By Alison@Creekside
In May 2012, David Pugliese wrote about how senior managers at Veterans Affairs Canada received almost $700,000 in bonuses and extra pay in 2011 “even as their department came under fire for failing to help former soldiers.” A Con official advised him the bonuses are set by the Treasury Board and senior management at Veterans Affairs. Pugliese:
“Next year’s payouts could be even larger, since the government is tying those to the savings managers can find in their departments. An estimated 800 jobs will be lost at Veterans Affairs over the next three years.”
“Veterans Affairs Canada managers made hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses for cutting costs as the department shed hundreds of jobs.
In 2011-12, the department paid $343,000 to 60 managers under what appears to be a new program for “Savings/Spending Targets.
Bonuses ranged from $2,376 up to $14,728, and averaged about $5,700 per person. The following year, $243,000 was paid out to 55 managers, an average of $4,400 each.”
Chronicle Herald, Dec 4: Harper dismisses massive job cuts at Veterans Affairs amid calls for Fantino’s removal
“According to departmental performance reports filed with the Treasury Board, Veterans Affairs had the equivalent of 4,039 full-time employees in 2008-09. That number fell to 3,050 by 2013-14.
More than half of those cuts came from a program called Health Care and Re-Establishment Benefits and Services.
The program is in charge of helping with the physical, mental and social well-being of veterans and to “provide access to employment support, health benefits, home care and long-term care.”
Last year, there were 1,536 employees in that division, down 619, or almost 30 per cent, from 2009.”
Vancouver Sun, May 2014: Tories spending $4M more on veterans ads to counter ‘misinformation’: Fantino
“Veterans Affairs is spending an additional $4 million on advertising this year — including television spots throughout the NHL playoffs … The TV ads emphasize efforts to move soldiers smoothly from military to civilian life….”
“The Canadian Forces is requiring physically and mentally wounded soldiers to sign a form acknowledging they won’t criticize senior officers or discourage others in uniform with their comments on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
The form, given to military personnel who are transferred to the Joint Personnel Support Unit, was sent to the Citizen by military members upset with what they see as a threat to their right to speak out about the failure of the Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces to take care of the wounded.”
“The defendant pleads that the statements made by Sir Robert Borden and the coalition government in 1917 were political speeches that reflected the policy positions of the government at the time and were never imended to create a contract or covenant.”
Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino’s office released a statement Wednesday saying the government doesn’t comment on issues that are before the court.
So you can find hundreds of thousands in bonuses for your management but you can’t find housing for my 94 year old WWII Vet mother who served overseas driving an ambulance during the bombing in London? She continues to languish in a transition house waiting for a bed in a Vets home in BC. Every day she asks if a home has been found for her. Shame!!!! Shame!!!