Veterans of Canada Founder Sends E-Mail to MPs on SISIP Decision

The Service Income Security Insurance Plan (Canadian Forces) is a plan to cover servicemen that become disabled during their service for Canada.  A Federal court recently ruled that those Canadian Forces members that have been injured seriously enough to force their release from the military, would no longer be required to have their pain and suffering payments dedcucted from their disability income.  

The Canadian Veterans community, based on the gouvernments past record, is rightly concerned that the federal gouvernment will appeal this decision.  The letter below is a  copy of an e-mail send to Members of Parliament to urge them not to appeal the decision.  

It also urges that MPs advocate for an independent commission of inquiry into disabilities and circumstance of released members of the Canadian Forces.  

Thursday May 10, 2012


House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6


Dear Member of Parliament


May 1, 2012, The Federal Court ruled that those Canadian Forces (CF) members injured seriously enough to force their release from the forces must no longer have their pain and suffering payments deducted from their modest long term disability income. This ruling marked a milestone in Canada’s renewed commitment to its more than 1.5 million serving and retired CF members and their families.



The Federal Court ruling affects approximately 4,500 permanently 
disabled CF members — members who are no longer able to be employed in the CF. According to the Federal Court, the practice of making the deduction is patently unfair. Veterans of Canada.ca, the largest social networking Veterans Community in Canada, supports the ruling and strongly urges that the government
not appeal this decision by Justice Barnes.


Both Parliamentary Standing Committees on National Defence and Veterans Affairs unanimously recommended the immediate ceasing of the deductions of pain and suffering payments from long term disability payments and that the recommendation be enacted “forthwith”. That was 2003, sadly, the deduction practice continues.



Meanwhile, the unrecognized potential of Canada’s most disabled CF members languishes under the discriminatory practice of what the DND Ombudsman soundly condemned as “profoundly unfair” deductions.



Government has repeatedly justified its avoidance to remedy the problem by saying the matter was before the courts. It is no longer before the courts. The justice system has ruled loudly on the side of a population of highly marginalized individuals and their overburdened families. To appeal the Federal Court decision would send long-lasting, less-than-positive reverberations affecting the morale of not just serving and retired members.


VeteransofCanada.ca firmly also believes that an independent Commission of Inquiry into the current circumstances of injured and released CF members is the most dignified manner in which to resolve the current plethora of negative press that has been plaguing the realm of Veterans Affairs. Such a commission would offer a broader forum to rebuild much broken trust with the disabled serving and retired CF members.


CF members go to war, die or suffer lifetime disabilities at the orders of elected governments. Their sacrifice is irreparably trivialized and tarnished when cruel policies subject disabled soldiers to discrimination, humiliation and injustice through a compromised livelihood that touches them physically, mentally and financially. This is, sadly, the enduring effect of the unfair and, now, illegal deductions to disabled soldiers on long term disability income.



We urge you to advocate for an independent Commission of Inquiry. We also urge you, as an elected member of this government, to not appeal this commendable Federal Court ruling. Our many members urge you to right the so many wrongs, we demand you act now!.


Respectfully,




Donald J. Leonardo CD.
Veteran | Founder | Chief Executive Officer

VeteransofCanada.ca

don@veteransofcanada.ca



Veterans of Canada Website 


VeteransofCanada.ca | PO Box 10002 STN MAIN | Airdrie, AB T4A 0H4
Telephone: (403) 980-4376 | Toll free: 888-210-HERO (4376)