HMCS Toronto returns to port in Halifax
INSTITUTED 1987 VOL. XXIX NO. 2 MARCH - APRIL, 2015 INCORPORATED 1988 The General Meeting will be held in the Mess 10:00, Sunday March 8, 2015. It is hoped to have a representative from Veterans Affairs in attendance. Visit our web-site at http://acpoa.net The Atlantic Chief & Petty Officer’s Association Newsletter HMCS Toronto returns to port in Halifax By Andrew Vaughan / THE CANADIAN PRESS Dedicated to providing relevant information to the membership. Published monthly and distributed to all members and subscribers. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s members. Articles appearing in the Newsletter may be reprinted provided appropriate credit is given. HMCS Toronto returns to port in Halifax on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2015. The frigate was on a six-month deployment with Operation Reassurance in the Mediterranean Sea. ACPOA Executive President: J. Gaylord Kingston 1st Vice President: Ken Maybury 2nd Vice President: Dennis May Secretary: Jim Cummings Treasurer: Cathy Belanger Padre: The Reverend Patricia Malin, Phone: 435 4221 Service Officer: Hank Einarson Phone 435 6681 Editor: J. Gaylord Kingston E-mail: gaylordk@yahoo.com Printing: JS Print and Design Ltd. Phone 468-5558 Distribution: DASC services Phone 468 6606 Mailed under Canada Post Publication Mail Sales Agreement No. 40040556 ACPOA PO Box 3533 DEPS Dartmouth, NS B2W 5G4 Phone (902) 420-0370 E-mail acpoa@eastlink.ca he U.S. Navy’s top admiral will present a U.S. Navy unit award to a Canadian warship Feb. 20, according to the U.S. Navy’s public affairs branch. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert is to present the U.S. Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) on Feb. 20 to HMCS Toronto (FFH 333) of the Royal Canadian Navy in Halifax, Nova Scotia. U.S. Ambassador to Canada Bruce Heyman, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy ViceAdmiral Mark Norman, and several members of U.S. and Canadian government and navy leadership will also attend the ceremony. A non-U.S. naval force receiving a U.S. Navy unit decoration is a rarity; this event marking the fifth occurrence of such a decoration in the last 45 years. T Returning from their deployment, the crew of the Toronto was selected to receive the prestigious award due to their continued support of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150. The Halifaxclass frigate significantly disrupted the flow of drugs, criminal and terrorist activities in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. While deployed Toronto responsibilities included tracking, boarding and searching maritime contacts of interest to CTF-150. Among Toronto’s accomplishments during deployment which began in February of 2013, the ship’s crew seized six large caches of illegal drugs to include 1,300 kilograms of heroin and six tons of hashish. Seizures of a large magnitude can significantly affect unlawful organizations’ ability to fund illegal operations. Newsletter of the Atlantic Chief & Petty Officer’s Association Sick & Visiting Committee Report Chair – Albert Bishop (902) 469-2829 Bridgewater Doc Halliday Fishermans Memorial Maurice Legault Liverpool Larry Truelove Fred Molyneau Shelburne, Truro Joe Fillion Annapolis Royal and Valley Doug Moore Windsor & Area Spike Sullivan Middleton George Thomson (902) 685-2342 (902) 527 2912 (902) 354-2901 (902) 875-4271 (902) 662-2459 St. John’s, NF Ron Coles Charlottetown, PEI Hari Boggs Petit de Grat & Isle Madam Robbie Roberts Frank Cholette Quebec Area Frank Cholette Montreal Roxboro, QC George Heaven Brockville & Area Rev. Paul Gordon Omemee, ON George ‘Josh’ Warner Hamilton, ON - Area Bill Venator (902) 638-8700 (902) 798-3580 (902) 847-3308 Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building 5955 Veteran's Memorial Lane, Halifax, NS, B3H 