Dignity for veterans

Re: “Duty to serve,” Editorial, Aug. 6. Several articles have been printed recently regarding Canada’s duty to its veterans. I can’t believe the public is not outraged that the government feels it has no sacred or moral obligation to our soldiers.

In April 2006, the government replaced the military pension act with the new veterans charter. The old act provided lifetime pensions to injured veterans; the new charter provides a paltry lump-sum payment. This change insults those who have risked their lives for their country.

Federal lawyers asked a judge to dismiss a class-action lawsuit filed in British Columbia by injured Afghanistan war veterans, arguing the government owes these vets nothing more than what it has provided under the controversial new charter. The lawyers even likened the injured soldiers to welfare recipients.

The lump-sum payments under the new veterans charter are less than what workers’ compensation would have awarded for a similar injury incurred on the job.

My husband lost both his legs above the knee and suffered other devastating injuries in Afghanistan. We had to use all our retirement savings and an inheritance to build our new wheelchairaccessible house. The lump sum my husband received through the new charter barely covered the purchase of the land for our new house.

I know of another injured soldier who had to approach charities for help in building a wheelchair-accessible house.

We need Canadians’ support to force the government to ensure injured soldiers can live the rest of their lives in dignity.