FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
7 October 2013
VICTORIA, BC – Veterans across the country are calling for the immediate removal of Julian Fantino as Minister of Veterans Affairs and the immediate withdrawal of Government's frivolous appeal of the New Veterans Charter lawsuit so the courts can determine veterans right's free of partisan party politics.
In a recent interview on CKNW's Bill Good Show, Minister Fantino said:
"...not every veteran is at the same level of service to country..." he also said "...I spent 40 years in law enforcement, I too have served. I've been in the trenches and heard the guns go off. I guess I can also put myself and other colleagues, firefighters and other police officers who put themselves in harms way every day in the same category..."
"How insensitive! Just when you think this Government can't sink any lower it appoints a controversial ex-cop as Minister of Veterans Affairs and now he's belittled veteran's service and sacrifice. Minister Fantino knows that unlike police and firefighters, disabilities are a calculated part of military service because members can't refuse to work at risk without serious consequences including life imprisonment, even if it means losing their lives because of the unique unlimited liability nature of military service" Harold Leduc says.
Fantino recently announced a review of the controversial New Veterans Charter (NVC) then made the above comments. At the same time Government lawyers filed a notice to appeal the BC Supreme Court decision that allows six Afghanistan veterans to move towards certifying a class action lawsuit on the deficiencies in the NVC. The lawsuit is put forward pro bono by a top-notch team of Vancouver lawyers from Miller Thompson LLP supported by the Equitas Society.
Government lawyers previously told the Court that government doesn't have an obligation to care for disabled veterans and they are no better than recipients of welfare.
"This Government works so hard to deceive Canadians on it's abuse of veterans' rights that Minister Fantino, his colleague Erin O'Toole and Government lawyers don't seem to be able to remember which version of the truth they are supposed to tell on any given day. By mocking veteran's service and sacrifice he's angered the very people he is supposed to protect including Canada's most severely disabled. He's disgraced himself and our Country. Both he and the Government's appeal have to go. Veterans are fed up with this Government's ongoing disrespect" says Leduc.
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If you would like more information on this topic or would like to schedule an interview with Harold Leduc, please call at (250) 896-3738 or email at duke@hkpdesign.com
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You can view the full announcement by following this link:
http://canadianveteransadvocacy.com/Board2/index.php?topic=11409.0
Regards,
The Canadian Veterans Advocacy Team.
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