After laying a wreath at the cenotaph and visiting Legion halls yesterday, I read a letter delivered anonymously to my office. The envelope read, “From the son of a WWII veteran who died of his wounds August 8th, 1971.” It began with some words from John F. Kennedy, himself a veteran wounded in the Pacific in 1943: “Without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men have lived.” The letter tells the story of the author’s father, another veteran of that war. He lived in constant pain: the scars of 3rd degree burns covered much of his body, breathing was hard, and one arm was fixed at right angle. He had, he told his son, undergone 51 various operations. Still, he worked as an elevator operator, raising a small family and struggling without support to carry a burden that would be added to psychiatric manuals nine years after his death as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The letter ended with a simple plea, handwritten in large block letters, “Please fight for veterans.” Veterans and their families should never have to fight to get the benefits and services to which they are entitled. We know that urgent action is needed. 178 Canadians soldiers have committed suicide since the mission in Afghanistan began a decade ago. Nearly half of veterans with total permanent disability cannot access the Permanent Impairment Allowance, and many more receive the lowest possible amount. 40,000 soldiers have returned after serving in Afghanistan and veterans’ needs are on the rise, yet nine regional Veterans Affairs offices have been closed and more than quarter of all staff cut since 2008. Current and retired members of the Armed Forces and the RCMP deserve our gratitude, our respect, and our support. Remembrance Day is a time for reflection, and also a time to rededicate ourselves to our task: serving our veterans and their families as well as they served us. My statement on Remembrance Day: youtu.be/RvZmIG3xK5o
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:27:25 +0000
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