On November 11th we commemorate Remembrance Day by reflecting on the
sacrifices made by those who have served and the many that have lost
their lives. The horrors of war leave numerous veterans with physical
disabilities, mental health issues and emotional wounds, which impact on
family and entire communities.
There are hundreds of thousands of veterans, including those from World
War II, the Korean War, RCMP, peacekeeping forces and the current war in
Afghanistan. Exposure and stress caused by conflict leads many veterans
to require financial and medical assistance upon their return home. PSAC
members, who work at Veterans Affairs Canada, help with counselling,
delivering benefits and providing support to veterans.
The Conservative Government’s austerity measures have included cuts
of $226 million from Veterans Affairs Canada’s budget, leading to a
decline in staffing levels. The difficulty in accessing veterans’
benefits is already being felt. Difficulty in accessing programs and
losing face to face support has left many veterans vulnerable.
PSAC stands in solidarity with veterans to fight against cuts to their
benefits and services. Please contact your local Member of Parliament
and urge them to support our veterans by improving their benefits and
services.
http://www.parl.gc.ca/
Also, remember to attend a Remembrance Day service in your community to
honour our veterans. You can find a full listing of events here:
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/
In Solidarity,
Sharon DeSousa
Regional Executive Vice-President, Ontario
Public Service Alliance of Canada