2E1 3rd Floor West Earl Conrad - 3225 Owen Holland - 3131 Carmen Olsen - 3224 James McCullough - 3223 4th Floor East Annie Cormier - 4433 (709) 834-4751 (902) 368-2248 226-3476 (450) 699 6770 (450) 699 6770 (514) 684 3577 (613) 865 8378 (705) 799-2863 (289) 239 9394 Glasgow Hall, Parkland at the Lakes 82 Baker Drive, Dartmouth NS B2W 0C8 Joseph Hecimovich - Home Phone (902) 434 5558 Northwood Retirement Living 2615 Northwood Terrace, Halifax NS B3K 3S5 Jon Dowthwaite - Rm. 822 Ocean View Manor, 1909 Caldwell Road Eastern Passage NS B3G 1M4 Fernand (Pedro) Guinard (902) 406 6056 4th Floor West Warren Frizzell - 4231 Jack Walsh Rm - 4125 Robert Eisenhauer - 4235 Morris Kanasavitch - 4129 5th Floor East Eric Publicover - 5525 Mike Salkin - 5531 Joseph Chiasson - 5426 Vice Admiral Harry Porter (Retired) - 5523 5th Floor West Edward Tobin - 5224 Peter Waite - 5123 James Dempsey - 5133 Allison MacLeod - 5231 Edward Tobin - 5224 6th Floor West Wilfred Watts - 6124 Henry Cooke - 6125 Gordon Tomlinson - 6233 David Kurtz - 6221 William Degen - 6222 6th Floor East Ernest Shellnut - 6426 Sunnybrook Veteran's Hospital, K2C10 2075 Bayview Ave. Toronto ON M4N 3M5 James (Tug) Wilson - (416) 488 8550 Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Middleton NS B0S 1P0 Myrtle Coffill - Rm. 264 Hazel Rockwell Howard (Howie) Arsenault Annapolis Royal Nursing Home Harold Moody At Home Bill Skeffington - (902) 435 3292 Edwin Toombs - (902) 543 7526 James Hamilton - (709) 368 5423 Russell Payne - (902) 826 2859 Cathy Geddes - (902) 477 2909 Maurice Legault - (902) 527 2912 Ron Knoll - (902) 454 6311 Dennis Shaw - (902) 469 2212 Charles MacDonald - (902) 404 1205 Vince Carr - (902) 466 6756 Fishermen’s Memorial, Lunenburg NS B0J 2C0 Harold Snyder Pamela Mary Steele Charles Devine Dartmouth General Hospital ‘Blackie’ Blackhurst 902 465 8300 (patient line) Other Wilfy Broyden - (727) 569-7438 St. Vincent’s Nursing Home 2080 Windsor St. Halifax NS Iris Johnson 2 ACPOA Association Notices & Affiliated Organizations LAST POST MEMBERSHIP REPORT Membership Chairman: Ray Harvie (902) 462 7633 E-Mail: r.harvie.home@eastlink.ca THE FOLLOWING SHIPMATES CROSSED THE BAR RECENTLY MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS Charter, Ordinary, Affiliate and Life Members 568 Honourary Members 14 Miscellaneous Members 17 Total Membership 599 Clarence Bridle LS WW11 89 Winnipeg , Manitoba Arthur Brown C2RT 77 Dartmouth, NS NEW MEMBERS Derrocl C Shillington CPO2 Com 0-3156, Hammonds Plains NS Barbara Houle, (wife of Ray) Brossard, QC Dues Notice Herb Jones PO 92 Windsor ON This will be the last Crown and Anchor mailed out for members who have not paid their 2015 dues. If in doubt, contact Ray Harvie: 902 4662 7633 r.harvie.hommme@eastink.ca Joe Edison CPO 87 Bedford, NS Joe White P1RP 77 Kentville, NS Membership dues are $25 per year Warren Huff C1RM 86 Kitchener, On Felix Roy C1WS 77 Dart mouth, NS SUBMARINERS’ ASSOCIATION OF CANADA George McKee 81 C1WS Dartmouth, NS For information contact: East (Halifax)–Buster Brown at 902 477-9148 http://www.sacoeast.com Last Wednesday of every month in Halifax Dockyard in the MOG-5 Messes Central (Ottawa )– Bob Wallace, 819 994-4931 http://www.saoc-central.com West (Victoria) — Stu Cameron, 205 478-1217 http://members.shaw.ca/saocwest Dan Pelchat C1ER North Wallace, NS For though from out our bourn of time and place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar. Alfred, Lord Tennyson Naval Weapons Association (Ottawa Chapter) Meet: Third Wednesday of the Month HMCS Carleton Chief's & PO's/ WO's & Sgt’s Mess Dows Lake 79 Prince of Wales Drive Ottawa President: Bill Bradley Vice President: Frank Perry For Information Contact: Hazen Harris 613-738-2880, OR Ross Raymond 613-834-0105 ross.raymond@forces.gc.ca ADMIRAL DESMOND PIERS NAVAL ASSOCIATION (A Branch of the RCNA) Membership, Frank Wells / Secretary, Al Cox Phone: 1-(902) 627 2748 E-mail: adpna@bwr.eastlink.ca Mail: ADPNA 450 LaHave St., Unit 17, Suite 121 Bridgewater, Nova Scotia B4V 4A3 RCN BENEVOLENT FUND CANADIAN NAVAL AIR GROUP East 1-902-423-8561 Central 1-888-557-8777 West 1-250-383-6264 Shearwater C&POs Mess 1st Sunday each month 3 Feature of the Month A Trip Through Hell By Jim Cummings with a slice of ham and a slice of cheese, and might I say very dry as there was no butter. My wife’s macaroni and cheese was in fact a Kraft Dinner, and her pudding came in one of those small plastic containers!! Another Joke!! We are senior citizens; my wife could not leave the cabin as the train tracks are so poorly maintained that it is dangerous to try and go to the dinning car or the dome car. My arms and shoulder had bruises from hitting cabin door handles, and bumping into the window casements as I walked from one car to another. Sleeping was another matter, it almost seemed like I was at sea, except there I had faith the ship would stay upright, where as many times through the night I felt the train was going to leave the track. NEVER AGAIN!! NOR WOULD I RECOMMEND ANYONE GO BY TRAIN UNLESS THERE WERE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS!!! y wife and I went from Halifax to Kingston On return, December 27th 2014 to Monday January 18th 2015. We had ridden the train a number of years ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it. When we got aboard in Halifax I could not believe the size of the cabin we were in. Anyone claustrophobic would not be able to stay in the cabin. The settee was very uncomfortable, and the shower was a joke, it was a line that went from the sink to a thing hooked on the wall, so if you showered the water would go all over every thing in the toilet area. I guess that was the way Via could get the toilets cleaned for nothing. Also on the way from Halifax we ordered supper in the dinning car and my mashed potatoes had to be sent back to be reheated as they were cold. We had lunch on the way back home. I ordered a soup and sandwich, and my wife ordered macaroni and cheese with a vanilla pudding. My soup was luke warm and the sandwich consisted of some kind of bun M Two patients limp into two different medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement. The FIRST patient is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day and has a time booked for surgery the following week. The SECOND sees his family doctor after waiting 3 weeks for an appointment, then waits 8 weeks to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for another week and finally has his surgery scheduled for 6 months from then. Why the different treatment for the two patients? The FIRST is a Golden Retriever. The SECOND is a Senior Citizen. From the President By J. Gaylord Kingston his message is one of a concern to our Association. As of this date (February 20 2015) we have over 100 members who have not renewed their membership for the year 2015. While we hope that it just a case of a slip of the memory, if there is a particular reason that you have not renewed (i.e. newsletter delivery, content, etc.) please do not hesitate to inform us. Unfortunately, members who have not remitted their dues ($25.00 per year) by April 1 2015 will be stricken from the books. Our dues are our only source of revenue that we require for the newsletter and projects for our veterans and cadets. Please bear this in mind. T Quote of the Month: If at first you do not succeed…you’re probably a loser! RCNA PEREGRINE BRANCH NB Naval Association 2623 Agricola St., Halifax, 454-4385 Open to Veterans & Members Bar hours 1300 to 1900 or later President: Claude Smith - 506 633 0655 Secretary: Terence M. Dexter - 506 357 8158 4 Introduction of Pay-and-Display Visitor Parking / CFB Halifax s part of the implementation of the CFB Halifax Parking