Good morning. You'll have to bear with me.
I'm Carletta Matheson, a Widow on a Warpath. This morning I am going to tell you about my experience with Veterans Affairs and access to information.
In March 2009 I began an investigation into the ex gratia program. I wanted to know how many cheques went to each district around base Gagetown. Specifically I wanted to know how much money went to each district in Greg Thompson's riding. I made the request through access to information, asking for a list of people who received the ex gratia payments in those locations.
On April 16, 2009, I received a list of 2,193 names, but I was not given the information I requested. This is a common theme amongst widows' stories. The ex gratia program ended on April 1, 2009, and even though the program was over, I knew people were still receiving cheques. So I requested a second list.
My name appeared on this list. I have not received any compensation. I have never received compensation, but my name was on the list of people who had. Because my name appeared on this list I thought I would receive compensation. The next day I called the Department of National Defence and informed them I had not received a cheque. I was told my name should not have been on this list. The cheque should have been in my hand.
This began a nightmarish journey. I received a letter from the department saying that my name appearing on this list was a computer error. I wondered how many computer errors there were. They asked me to send back my original copy. I said, no way. In July I received a third list of names from Veterans Affairs. My name was not on this list. On the third list I received, the names appeared not once, not twice, but multiple times. The bottom of this list states, and I quote: “clients may also be caregivers and will/may appear on the report multiple times”.
What does that mean? How can one person receive an ex gratia payment more than once? Why did so many people receive multiple cheques when so many victims received nothing? Why are we being refused when there's money left over? How much money has actually been paid out if multiple names and mistakes appear on this list?
Isn't the appearance of my name on this list a violation of my privacy, especially when I didn't receive a cheque? Is this a violation of the federal law?
The Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs have put me through so much. They have put me through hell. My husband served 36 years in the forces, and I believe the chemicals at CFB Gagetown killed him. Despite my husband's sacrifices, I have received no kindness and no consideration from Veterans Affairs. I am disgusted, hurt, and most of all angry.
Thank you.