Close X
Tuesday, November 26, 2024
ADVT 
National

Feds commit $140M to keep temporary veterans staff

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Feb, 2022 03:39 PM
  • Feds commit $140M to keep temporary veterans staff

OTTAWA - Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay says the federal government will spend nearly $140 million over the next two years to retain temporary staff hired to deal with a backlog of disability claims from injured ex-soldiers.

Today’s funding announcement comes after The Canadian Press reported earlier this month that the government was poised to lose hundreds of temporary staff next month.

That was despite Veterans Affairs Canada still having nearly 34,000 unprocessed applications for disability benefits on its desk, a number officials warned would grow by the thousands if more temporary staff weren’t retained.

MacAulay at that time said any new funding would have to wait until the next federal budget, meaning a delay of weeks if not months.

In response to the Canadian Press report, Royal Canadian Legion dominion president Bruce Julian last week sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asking that the temporary staff be kept on contract until the backlog is eliminated.

The backlog has emerged as one of the main sources of frustration, anger and hardship for Canada's veterans' community, with those ill and injured forced to wait months — and often years — for access to financial or medical support for their injuries.

 

MORE National ARTICLES

Survey suggests importance of diversity at work

Survey suggests importance of diversity at work
The survey by the Canadian Hub for Applied and Social Research at the University of Saskatchewan was done by phone between Dec. 1 and Dec. 24. It asked 1,000 people about equality, diversity and inclusion in workplaces and government.

Survey suggests importance of diversity at work

Critics call for feds to boost health capacity

Critics call for feds to boost health capacity
Health experts and government critics are calling on the prime minister and premiers to fix cracks in Canada's health system and improve surge capacity as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Critics call for feds to boost health capacity

As storm outages fixed in B.C., new tempest looms

As storm outages fixed in B.C., new tempest looms
BC Hydro says service was restored to the northwestern Vancouver Island villages of Tahsis and Zeballos late Sunday after more than 700 customers lost heat and electricity last Tuesday.     

As storm outages fixed in B.C., new tempest looms

Federal scholarships to honour Flight 752 victims

Federal scholarships to honour Flight 752 victims
The program is expected to disburse scholarships worth an average of $25,000 to 176 students — the same as the number of people who were aboard Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 when it was hit by two missiles launched by Iran's Revolutionary Guard on Jan. 8, 2020.

Federal scholarships to honour Flight 752 victims

B.C. school opening vital for students: top doctor

B.C. school opening vital for students: top doctor
Getting kids back to school is "essential," says British Columbia's top doctor as she and the education minister laid out plans for keeping students safe while COVID-19 infections surge. Dr. Bonnie Henry said Friday that schools need to remain open for the emotional, physical and intellectual well-being of children.

B.C. school opening vital for students: top doctor

3,144 COVID19 cases on Friday

3,144 COVID19 cases on Friday
There are 33,184 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 240,198 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 349 individuals are in hospital and 93 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.

3,144 COVID19 cases on Friday