Troops discriminated against

The Canadian Forces (CF) have released a message that appears to amend the Legacy of Care Program formally announced co-jointly by Ministers Blackburn and MacKay in September 2010.
The original program introduced five initiatives (Barrier-Free Transitional Accommodations, Support Services while in Transitional Accommodations, the CF Attendant Care Benefit, the CF Spousal Education Upgrade Program, and Enhanced Case Management Support for Seriously Ill and Injured CF members).
When the program was introduced, the news release indicated that all injured sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen, and their families would be eligible. Unfortunately, this apparent wide eligibility has now been restricted in some instances to Afghanistan Only CF members and their families.
Specifically, the Attendant Care Benefit, the Caregiver Benefit and the Spousal Education Upgrade Benefit will now be restricted to only those who have served in Afghanistan.
“We are appalled that such blatant discrimination is taking place,” says Patricia Varga, the Legion’s Dominion President. “It categorizes seriously ill and Injured CF members by theatre of operations,” she says. “That is blatantly unfair.
There are other CF members proudly serving their country in other far away locations,” she adds.
“If they are unfortunate enough to be seriously Ill and injured are we to assume that the sacrifice that they made in their service to Canada is not as worthy as those that served in Afghanistan?” she asks.
The Royal Canadian Legion is strongly recommending that the Government, particularly the CF, VAC and Treasury Board reverse this retrograde step in the ongoing care of seriously ill and injured CF members.
“The Legion will continue to serve all CF members, irrespective of their theatre of operations. To do anything else is pure discrimination and grossly unfair and inequitable,” she concludes.