Veterans Affairs Office to Reopen May 25
Prince George, B.C. – It’s a day local veterans have been waiting years for and now it’s just days away.
The City of Prince George’s Veterans Affairs Office will reopen May 25 after being closed by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government back in 2012 (along with eight other offices across Canada).
Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr during a visit to Prince George last summer – photo 250News
“It does feel nice,” says John Scott, service officer for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 in Prince George and long-time advocate for having the office reopened. “It’s the final step in a long journey we’ve had to get that office back open.”
He figures the office will make a big difference to the roughly 1,200 veterans living in northern B.C.
“It’s great. There will be five people working in the office so there should be lots of opportunities for them to speak directly to a Veterans Affairs case worker.”
The office will be located at the corner of Third Avenue and Victoria Street in the HSBC building.
Veterans Affairs Minister Kent Hehr announced the office would be reopened this spring during a visit to Prince George last summer.
Comments
AND that is is about time! Veterans deserve it big time! Paid their dues above and beyond no matter what part they played! As a matter of fact take some of the MPs vaunted golden retirement pot of gold and shift some of that over to the vets! Now that is justice! P.S. A friend of mine is walking to Victoria on behalf of the veterans AND all first responders who have PTSD. He was in the army for a few years and came to the conclusion that this is something he wants and needs to do! Needless to say it is a good cause and he has started a Gofundme page to raise funds for the treatment of said disorder. So of course I am behind the office reopening!
I’d still like to know why veterans services can’t be administered through a currently operating office with a dedicated staff? There can’t be enough veterans in Northern BC that they need an entire office.
There are over 1200 veterans in this area. More than enough to have a office in PG. these people put their lives on the line for us… show some respect please .
Excellent work by the Royal Canadian Legion.
‘Northern B.C.’ That is the operative statement! With the rigmarole that they have to go through, thanks to gov’t red tape and hurdles to jump, getting a dedicated, operating staff to meet the needs is beyond their capabilities. They will have more pull with the new office, as they would not have had to go this route! My own opinion of course. Joe Elliot, the Legion President, has also had a lot to do with this as he is passionate about this!
Another promise that PM Justin Trudeau has kept . Perhaps it would be appropriate for Stephen Harpers last representative in PG to be there to welcome it back .
If you were on top of the issue you would know that Doherty has already stated that he welcome’s the re opening of this office, and in addition he is trying to push through his private members bill C-211 to help veterans with PTSD.
John Scott, service officer for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 43 in Prince George says:
“It’s great. There will be five people working in the office so there should be lots of opportunities for them to speak directly to a Veterans Affairs case worker.”
My question for Scott is, will the roughly 1,200 veterans spread across Northern BC all come to the office here in PG, or will they correspond via telephone, mail and email? If they don’t come to PG to personally attend this new local office and instead correspond via telephone, mail and email, then what exactly is the point of this new office? How many of the roughly 1,200 live outside of Prince George and will see no change to the service that they now receive via phone, mail and email?
I suspect that we are now going to have another government office in town, staffed with overpaid employees doing not much of anything, but what the heck, I’m just a cynic! After all, 5 staff will only cost approx. $500,000.00 per year in wages and benefits plus the cost of the office lease, equipment, phones, etc, etc, etc!
You have to admit that my question and concerns are valid! It’s one thing if 1,200 veterans personally access the office each year, but it’s a whole other thing if they phone, mail or email this new office, just the way that they are currently phoning, mailing and emailing whatever office is currently looking after these files!
Some good questions. It seems everyone is too busy patting each other on the back to address them.
Praise not only to the Royal Canadian Legion but to all those involved in making this hapoen. A true good news story.
Years ago when there was still a veterans office in PG that I was not aware of I called the service officer at the Legion and he told me he didn’t know about Korean veterans end of conversation.
I contacted the Korea Veterans Association and they directed me to the Penticton Veterans affairs office and I did all my claims through that office.
I think the only thing that the Legion is concerned about is selling beer which they are good at. So don’t get all excited about the Legion.
I even quite going to the parade on Armistice day after they called the veterans section Legionnaires.
Cheers
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