Policy, changes to visitor parking will come into effect on 2 March 2015. As of that date, several visitor parking areas will be subject to “pay-and display” parking. People who do not hold a parking pass for these areas will be able to purchase hourly or daily parking stubs between 0700 and 1600 on work days. Parking during silent hours will not require the purchase of visitor parking. • STADACONA (Juno Tower, Fleet Club, Museum/Gym and the Clinic) - $2/hour or $10/day A • Windsor Park (near the MFRC) - $2/hour or $10/day • RA Park (near the Officer’s mess) - $2.50/hour or $15/day • The locations and rates for pay-and-display visitor parking are as follows: Purchase of a pay-and-display parking stub at the “daily rate” will also enable personnel to park anywhere in General Parking at that part of the Base in order to minimize the effect on those with short-term business. • HMC Dockyard (Rainbow Gate, Admiral’s Gate and Niobe Gate) - $2/hour or $10/day Further information on the introduction of pay-and-display visitor parking will be available in the February issue of TRIDENT. Days of Yore March 26 1941 HMCS Otter fire, 19 lost April 29, 1944 HMCS Athabaskan torpedoed, 128 lost, 83 Taken as POW March 17 1945 HMCS Guysborough, torpedoed, 51 lost March 17 1765 St. Patty’s Day celebrated 1st Quebec City April 16, 1945 HMCS Esquimalt torpedoed, 44 lost April 21, 1789 Mutiny aboard HMS Bounty March 6 1834 Toronto incorporated (Leafs losing streak starts April 21, 1918 Canadian Roy Brown shoots down the Red Baron March 16 1843 Victoria founded April 7, 1948 HMCS Magnificent commissioned March 31 1949 Canada joins Newfoundland in Confederation April 4, 1949 Canada joins NATO Hockey News 2014 -2015 Season Q: How do you keep the Maple Leafs out of your yard? A: Put up a goalie net. Q: How many Maple Leafs does it take to win a Stanley Cup? A: Nobody knows ... And we may never find out! Q: What do you call a Toronto Maple Leaf with a Stanley Cup ring? A: Very old or a thief. And finally... The last time the Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup, most of their fans were in diapers. Coincidentally, the next time they win it, those same fans likely will be back in diapers, again! Q: What's the difference between the Maple Leafs and a cigarette vending machine? A: The vending machine has Players. 5 Honour Roll of Age - Happy Birthday To All Concerned Members 90 years and over that age and ladies will have an honourary place in the Golden Memories article. James Wilson 88 Willowdale, ON 10 15 Brian Windle 71 Cornwall, ON 18 15 Dwayne Wood 76 Trenton, ON 10 15 Jerry Wynnyk 80 Nepean, ON 06 15 Apologies to Jack MacDonald 81 Halifax, NS 11 15 March 2015 Thomas Arthurs 83 Greenwood, NS 18 15 Joseph Bagg 89 Keizer, OR, US of A 07 15 Art Cipryk 76 Rothesay, NB 28 15 James Clark 83 Dartmouth, NS 18 15 Ryan Conroy 64 Ludlow, NB 20 15 Hugh Cooke 72 Halifax, NS 27 15 Fred Costello 83 Dartmouth, NS 23 15 Ron Dunn 86 Halifax, NS 19 15 Henry Dyck 85 Truro NS 10 15 Wendell Erb 87 Kirkland, QC. 29 15 Donald Ferriss 79 Dartmouth, NS 29 15 Sherman Goucher 75 Annapolis County, NS 20 15 George Hachey 86 Halifax, NS 23 15 Tony Halvorson 70 Charlottetown, PEI 07 15 J. Jerome Hickey 87 Waterloo, ON 09 15 Norma Hickson 69 Medicine Hat, AB 23 15 John Howard 85 Eastern Passage, NS 26 15 Tony Ivanko 83 Halifax, NS 27 15 Mel James 78 Goderich, ON 23 15 Richard Kearns 72 Lower Sackville, NS 25 15 Steve Korman 86 Halifax, NS 16 15 John Loranger 82 Lake Echo, NS 25 15 Robert MacDonald 75 Orleans, ON 04 15 Norman MacIntyre 83 Greenfield, NS 06 15 Fred MacNeill 74 Dartmouth, NS 16 15 William Maser 78 Mount Uniacke, NS 29 15 Peter Mattice 77 Lower Sackville, NS 11 15 William McBride 81 Dartmouth, NS 21 15 John MacIntosh 73 Dartmouth, NS 03 14 Claude Michaud 73 St. Hubert, QC 05 15 Fred Molyneaux 74 Shelburne, NS 07 15 Joe Murphy 78 Granville