Minister in Kelowna to inform veterans — and learn from them
Seamus O’Regan meets with veterans to talk about government services
Canada’s minister of veterans affairs was in Kelowna on Monday to speak with local veterans and answer their questions about government services, and how the government could do better.
Seamus O’Regan hosted a town hall meeting for veterans and their families at the Kelowna branch of the Royal Canadian Legion Monday evening.
O’Regan has held more than 35 town halls across the country since January.
“We let the people dictate what they want to talk about,” O’Regan said. “The biggest goal is to answer questions directly from veterans.”
One of the topics most discussed by veterans at the town hall meetings is the federal government’s Pension for Life program for veterans, he said.
“This is something we ran on three years ago in the (election) campaign, that we would bring back a monthly pension, and we’ve done that.”
While feedback at the town hall meetings is generally respectful, O’Regan said some people do express frustration.
“In the last two years, we’ve made so many changes,” he said. “Even when change is good, sometimes it can throw people a little, and as great as social media can be, it’s not the place to sit down and discuss these things.”
Besides the pension program, O’Regan said he also speaks with veterans about other services, including a new education benefit for veterans.
“After six years of service, a veteran gets $40,000 towards whatever they want to study . . . and after 12 years, they get $80,000,” he said. “There’s been tremendous interest for that.”
Town hall meetings such as the one held in Kelowna last night are not only used to inform veterans and family members about current services available to them, but also to receive feedback on what veterans need, said O’Regan.
One of the areas he has heard about from veterans so far is needing better transition services for people coming out of the Canadian Armed Forces.
“These are things we found out while on the road,” he said.