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As many AFP/AACmembers will re-call, last fall, a petition was placed on the AFP/AACwebsite calling on the gov-ernment to reinstate then-Veterans Om-budsman Pat Stogran and to invest more in the beleaguered VAC department. Several hundred AFP/AAC members signed it. A copy was sent to the Minister and the PMO.

What follows is the response re-ceived by AFP/AAC several months later, dated February 10, 2011.

In response to your correspondence, I would like to address your concerns about Veterans Affairs Canada and the term renewal of the Veterans Ombuds-man, and update you on several signifi-cant announcements made in support of Veterans and their families. Your letter and petition was also brought to my at-tention by the Office of the Prime Min-ister.

I have carefully noted the concerns of your membership and of the other pe-titioners. I would like to assure you that our government is committed to support-ing the remarkable men and women who have served our country. Since forming government in 2006, we have made major improvements to programs and benefits for Veterans and their families, including increased access to home services for surviving spouses of Veterans and improved access to ben-efits forAllied Veterans and for Veterans suffering fromALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).

More recently, we announced a $2-billion initiative to increase financial support for seriously injured Veterans and enhance the Earnings Loss Benefit program so that ill and injured Veterans have an adequate monthly income. Measures to improve the support available to injured service men and women during their recovery and rehabilitation were also announced. As you are aware, Veterans Affairs

Canada is going through a period of transformation dictated by the changing demographics and needs of its clients. The department must continue to re-spond to the growing needs of Canada’s older Veterans and position itself to meet the complex needs of Canadian Forces members and modern-day Veterans. Work is under way in virtually all areas of the organization to improve the level of service. Among other recent changes, the department has improved the response time at national call centres and added 20 more case managers in areas of high demand across the country. Over the next five years, the de-partment will continue to simplify its policies, processes and practices; overhaul and improve service delivery; and strengthen partnerships with the De-partment of National Defence and other organizations. I would like to assure you that changes will occur over time to en-sure that the department continues to have the right people in the right places to be fully responsive to the diverse needs of all clients.

Finally, in regard to the Veterans Ombudsman, I would like to stress that while the term of Colonel Patrick B. Stogran (Retired) was not renewed, this does not in any way diminish all that he has done to help improve the lives of our Veterans.

Allow me to explain why Colonel Stogran’s term was not renewed. Our government established the Veterans Ombudsman position in 2007 with the mandate of review-ing individual griev-ances and systemic issues pertaining to the Veterans Bill of Rights or to any as-pect of the depart-ment’s programs and services. To truly fulfill this role, I believe that the

I am fully committed to working with the Office of the Veterans Ombuds-man to ensure our Veterans are being treated fairly with respect and dignity.As you may know, Chief Warrant Officer Guy Parent (Retired) was appointed as Veterans Ombudsman starting on No-vember 11, 2010. Mr. Parent has over 37 years of dedicated service with the Cana-dian Forces, and I am confident that his vast experience will enable him to serve with competence and conviction on be-half of Canada’s Veterans.