Veterans Affairs hired 25 injured vets in 10 years

Despite a federal government push to hire former soldiers who were released due to medical issues, Veterans Affairs Canada has only hired 25 of them in the past 10 years.

According to statistics from the Public Service Commission, Veterans Affairs only hired 25 former soldiers who had been medically released in the past decade, and just one in the last two years, as the government was emphasizing the need for such hirings.

Over this 10-year period, the Department of National Defence has hired 838, or almost 71 per cent, of the total of 1,184 injured soldiers now working in the public service, according to the statistics.

Correctional Service Canada is the second-largest employer with 63 such employees, followed by Employment and Social Development Canada with 52. Public Works has hired 28, Fisheries and Oceans 27 and the RCMP 25.

The Conservative government announced in November 2013 that they were pushing for priority hiring in the public service of soldiers who had been medically released from the military. Since they began that initiative, 130 such individuals were hired across the federal government.

On June 30, 2015, Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole announced that all military veterans would now get improved access to public-service jobs.

A spokesperson for O’Toole did not provide comment. A spokesperson for the Conservative Party did not provide comment.

But veterans advocate Sean Bruyea said the low numbers of hirings of injured soldiers, both in Veterans Affairs and across the 250,000-strong public service, show a major gap between the government’s statements about caring for military personnel and its actions.

“We have been told for almost 10 years the government reveres those who have served, but when it comes time to showing that, there hasn’t been much action on the job front,” said Bruyea.

He noted that of the 3,500 employees at Veterans Affairs, only 97, or 2.7 per cent, are veterans.

O’Toole, a military veteran, and former chief of the defence staff Walt Natynczyk, now Veterans Affairs deputy minister, have failed so far in their tenure to hire even one former injured soldier, Bruyea pointed out, citing the PSC numbers.

Asked for comment about criticism over the number of hires at the department, Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Janice Summerby sent an email noting, “Veterans Affairs Canada is committed to helping Veterans and releasing Canadian Armed Forces personnel find meaningful employment to help ensure a successful transition from military to civilian life.”

The email noted the “Department’s employment strategy is designed to support Veterans following their release from the Canadian Armed Forces, who are searching for employment opportunities in the public or private sector.”

“Since July 1, 2011 Veterans Affairs has widened the area of selection to include Canadian Armed Forces Members in all VAC advertised processes and effective August 1, 2011, all advertised processes have included Canadian Armed Forces experience as an asset qualification,” the email added.

The number of military personnel who have had to leave the Canadian Forces has steadily increased, according to statistics from the Department of National Defence.

In 2010-11, 925 military personnel were released for medical reasons.

They were among the 4,673 personnel who left the military during that period. In 2014-2015 that number had climbed to 1,908. Those individuals were among the 5,490 who had left the military.

Some veterans have criticized the Conservatives for their treatment of former military personnel and have advocated voting for any other party in the upcoming election.

Another group, Veterans For The Conservative Party of Canada, was recently formed to counter that view.

The organizer, retired warrant officer Lee Humphrey, said that most who have served in the Canadian military are supportive of the Conservatives.

Those who disagree point to incidents such as that of Afghan veteran Paul Franklin, who lost both legs in a roadside bomb explosion. In February, Franklin said that every year he has to prove to Veterans Affairs that he still has no legs and continues to require a wheelchair.