Former CDS Paul Manson makes a case for today's need for a new way for Canada’s military veterans to express their needs, concerns, and ambitions. In an editorial piece currently circulating among a number of veterans organizations, Mr. Manson makes a forceful argument for the establishment of a new structure to gather the many and varied veterans organizations under one lead to present their concerns in a convincing and forceful, yet constructive, way to seek solutions from the government of the day. He argues that a new structure could provide the basis for a firm yet co-operative dialogue with the government, for the benefit of all Canadian veterans.
The full text of Mr. Manson's paper is published below and is also provided as a downloadable document. This paper was originally published in June 2014.
Our Veterans Need a New Voice
By Paul Manson
Canada’s veterans are very much in the news these days, with a growing perception that the men and women who served our nation in military uniform are not being well-treated by their government. The recent demonstration on Parliament Hill by veterans caught the public’s attention, as did several articles and interviews, some of them very critical. These have reinforced the impression that veterans are not happy these days.
It’s not an exclusively Canadian problem. Note for example that the chief of Veterans Affairs in the U.S. resigned a couple of weeks ago over problems with the treatment of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Here in this country a relatively small element of the veterans community has frequently attacked the Veterans Affairs department, primarily over alleged failures in the medical treatment and financial compensation of disabled military personnel, particularly those suffering from PTSD or other debilitating injuries. The Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), the Hon. Julian Fantino, has been subjected to heavy criticism over these and other issues.
To be sure, the record of both conservative and liberal governments over the past few decades has been less that perfect. Our military’s heavy involvement in the Afghanistan War has obviously raised the temperature of the debate. Like all wars, this one took a heavy toll on those who were engaged in the conflict, and this has reminded Canadians that the nation has a solemn obligation to care for those who suffered through service in harm’s way. Back in 2006 the government introduced a New Veterans Charter in an attempt to articulate the obligation in practical terms, but not all of it was deemed satisfactory. This dissatisfaction led to a comprehensive review of the Charter by the Parliamentary Committee on Veterans Affairs, whose report has now been published to mixed reviews, with various veterans organizations claiming that the committee’s findings and recommendations do not go far enough.
This raises an interesting point. Historically, going back to the aftermath of the First World War, the Royal Canadian Legion has been the dominant voice of Canadian veterans. In recent decades, however, with the passing of so many Second World War veterans, the Legion’s numbers have declined dramatically. Furthermore, fewer than one-third of their members today have seen military service, and the percentage continues to decrease. Meanwhile, dozens of new veterans organizations have appeared on the scene. Although all of these, in representing specific groups of veterans, have a legitimate role to play, the net result has been a serious dilution of the collective influence of veterans at large. Against this background a few small militant groups, in going public so forcefully with their criticism and demands, give the impression that they speak for all veterans.
But many of today’s veterans – perhaps the great majority – are uncomfortable with some of the rhetoric that has dominated recent headlines. One reason is the growing feeling that the aggressive approach may very well be counterproductive, because of a risk that it might alter the positive image that the Canadian public holds of its veterans, which in turn could influence government support for the community. More to the point, unduly antagonizing the officials of VAC can scarcely lead to a productive working environment in the search for solutions to current problems.
Given the weakening of the Legion’s once dominant position and the proliferation of veterans organizations, there is a need for some form of overarching new structure, perhaps under the leadership of the Legion, which would draw together the many and varied groups that exist today. Unfortunately, recent attempts in this direction have not been successful, but the need remains. The entire veterans community must come together from time to time to debate the really important issues of the day, thereby building a strong consensus on how these should be resolved. Only then can veterans speak convincingly and forcefully, yet constructively, in seeking solutions from the government of the day.
Although some veterans may not agree, there is a strong case for establishing a powerful collective voice in this way. It provides the basis for a firm yet co-operative dialogue with the government, for the benefit of all Canadian veterans.
It’s a move whose time has come.
Paul Manson was Chief of the Defence Staff from 1986-89. He is currently the Patron of the NATO Veterans Organization of Canada.