Close X
Saturday, November 30, 2024
ADVT 
National

Lawyers looking for thousands of families owed money by Veterans Affairs

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 26 Jun, 2024 05:34 PM
  • Lawyers looking for thousands of families owed money by Veterans Affairs

Lawyers are trying to get in touch with hundreds of thousands of people who are owed money through a class-action lawsuit against Veterans Affairs.

The suit was launched after the Office of the Veterans Ombud found the government had been improperly calculating the disability benefits and pensions of its clients starting in 2003.

The government reached a settlement in January that is worth up to $817 million.

The problem was uncovered when the ombud looked over the department's paperwork after the government made changes to the disability award in 2016.

It discovered Veterans Affairs had been failing to factor in the provincial basic tax credit in calculating provincial income tax, but when the department later realized and corrected the error, it did not notify or reimburse people who were underpaid.

At the time, the ombud believed around 270,000 veterans were shortchanged some $165 million in what it deemed an "accounting error." The department pledged to issue corrective payments in 2018.

Michel Drapeau's firm was among five law firms that eventually brought the class-action lawsuit in 2019.

The suit also claimed that Veterans Affairs had made other miscalculations, including failing to index payments to inflation.

"When we looked at it, we found in fact there were significantly more benefits that had not been properly indexed over a longer period," he said.

Drapeau said the miscalculations actually went on for 21 years, from 2003 to 2023, meaning the number of eligible veterans was significantly more than initially believed.

Around 117,000 military and RCMP veterans who have a benefits or payment relationship with Veterans Affairs will get payouts from the department directly before December.

Another 215,000 eligible people have since died, and Drapeau said if their surviving family members don't file a claim they will miss out on the payment.

The eligible claimants could be surviving spouses, common-law spouses, children, parents, siblings, nieces or nephews, or the veteran's estate.

"We're trying every means possible to let them know," Drapeau said.

He said they've already launched a search for people on social media, through advertising campaigns and by contacting the Royal Canadian Legion. In addition, a mailout has been sent to the last known addresses of around 200,000 people.

On average, claims are worth about $2,500. According to the Federal Court settlement, 40 people are eligible for payments over $35,000 but most payments are less than $5,000.

Management and consulting firm KPMG has been hired to help people file their claims, which can be done online.

The federal government is responsible for the cost of administration of the claims and KPMG is not getting funding from the settlement itself.

MORE National ARTICLES

Ottawa urges Canadians to leave Lebanon while they can due to escalating violence

Ottawa urges Canadians to leave Lebanon while they can due to escalating violence
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is urging Canadians to leave an increasingly volatile Lebanon while they can. In a statement today, Joly says the security situation could deteriorate further without warning due to sustained and escalating violence between Hezbollah and Israel.

Ottawa urges Canadians to leave Lebanon while they can due to escalating violence

Former B.C. premier John Horgan, Canada's ambassador to Germany, has cancer again

Former B.C. premier John Horgan, Canada's ambassador to Germany, has cancer again
Former British Columbia premier and Canada's ambassador to Germany John Horgan is facing his third battle with cancer. Ravi Parmar, the New Democrat member for Horgan's former Langford-Juan de Fuca riding, says he heard from the former premier today and was told he has thyroid cancer.

Former B.C. premier John Horgan, Canada's ambassador to Germany, has cancer again

BC Wildfire crews respond to 30-hectare fire, north of Lillooet

BC Wildfire crews respond to 30-hectare fire, north of Lillooet
The British Columbia Wildfire Service says its crews are responding to a 30-hectare wildfire billowing smoke over Highway 99 north of Lillooet.  The agency says on Facebook that the Tiffen Creek wildfire is "highly visible" from the highway and from the towns of Lillooet and Pavilion. 

BC Wildfire crews respond to 30-hectare fire, north of Lillooet

1 in hospital in Kelowna stabbing

1 in hospital in Kelowna stabbing
Police say a man is in hospital in stable condition after a stabbing in Kelowna. Central Okanagan R-C-M-P say the man was found with several stab wounds near the shopping area along Springfield Road at around 3:15 yesterday afternoon.

1 in hospital in Kelowna stabbing

B.C. government says boosted BC Family Benefit cheques will arrive in July

B.C. government says boosted BC Family Benefit cheques will arrive in July
Thousands of families in British Columbia can expect to see increased financial support in their bank accounts starting by mid-July. B.C. Premier David Eby says about 340,000 families with children — 66,000 more than last year — will have access to the BC Family Benefit program after the province increased the income threshold for a family's eligibility.  

B.C. government says boosted BC Family Benefit cheques will arrive in July

Canada's population forecast to reach 63 million, as people over 85 set to triple

Canada's population forecast to reach 63 million, as people over 85 set to triple
New projections by Statistics Canada suggest the nation's population could reach 63 million by 2073, with the number of people aged 85 or older set to triple. The agency says migration will be the key driver of population increase under all scenarios, while natural growth only plays a "marginal role" as the population ages and fertility rates remain low.

Canada's population forecast to reach 63 million, as people over 85 set to triple