Ferry, NS 09 15 William Murray 87 Courtenay, BC 07 12 15 Paul O'Boyle 72 Dartmouth, NS 19 15 Jim Paul 77 Petersburgh, ON 24 15 Lionel Ranger 81 Dartmouth, NS 07 15 Don Reid 71 Ottawa, ON 19 15 Ernest Rioux 85 Sorel-Tracy, QC 02 12 15 William Ross 57 Lake Echo, NS 18 15 Richard Rudback 76 Lower Sackville, NS 22 15 Les Seebold 87 Seminole, FL., USA 19 15 Alistar Simpson 64 Eastern Passage, NS 16 15 Claude Smith 65 Saint John, NB 20 15 Raymond Soucie 75 Dartmouth, NS 16 15 William Williams 80 Dartmouth, NS 20 15 April 2015 Donald Baker 83 Windsor, NS 26 15 Louis Bidnost 82 Dartmouth, NS 03 15 Harri Boggs 75 Stratford, PEI 28 15 Roger Boutin 83 Lower Sackville 02 15 George Brownless 79 Dartmouth, NS 29 15 Charles Cannon 85 Dartmouth, NS 15 15 Ronald Coles 78 Foxtrat, NL 15 15 David Davies 78 Dartmouth, NS 23 15 James Fowler 76 St. Isidore, ON 15 15 Robert Fox 75 Halifax, NS 08 15 Douglas Harding 75 Orleans, ON 10 15 Michael Henderson 81 Parrsboro, NS 06 15 Gordon Jenkins 78 Seabright, NS 25 15 David Kurts 88 Dartmouth, NS 28 15 Ralph LeBlanc 75 Sheet Harbour, NS 08 15 Neil MacAskill 83 Dartmouth, NS 29 15 John L. MacDonald 72 Stillwater Lake, NS 05 15 John MacIntosh 74 Perth, ON 21 15 Ivor MacLeod 79 Halifax 21 15 Graham NcBride 84 Halifax, NS 01 15 Charles McLeod 68 Westcock, NB 18 5 Chris Minkoff 85 Wilmot, NS 05 15 Douglas Moore 76 Clementsport, NS 13 5 Glen Moxham 73 Toronto, ON 26 15 Ken Parkin 73 Cambridge, ON 18 15 Fred Rostek 84 Lower Sackville, NS 29 15 Frank Rostek 75 Lower Sackville, NS 20 15 Joseph Smale 78 Alysford, NS 20 15 Gordon Thomlinson 89 Dartmouth, NS 18 15 William Wales 88 London, ON 16 15 David Watson 85 Halifax, NS 11 15 Douglas Wright 77 Dartmouth, NS 02 15 Jean Santerre 77 Dartmouth, NS 07-15 Jonathan Seaward 79 Middle Sackville, NS 24-14 Mary Jane Smith 74 Dartmouth, NS 21-15 Colin Tanner 71 Dartmouth, NS 10-15 James Tracy 81 Dartmouth, NS 08-15 Stewart Trentowsky 83 St. John, NB 27-15 Jil Trowsse 80 Dartmouth, NS 27-15 David Van Valkenburg 69 Centreville, NS 09-15 These figures are taken from application forms when submitted. Discrepancies are to be forwarded to gaylordk@yahoo.com or the Association office 902 420-0370. If you do not wish to have the date of your birth placed here, please contact me at gaylordk@yahoo.com or 902 446-8001. Members 90 years and over that age and ladies will have an honourary place in the Golden Memories article. 6 Golden Memories Apologies to Ed Smith 90 Fort MacLeod, AB February 26 2015 March 2015 James Hodgson Cambridge, ON 98 Years Young March 18, 2015 Mike Bidnock Dartmouth, NS 93 Years Young March 20, 2015 Frank Hayes Sudbury, ON 94Years Young March 2, 2015 George Heaven Roxboro, QC 92 Years Young March 3, 15 Paul Morse Parrsboro, NS 92 Years Young March 25, 2015 Geoffrey Embley Dartmouth, NS 91 Years Young March 23, 2015 John Henbrey Dartmouth, NS 92 Years Young March 25, 2015 Fred McGlone Hubley, NS 91 Years Young March 3, 2015 Davis Edwards Head of Chezzetcook, NS 90 Years Young March 12 2015 Pat Robertson Our Afgan Lady Halifax, NS 89 Years Young March 3, 2015 John & Lillian Henbrey Dartmouth, NS 70 Years of Wedded Bliss March 3, 2015 Harvey & Betty Hodgins Nanaimo, BC 65 Years of Wedded Bliss March 10, 2015 Ron & Pat Robertson Halifax, NS 63 Years of Wedded Bliss March 3, 2015 Jack & Ann Wallace Enfield, NS 62 Years of Wedded Bliss March 21, 2015 Frank & June Vogeli Harrow, ON 61 Years of Wedded Bliss March 6, 2015 Bill & Gulli Whitefield Dartmouth, NS 60 Years of Wedded Bliss March 26, 2015 Richard 'Doc' & Vicki Halliday Clifford, NS 57 Years of Wedded Bliss March 11, 2015 Ray & Angela Soucie Dartmouth, NS 52 Years of Wedded Bliss March 9, 2015 April 2015 Lilian Henbrey Dartmouth, NS 91 Years Young April 1, 2015 7 Queen Elizabeth II London, England 89 Years Young April 21, 2015 Frank & Kathleen Stafford Nepean, ON 66 Years of Wedded Bliss April 