It's an either/or.
Evidence of meeting #106 for Veterans Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was policy.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #106 for Veterans Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was policy.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Vice-President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
That choice would occur only if we were designated as wartime service veterans now.
Liberal
President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
It's a choice that we don't have but that we thought we had when we were serving in the gulf, because it was under the Pension Act. We were told by the commanders and others when we were over there: “Guys, this is a war. Now, by the time you get home, you'll be war veterans, if you get home.”
That kind of talk put it into the situation that we came back from there thinking, “Yes, we're covered. We're also war veterans.” We've come to realize that we're not covered like that and that we're not war veterans. When we put in our claims prior to 2006.... I have, like Mike, a Pension Act claim in, but anything else is under the Veterans Well-being Act.
I never had a choice. No matter if the injuries I'm claiming for now are a direct result of my service in the Persian Gulf, I don't have a choice of whether they're paid under the Pension Act or the Veterans Well-being Act. I'm going to get paid under the Veterans Well-being Act.
Liberal
Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC
I would assume that this information was not known prior to being deployed, but only after.
President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
We didn't know.
Another thing is that we were told that we should “up our life insurance before we go”. I went in and I took out $300,000 extra because I didn't know if I was coming back.
Liberal
Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC
Let's talk about commemoration.
I understand that veterans who were deployed to the Persian Gulf War currently are not commemorated at a level that some other special duty service veterans are. Can you talk a bit more about how you feel that this is appropriate to commemorate?
President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
Let me ask the people sitting here: When was the last time you were at an event for the military and the person speaking was talking about wars and veterans and you heard “Persian Gulf”? Does that tell you anything about commemoration for Persian Gulf service?
We're just a footnote now, and that's not right, you know. We served. We went where our country asked us to go. We didn't know if we were coming home, and now we're just asking for fairness.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Miao.
Mr. Desilets, you may go ahead for the next six minutes.
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
To my fellow members, good morning, and to the witnesses, thank you for being here. It's nice to see you again.
Mr. McGlennon, it seems to me that, at one point, you were in contact with former prime minister Brian Mulroney, and the Gulf War was discussed.
Am I mistaken?
Vice-President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
He was asking if we had contact with Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.
President, Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada
Yes, we did, and in fact, I have a copy of his letter here. I reached out to the former prime minister, and when I did reach him—because he was not an easy guy to reach at the time—he was very—
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Chair, there is a small issue with the interpretation.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
You're not hearing the French interpretation after the English remarks?
Liberal
Bloc