as the government cut spending to balance the federal budget. That left the department with its smallest workforce since 1998-99, when it had 3,037 employees.

The same book showed that between 2011 and 2014, the number of “service delivery” employees was cut from 1,890 to 1,352, a decline of more than 28 per cent. In fact, of the 668 positions eliminated during that time period, more than 80 per cent were classified as “service delivery.”

Meanwhile, O’Toole was warned in another document that hundreds of injured veterans were being forced to wait more than four months to hear whether they qualified for disability benefits as the applications were being processed slower than the previous year.

The note said 68 per cent of applications received between April and December 2014 had been processed within the department’s 16-week target, as opposed to 83 per cent the previous year. Veterans Affairs was also only on track to process about 12,000 applications during the fiscal year, down from 16,000 in 2013-14.

Officials blamed a “convergence of operational challenges,” including delays obtaining records from National Defence and more priority applications. They also cited “the learning curve associated with digitizing our processes” and a new requirement to call veterans for additional evidence before rejecting any claim.

That new requirement appears to have coincided with an eight per cent increase in the number of applications approved from the previous year. But critics said that didn’t balance out the fact hundreds more injured veterans are having to wait unacceptably long periods of time before receiving support.

“The processing is going down because there are fewer people to do the processing,” said Liberal veterans affairs critic Frank Valeriote. “They cut Veterans Affairs to have money to spend during an election year to pander for votes.”

Veterans issues are shaping up to be a ballot box question for some Canadians heading into the October election. O’Toole has made a series of announcements since January in response to sharp criticism over the government’s treatment of former military personnel.  However, he has not said when the 100 new staff will be hired.

Changes in Veterans Affairs staffing

3,753: Total positions on March 31, 2011

3,085: Total positions on March 31, 2014

668: Total positions eliminated

17.7: Percentage of positions eliminated

1,890: Service delivery positions on March 31, 2011

1,352: Service delivery positions on March 31, 2014

538: Service delivery positions eliminated

28.4: Percentage of service delivery positions eliminated

236: Policy, communication and commemoration positions on March 31, 2011

234: Policy, communication and commemoration positions on March 31, 2014

2: Policy, communication and commemoration positions eliminated

1: Percentage of policy, communication and commemoration positions eliminated

— Veterans Affairs Canada

Disability applications

180,881: Veterans receiving either a disability pension or disability award

$2 billion: Disability benefit expenditures in fiscal year 2013-14

16,758: Disability applications processed in fiscal year 2013-14

9,757: Disability applications processed in first nine months of fiscal year 2014-15

2,820: Applications at head office awaiting adjudication on Dec. 31, 2014

1,151: Number that had been at head office less than 16 weeks

1,669: Number that had been at head office longer than 16 weeks

83: Percentage of applications processed within 16 weeks in fiscal 2013-14

68: Percentage of application processed within 16 weeks during first nine months of fiscal year 2014-15

71: Percentage of disability applications approved in fiscal year 2013-14

79: Percentage of disability applications approved in fiscal year 2014-15

* The federal government’s fiscal year runs from April 1 to March 31.

— Veterans Affairs Canada

http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/staffing-cuts-at-veterans-affairs-hit-frontline-service

 

[The Bread Guy]

Funny how vets were supposed to get continued great service via staff cuts, but all of a sudden, now there's a need to add staff - this via the Info-machine:

• "Government of Canada confirms (83) new hires to support Veterans in Ontario (by March 2016)"
• "Government of Canada hires (43) new staff to support Veterans in Québec (by March 2016)"
• "Government of Canada hires (30) new staff to support Veterans in Western Canada (by March 2016)"

You'd think there was an election coming, or something ....

 

[blackberet17]

This is in addition to the announcement made two weeks ago of "new" positions at Head Office in Charlottetown:

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/News/Local/2015-07-16/article-4216812/VAC-headquarters-in-Charlotttetown-bolsters-staff-numbers/1

And the promise of cutting down on the paperwork:

http://news.gc.ca/web/article-en.do?nid=1008349

 

[The Bread Guy]

The promise:

To restore access to the support that veterans are due, we will re-open the nine Veterans Affairs service offices closed by Stephen Harper, and will fully implement all of the Auditor General’s recommendations on enhancing mental health service delivery to veterans.

The details, once the Minister's been briefed:

While the Liberal government will re-open nine veterans affairs offices that were closed under the previous Conservative government, the offices might not be in the same locations, according to newly named Minister of Veterans Affairs Kent Hehr.

"We're going to look to where [the offices] do the most good for the most people," Hehr said Wednesday in an interview with Rosemary Barton on CBC News Network's Power & Politics.

"It might not be the same exact nine. If we're going to find areas in this country where more veterans are now settling, why wouldn't we take the opportunity to move those veteran support centres there?"

(....)

The nine offices closed by the Conservatives in an effort to cut costs were in Kelowna, B.C., Prince George, B.C., Saskatoon, Brandon, Man., Thunder Bay, Ont., Windsor, Ont., Sydney, N.S., Charlottetown and Corner Brook, N.L.

"We're going to ensure veterans have the supports they need with the opening of many new veterans affairs offices, and put them in the places where they're most utilized," Hehr said ....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Charlottetown and Sydney seem like no-brainers.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Parochial as I may seem, Thunder Bay not only serves the city but neighbouring communities as well - besides, we have a cabinet minister @ the table (even if she serves under the "leadership" of another cabinet minister)  ;D

It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds now.

 

[blackberet17]

Charlottetown and Sydney seem like no-brainers.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/veterans-affairs-canada-charlottetown-jobs-announced-1.3158102

With the hiring of a Case Manager psn at the Charlottetown head office, the district office has essentially been reopened...just shy of an actual physical space, anyway, at this time.

 

[Fishbone Jones]

I'd like to see the office re-open in Windsor, but I'm not holding my breathe. Once again, as with provincially, the union driven vote turned the whole county NDP orange. We have no seat at either table now. :

On another note, the Trudeau Liberals campaigned on re-opening offices. They gave the sole outward impression that it would be those that were closed. Once elected, they are starting to show that was never the intention. And so, we can expect to see the vacuous, niggardly and contradictory details in the rest of their promises.

 

[The Bread Guy]

I'd like to see the office re-open in Windsor, but I'm not holding my breathe ....

Here you go, then ....

Windsor will have a veterans affairs office once again.

Veterans Affairs Canada spokeswoman Kate Murphy says Windsor is one of nine locations set to reopen, as promised in the Minister of Veterans Affairs' mandate letter.

The letter to Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promises to "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." ....

.... the Trudeau Liberals campaigned on re-opening offices. They gave the sole outward impression that it would be those that were closed. Once elected, they are starting to show that was never the intention. And so, we can expect to see the vacuous, niggardly and contradictory details in the rest of their promises.

Well, the bureaucrats may have spoken, but it is there in the mandate letter - bullet #8:

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.