North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney is calling on the federal government to stop "disappointing" Canadian veterans and improve their access to benefits and services.
鈥淔or years, the Liberals have ignored the pleas of veterans who are simply asking to receive basic benefits they deserve for serving our country and risking their lives,鈥� says Blaney in a press release from her office.
鈥淭he federal government continues to make it difficult for veterans to receive and access supports. The Liberals refuse to take the necessary steps to replace the overly bureaucratic system that punishes veterans and their families, with the trauma-informed care service centre that veterans need.鈥�
The call to action comes after Blaney attended the Royal Canadian Legion 2024 Dominion Convention in Saint John, N.B. this week.
The convention's theme, Building our Future on a Foundation of Strength, not only pays tribute to the Legion's past accomplishments but also serves as a rallying cry for the challenges ahead.
Blaney said the Liberals and Conservatives have let veterans down by cutting resources, adding veterans "deserve better."
But Isabelle Arseneau, press secretary with the Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs, disagreed, saying the Liberal government has listened to veterans over the years, and delivered. In an email statement, Arseneau said the Liberal government has made substantial investments since 2015, more than $11 billion, to enhance benefits and support for veterans.
"We've hired more staff to reduce wait times, increased personalized support and keep working to improve services to veterans after the Conservatives made massive cuts to services and the workforce that provides them," wrote Arseneau, commenting on behalf of Ginette Petitpas Taylor, minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada.
The Education and Training Benefit and the new National Veterans Employment Strategy: Service After Service, help veterans reach their educational and career goals, and support them to find rewarding jobs, she said.
Last week, Minister Petitpas Taylor joined veterans for the 2SLGBTQI+ Forum, an annual event the Liberal government created to be a place to hear and respond to the unique challenges facing the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
"Whether it鈥檚 through these supports, or through the Mental Health Benefit, the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund, or the Veteran Homelessness Program, we have and will continue to be there for veterans and their families," Arseneau said.
