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Supporting Veterans & CF Personnel
On April 10th, Governor General and Commander in Chief David Johnston attended an important ceremony of remembrance at the memorial site in Thélus, France to honour those soldiers who fought and died in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, April, 1917.
He said:
“The road that passes by this memorial is often called the “Canadian gunners’ road,” after the members of the Canadian Corps Artillery who fell during the Vimy operations of April, 1917.
It is so important that we remember their service and their sacrifice, because the artillery corps played a critical role in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Having learned hard lessons earlier in the war, Canadians took a new approach to artillery fire during these operations.
Rather than alternating between shelling and ground attacks, Canadian gunners and infantry members coordinated their assault for greater effectiveness. With remarkable precision, soldiers moved ahead 90 metres every three minutes, under cover of their own guns. This coupling of artillery fire and troop advance took great courage, but it enabled the Canadians to progress and dig in before the enemy could regroup and counterattack.
This innovative tactic was one of the keys to success at Vimy. This memorial exists to honour those who served, and to remember their enormous sacrifice.”
The bravery and dedication of our veterans inspires us all and it is our responsibility to ensure that our soldiers and our veterans are properly taken care of.
Two recent announcements confirm our support for our men and women who serve and have served in uniform.
On April 10th, the Government announced an investment of $112 million to enhance the minimum benefits paid under the Canadian Forces (CF) Long Term Disability (LTD) program to medically released CF personnel. These enhancements are now in line with the Earning Loss Benefits (ELB) offered by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to disabled veterans.
Retroactive to October 3rd, 2011 our ill and injured veterans will receive a minimum pre-tax income of $40,000 a year while continuing to have access to vocational rehabilitation training. This financial support will help ill and injured CF Veterans focus on getting better.
On April 3, the Government also announced a new component of the “Cutting Red Tape for Veterans” initiative to make it easier for Veterans to access the supports they require to remain independent.
Veterans will receive up-front payments for ground maintenance and housekeeping services offered under the Veterans Independence Program (VIP). Veterans will no longer have to submit receipts for these two popular services. This eliminates cumbersome paperwork for approximately 100,000 Veterans and their families and puts money into their hands faster, so they can remain independent in their own homes.
As Canadians, we feel strongly about acknowledging those who fought for our freedoms, not just through ceremonial events like those in France but also in the way we care for and support our CF personnel and Veterans.
Just as we continue to honour them for their enormous sacrifice, these improved initiatives ensure our soldiers and our Veterans receive the care and support they need.
For more information on the Canadian Forces Long term Disability program, CF members can go to www.sisip.ca/en/Insurance_e/ltd_e.asp . For more information on the Veterans Independence Program and other services and benefits available to Veterans, please visit www.veterans.gc.ca .
If you have any questions or comments regarding issues related to the federal government, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or by phone at 250 470-5075.
Ron Cannan is the Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country
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