Megan Hammond As a citizen of the Country of Canada, I was dismayed, outraged and embarrassed that our own ministry of defense, with the backing of the Conservative Government was summarily firing soldiers, months before they became eligible to receive their military pensions. While Minister of Defense, Rob Nicholson stated in the House of Commons, on October 30, 2013 during Question Period; “All and injured Canadian Forces members are provided with physical, mental and occupational therapy services for their eventual transition to civilian life. Members are not released until they are prepared.” Along with the many critics, I remain unconvinced of how honest and forthright this statement is. To the average Canadian, it may, and in fact does seem like the Conservative Government has found a loop hole on which to pinch and save a few million dollars by scheming to take it away from the Canadians who deserve it the most. While the members of the Tory Government continue to play the innocent card, its hard to not notice that many of the soldiers being transitioned to civilian life are ones who are unable to provide the physical aspect of their duty, whether its due to loss of sight, or loss of limb. In fact, as of 2012, nearly 199 of the 1,218 medical releases were shy of the 10 year pension mark. Roughly 16% of the soldiers who were medically released from active duty were shy of the 10 year mark, on which they would have been eligible to receive pensions. Today, the Senate voted to suspend the three senators involved in a spending scandal that left the country feeling sick its stomach. Why is it after stealing from Canadians, lying about stealing from Canadians, do the likes of Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy, and Patrick Brazeau still get to retain their pensions, even while suspended without pay? Why not start by ceasing their pensions to help balance the budget; because lets not kid ourselves, Mr Nicholson; this ridiculous act of selfishness on behalf of the Harper Government is the act of a sinking ship hoping to save itself by tossing off its passengers... Its almost equate able to, say, locking third class passengers in storage until the rich and powerful can get off the ship. That didnt work out for the Titanic, and will not bode well for the Harper Government. The men and women being relieved of duty are asking for help from their countries when they need it the most. These same men and women left their homes, their families and their lives behind when called upon their country to fight in the name of peace and freedom; and upon their return home, some of them after doing three or more tours in Afghanistan, are being kicked to the curb and having funds they have worked tirelessly and feverishly to attain, taken away from them. If I made my living dodging bullets, and trying not to step on land mines in a foreign country where a radical group in power wanted me dead, Id be a little upset.. But then to return home after putting in 9.5 years of service and find out the pension I earned and essentially fought for was being stolen from me; well, Id be more than upset. Are the coffers of the Canadian Government so bare and desolate that in order to balance a National budget, we must take from injured soldiers? Injured soldiers who fought in the name of our country and their Government? I have a rich military history in my family. I also have many friends who for the last 12 years have been overseas fighting the good fight, for a war they never wanted to be part of in the first place; a war Canada was coerced into joining by a morally lacking Republican Government in 2001. Our Military used to be the envy of the world. When England, and France said Vimy Ridge couldnt be taken from the German army, it was the new and young Canadian military who stood up to the task and were successful. It was the Canadian military who had one of the single most successful campaigns during the storming of Normandy during the second world war. The techniques used by the Canadian Army to overpower the German army on Juno Beach is still taught as an exercise in Military Colleges across the country. However, slowly due to cut backs; and the purchasing of other countries sloppy seconds of tanks, fighter jets and air craft carriers, our military lost its luster, and became a bit of joke; however men and women still gave their limbs, and lives in hopes of restoring some of the respect we once commanded on the worlds military stage. Now, with the Governments petty ending of pensions to injured men and women of the Canadian Military, that respect will surely never be restored, by our foreign friends, or from those within our own borders.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 03:54:59 +0000
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