Dear editor,Although we are being forced into another election, which no one likes, we should take advantage of the opportunity to throw out the Conservative party.Every time I see the ex-prime minister, Mr. Harper, displaying his 鈥渇alse smile鈥� in the media, I can just hear him silently thinking 鈥淚 am doing what I want, and you can鈥檛 do a thing about it.鈥滿r. Harper has no hesitation committing our military resources to theatres of action, but don鈥檛 suffer any injuries, or become permanently disabled, or Heaven forbid 鈥� become a casualty.My particular beef with his government is the implementation of the New Veterans Charter, which screwed every serving and retired military person, as well as the RCMP.When a lot of noise was made with the displeasure of the new charter, the government hired a retired colonel, who was appointed as veterans ombudsman.Col. Stogran unearthed several problems with the New Veterans Charter, which he tried to rectify. He also uncovered many discrepancies with the implementation and inequities in the application of the new charter.When the ombudsman got too close to the ex-prime minister鈥檚 collar, he was unceremoniously fired from his position.When a vote on the clawback of pensions of retired members, on reaching age 65, was taken in the House of Commons, Mr. Harper鈥檚 lapdog, Mr. Duncan, sided with the Conservatives.When some of us veterans demonstrated for abolition of the clawback in front of the Westerly Hotel, where he held a function, he didn鈥檛 even have the courtesy to come out and address the veterans who were protesting.He should be more interested in representing his constituents in the Comox Valley, where the majority of them have ties to the military and RCMP in one way or another.This election is our opportunity to show Mr. Duncan that we are not pleased with his representation.I am not affiliated with any political party, and I really don鈥檛 care who of the other representatives you vote for. I would just like to see a representative who will in fact represent us.H.H. (Ike) Euteneier,Comox
