AFP Newsletter - Summer 2020 ENGLISH

Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada Issue #35 • Summer 2020 4 Ombudsman... Continued from page 3 Veterans’ disability benefits application backlog growing during COVID-19 crisis I n light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA), an umbrella group representing more than sixty veterans’ groups in Cana- da, has called for the federal gov- ernment to automatically approve the roughly 44,000 outstanding disability benefits applications from injured veterans. The request has been made due to concerns about the emotional and financial tolls the pandemic is taking on veterans and their families as they grapple with the effects of physical wounds as well as mental health issues. Although Veterans Affairs Can- ada (VAC) says staff are still pro- cessing claims as they work from home, VAC has indicated there are no immediate plans to automatically approve the backlog, despite mount- ing anger and frustration and anger among the many veterans who have already endured lengthy wait times for support prior to the pandemic. NCVA chairman Brian Forbes says that logistical issues due to the COVID-19 crisis are presenting additional hurdles for veterans to get their applications approved. For example, some veterans require a medical assessment before their applications can be processed, but with the majority of physicians’ offices currently closed to in-person visits except in extreme circum- stances, these assessments cannot take place. As a result, the veterans’ applications are stalled and VAC recently confirmed that more than 18,000 of the backlogged 44,000 applications are incomplete. Forbes, who also serves as chairman of The War Amps exec- utive committee and is a member of Veterans Affairs Minister Law- rence MacAulay’s policy advisory group, was recently requested to join a Veterans Affairs Canada COVID-19 working group. He says that this new task force has been given the mandate to address con- cerns impacting the veterans’ com- munity during this health crisis, including the self-evident need for dramatic and innovative measures to combat the unacceptable backlog and adjudicative delays in VAC. As for the current supports being made available to wound- ed veterans, VAC says it has been checking up with former military personnel deemed at risk. While some organizations are using phone and video conferences to continue providing therapy, counselling and other supports, for some veterans, urgently-needed, in-person physio- therapy and rehabilitation services are largely unavailable. Organizations such as the Royal Canadian Legion and VETS Cana- da are equally concerned about the effects of the pandemic on veter- ans, many of whom have become increasingly isolated. The Legion is working to facilitate grocery deliveries, provide social contact and help veterans access financial services. Meanwhile VETS Canada, a charity that provides emergen- cy financial assistance and other support to homeless or precari- ously-housed veterans, is receiving more calls for help than usual. Both groups have voiced their belief that the government should approve the backlogged applications. pendently and directly to Parlia- ment, rather than to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. Dalton highlighted the fact that the Ombudsman’s man- date had not been updated since the position was created, even though it was previously stated that it would be reviewed every five years. Based on feedback gathered from veterans across the country, Dalton ex- pressed his belief that many felt that the Ombudsman is not independent enough and does not have the clout needed to instill confidence among veterans that their most urgent issues will be addressed. Dalton’s concerns have been echoed by other organizations in- volved with veterans’ issues, includ- ing The War Amps. Brian Forbes, Chairman of The War Amps’ executive committee, notes that his organization will continue to push for an enhanced mandate for the Veterans Ombudsman to review systemic issues rather than focusing just on individual cases and hopes that the Ombudsman will be able to operate with a higher degree of independence in the future. With Dalton’s departure, Ma- cAulay noted that the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman remains fully operational and available to assist veterans and their families. Details of the process to select a new Veterans Ombudsman will be made available soon. See Disability on page 5