‘Revolving door’ of ministers sparks worry
Advocates fear veterans’ concerns lost in shuffle
OTTAWA— In the political controversy engulfing Justin Trudeau’s government, advocates fear that the revolving door atop the veterans affairs department means veterans and their priorities are getting short shrift. Jody Wilson-Raybould on Tuesday announced her resignation from cabinet after serving barely a month as veterans affairs minister.
She quit cabinet amidst allegations that Trudeau’s office had pressured her in her former role as attorney general to mediate a settlement with SNCLavalin rather than pursue criminal charges.
In the wake of her announcement, Trudeau said Harjit Sajjan, who is the defence minister, would take on the role of veterans affairs minister, too. He becomes the eighth minister to hold the position since 2010 and the fourth since the Liberals took office in 2015.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” said Scott Maxwell, executive director of Wounded Warriors Canada. “Who can possibly effect the real substantive reforms needed in any ministry under these time frames. The answer, of course, is nobody.
“Our message is that veterans and their families deserve better,” Maxwell said.
In the wake of Tuesday’s resignation, the Royal Canadian Legion called on the government to create one department to merge Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence to ensure seamless oversight of military personnel “from recruitment into retirement.”
“We have witnessed several puzzling changes to VAC’s leadership in recent years, and we now question just how committed government is to Canada’s veterans,” the legion said in a statement.
“On their behalf, we ask that the veteran portfolio overall be treated as a vital one, and that government take swift action so that critical issues related to our veterans’ well-being are dealt with immediately.”
Successive governments have faced criticism that the benefits provided to veterans fall short at the very time that government is faced with a wave of veterans suffering the mental and physical wounds from Canada’s extended mission in Afghanistan.
Kent Hehr was the first politician to hold the post in Trudeau’s government, followed by Seamus O’Regan, then Wilson-Raybould and now Sajjan.
Each change means a steep learning curve for the minister and their staff as they get up to speed on the issues facing the department, the complex array of veterans benefits and get acquainted with stakeholders.