Liberals restore life pensions for veterans
But minister says move won’t please everyone
The Liberal government has unveiled its pensions-for-life plan for injured veterans, boosting compensation for those hurt while in military service even as it acknowledges that not all will be happy with the new program.
The scheme would reintroduce monthly non- taxable payments to replace the lump-sum benefit brought in for veterans in 2006. It also includes other new benefits that Veterans Affairs Minister Seamus O’Regan says will significantly expand compensation for injured military personnel.
“This is a real change to the support they receive,” he said in making the announcement Wednesday.
During the 2015 election, the Liberals promised to reestablish lifelong pensions as an option for veterans injured in the line of duty.
The pension- for- life plan offers veterans tax-free financial compensation with the choice of monthly payments for life to recognize pain and suffering caused by servicerelated disabilities, O’Regan said. A maximum monthly amount of $ 2,650 will be paid to the most severely disabled. Support for spouses will move from 50 per cent of the existing benefit to 70 per cent, and the government is making additional changes to survivor benefits.
Six different income support programs will be consolidated into a single financial benefit to make it easier to access Veterans Affairs services.
“We will do a great deal more to simplify the system,” O’Regan said.
Assessments for each veteran would be different, but senior officials with Veterans Affairs Canada pointed to a scenario where, under the new system, a 25- year- old veteran who served five years and was assessed as having a 100 per cent disability would receive $3.9 million over his or her lifetime. Under the previous pension system, the total would be $3.6 million.
“Our plan gives you more,” O’Regan said.
“Anybody who is receiving compensation under the new veterans charter, I guarantee you will not be receiving less under this program.”
But he acknowledged that not all veterans will be happy. With this plan the government is also concentrating on the most severely injured, who are a minority of veterans.