OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug 26, 2013) - The Veterans Ombudsman's Report, Investing in Veterans' Vocational Training, calls on the government to improve career choices and opportunities for Veterans who have been injured as a result of their service to Canada. The Royal Canadian Legion applauds the report from Guy Parent and his team.
"The Ombudsman's office has examined the history of the current program and brought forward issues that are pertinent to all of Canada's Veterans," says Gordon Moore, Dominion President of The Royal Canadian Legion. "It is important that the men and women who are injured in their service to Canada have the opportunities and choices to build and broaden their skills. Our Veterans want to continue their contribution to Canada and the current training programs are highly prescriptive, lack flexibility and put barriers in place which unfairly limit the ways in which Veterans can develop personally and professionally," says Moore. The Ombudsman has delivered his report in time for an enhanced review of the New Veterans Charter which should include the complexity and limitations of the vocational rehabilitation programs for our injured Veterans and their families.
The New Veterans Charter, when introduced in 2006, was heralded with much fanfare and celebrated as a living document. While changes were introduced in 2011 to improve financial benefits, there still remain issues of dignity, fairness and equity and the Legion has always pushed for more enhancements to the New Veterans Charter. The Parliamentary Review is to be undertaken by October 2013 and this deadline is fast approaching.
About the Legion
Established in 1926, the Legion is the largest Veterans service organization in Canada with more than 320,000 members. Its mission is to serve all Veterans including serving Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and their families, to promote Remembrance and to serve our communities and our country.
The Legion's Service Bureau Network provides assistance and representation to all Veterans including serving CF and RCMP members, and their families regarding their disability claims, benefits and services from Veterans Affairs Canada and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board. In communities across Canada, it is the Legion that perpetuates Remembrance through the Poppy Campaign and Remembrance Day ceremonies. With more than 1,450 branches, The Legion supports programs for seniors, Veterans housing, Long Term Care, youth leadership, education, sports, Cadets, Guides and Scouts.
We will Remember Them.