18, 2015 Sam and Muriel Dunn Halifax, NS 63 Years of Wedded Bliss April 12 2015 Bob & Dot Mercer East LaBelle, NS 56 Years of Wedded Bliss April 4 2015 George & June Best Dartmouth, NS 55 Years of Wedded Bliss April 30 2015 Don & Marion Williams Halifax, NS 55 Years of Wedded Bliss April 30 2015 Ian & Gertie Vance Dartmouth, NS 54 Years of Wedded Bliss April 29 2015 James & Ellen Dean Perth, ON 52 Years of Wedded Bliss April 27 2015 Doug & Joan Harding Orleans, ON 52 Years of Wedded Bliss April 27 2015 Government contracts out vital services at Veterans Affairs he federal government announced today that it would be eliminating 44 positions at Veterans Affairs Canada. The cuts represent the final step in the contracting-out of treatment authorization for ill and elderly veterans to Medavie Blue Cross. While veterans used to be able to have their benefit claims decided by knowledgeable public service workers, they will now have to deal with a private insurance company. This will have a significant impact on services for veterans. Under the old system, veterans who experienced service-related medical conditions were granted “treatment benefits,” in consultation with their doctors and a Veterans Affairs Case Manager. These benefits are often considered more crucial than financial compensation, because they provide meaningful support for veterans to live their lives. This can include psychology, physiotherapy and massage therapy, among other services. T Complex work In the past, the treatment plan was sent to a Treatment Authorization Centre for final approval and payment. This involved complex work, requiring knowledge of Veterans Affairs policy and the needs of each individual veteran. It also required that public service workers exercise both patience and compassion, as they helped highneeds veterans access all of the benefits to which they were entitled. Veterans Affairs client service agents used to call veterans every year and help them make sure that they were accessing the benefits they need. Now, Blue Cross sends a letter and cuts the veterans off if they can’t reach them by phone. It can take three months or more for veterans to have their benefits re-instated once they’ve been cut off. Mandate to deny “Veterans are being forced to deal with a private insurance company whose mandate is to try and deny claims,” says Carl Gannon, National President of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees. Gannon is a former front-line worker at Veterans Affairs and has extensive experience helping veterans with disability claims. “For many veterans, these treatments mean the difference between life and death,” said Gannon. “Clients suffering from serious mental illness due to their experience in the military must be handled with tact and patience. I seriously doubt that Medavie Blue Cross will be able to do this effectively.” Veteran Ron Clarke agrees. Based in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Clarke has already dealt with the closure of the Veterans Affairs office in his city and the frustration of having to wait on the phone to access services. He says that the contracting-out of treatment authorization will only make the situation worse. “We know what insurance companies are like,” says Clarke. “They find every excuse to deny us the benefits we deserve. Veterans have already fought for our country and now we shouldn’t have to fight Blue Cross to get the help we need.” PSAC and UVAE are demanding that the government bring treatment authorization back in-house at Veterans Affairs and reopen the nine district offices that were closed across the country last year. We are also demanding a moratorium on any further cuts at Veterans Affairs Canada. Topics: • Cutbacks • Veterans Affairs Canada Employers: • Treasury Board February 11, 2015
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