Veterans fighting battles at home

Editor’s Note:  The Harper Conservatives have increasingly abandoned Canadian Armed Forces veterans, who went public over disrespectful treatment in their dealings with Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino. Fantino, who has a cabinet minister’s salary to supplement his pension as a retired police chief, has had no satisfactory explanation for the closing of nine Veterans Affairs offices across Canada.

The Anishinabek News asked Chris Innes, a Whitefish River FN citizen who retired after 26 years’ service with the Royal Canadian Navy, what he thought about Canada’s disrespectful treatment of veterans,   treatment that First Nations veterans have been used to for decades. Canada tried to eliminate the Status Indian benefits of First Nations who served in World War I, and shortchanged them each of $20,000 in benefits after World War II.

By Chris Innes

In the mid 80’s, mines were closing and forestry work was dwindling. A visit from the local Canadian Forces Recruiter shifted my focus of employment to faraway lands and adventure. Besides, my life in foster-care and C.A.S. demanded that I get out of Dodge. There had to be something better than this.

I do not regret for a minute my service of Creator, Crown and Country; and outright challenge anyone who speaks ill of me or my comrades’ selfless service. I was happy to carry on the tradition of those who had gone before me. Some lived, some died and some have merely existed beyond their wartime experiences.

I have two Grandfathers who served in WWII. Both came home but one died slowly over time and one still lives today. No doubt both had or continue to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To avoid merely existing I share with you that we are all injured at one point or another in Military Service.

I suffer from lower back, hips, legs and knee injuries thanks to service in Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) but those are just the surface injuries. I too suffer from PTSD and continuously seek help and ways to overcome this internal injury.

My frustration with PTSD is that this internal injury is hard to cope with and at times I have taken it out on those around me. I have alienated family, work relationships, friends and lost some of myself along the way.

For any Canadian Forces member, the battle does not end once you leave the zone of conflict. We should not have to come home as Veterans and fight other battles with Canadians and our Government.

My two grandfathers have had different fortunes. One had all his due rights handed over to him and he thrived in life. The other was “branded” and given no rights, no doubt losing all of his benefits to the “Indian Agent” and on-reserve peoples who viewed his “enfranchisement” akin to “A” –The Scarlet Letter”. What is worse? Being ostracized by the Indian Agent or being shunned by your own people? The latter grandfather died a fairly young man.

As an Anishinabek Veteran, I can tell you my experience today is much better than my less fortunate Grandfather endured. When Veterans Affairs Canada works, it works. However when it does not, it really sucks. My experience started relatively harmlessly, Honourably Discharged with 26-plus years service on a Medical Release Article. Go back to school and learn a new trade — Check! Rehabilitate with Psychiatry — Check! Apply for Veterans Affairs Pension for Injuries. (Insert chirping crickets here).

Civilian Doctors do not have a clue about Military Service and my last doctor,  did little better than a physical and saw me for all of five minutes. How can I submit a proper claim when the information provided by civilian practitioners is flawed and incomplete? The handlers at Veterans Affairs Canada offices are hit and miss; sometimes you get amazing people and sometimes you get people who are just happy to have a job and care little about Veterans. The Pension system and some of the people who administer it are undeniably flawed.

In 2002 the Liberal Government realized they could save millions of dollars by doing away with monthly compensation payments and instead giving lump-sum payments to veterans. However each injury is assessed at a percentage of the maximum allowable reimbursement: $250,000. My injuries are a blip on their radar, because most of my physical injuries were incurred off base, off ship and therefore not while I was in the service of Canada.

Wait a minute? When I signed the dotted line, I was to adhere to the laws of the National Defence Act, which required to be on my best dutiful behaviour 24/7, 365 days a year and therefore on duty 100% of the time. I don’t understand the math Veterans Affairs uses.

Since the changes made by the Liberal government, the new Reform Conservative government has pointed out that the current pension system is a Liberal mandate for which they are not responsible. (More chirping crickets)

A Canadian Veteran only gets to appeal his decision once, yet a refugee coming into Canada has multiple appeals to delay deportation.