Welcome home to the crew of HMCS Charlottetown. Enjoy your leave. Thankyou for a job well done.
Once again I would like to share a very important issue with you. Veterans and the infamous CLAWBACK of pensions. The first letter is from an old buddy of 1Tpt Days in Germany way back in 63. Don Cappler is a retired Sgt Major of the RCASC.
This article is by Peter Worthington a reknowned Canadian Journalist. checkCookie();
Retired soldiers get the shaft
By PETER WORTHINGTON
Rarely has Canada been so attuned to the welfare and needs of serving military people and veterans, with appreciation is expressed on every occasion -- in words, if not deeds. Certainly for those killed or wounded in their country's name.
However, amid the rhetoric an injustice is being perpetrated on veterans in the form of a pension clawback that the federal government refuses to correct, ignoring its own extravagant praise for our troops.
When a soldier retires after 20-plus years of service, his pension is fixed until the magic number of 85 (his age plus years of service), then it is indexed, increasing every year.
At age 65 the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) kicks in -- and the amount paid, is deducted (clawed back) from the retired soldier's income. That means his military pension, to which he contributed part of his pay while in uniform, is reduced by whatever his CPP is -- to which he also contributed.
In other words, he contributes to the CPP, but gets no benefit.
As well as the Canadian Forces personnel, the clawback also applies to retired RCMP officers. Efforts, such as petitions and appeals to MPs and to the Veterans Canada ombudsman, are under way to correct the 1965 clawback law for the military. But so far, the government is unresponsive, with mostly the NDP (notably Peter Stoffer, NDP MP for Nova Scotia's Sackville-Eastern Shore) interested in changing the law.
Retired soldiers point out that theirs is the only government job that requires 24/7 readiness, with no overtime, yet ever-ready to risk life and injury when asked to do so. Ignored is that so many pay a double premium with no pension benefit.
Donnie Cappler, a retired sergeant major with 25 years service is a case in point. He joined at age 17 and retired at age 42 on $1,219 a month. When he turned 60 in 2003 his pension was indexed to $1,913.
He points out that when the clawback occurred at age 65, his military pension was reduced, thus affecting the indexing which resulted in less income than he received before being entitled to Old Age Security (OAS).
Cappler says when he turned 65 (in February, 2008) and the CPP kicked in, his original pension of $1,219 was reduced to $1,008 a month and even with indexing and CPP added, there was an overall drop in his income of $340 a month.
He points out that MPs, after six years, get a fully indexed pension and at age 65 MPs' pensions are not clawed back. Why is this? he asks. It seems strange that both the politicians and the military work for the same government, yet there are different rules when it comes to pensions.
Welcome to reality, Donnie. MPs look after themselves first. Always have, always will -- look at their lavish pension and pay raises.
CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE
Jean Labelle is a retired Master Warrant Officer from Nova Scotia who also campaigns for change to the clawback perversion. He points to a Pension fund surplus that could easily pay for pensions, and scolds against the CPP mandatory deductions that don't benefit retired soldiers.
A retired Chief Warrant Officer gets less after his pension than a trained private gets today, he says. His appeals to Veterans Ombudsman, retired Col. Pat Stogran of Afghanistan fame, led to naught. Stogran responded that as a retired soldier he agreed that dumping the clawback was a worthwhile initiative . . . (but) I do not think it would be appropriate for the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman to do so.
Hmm. Others might say it's exactly what the Ombudsman should do.
The Government is treating Retired members like third world citizens...Wake up Prime Minister and correct this tragedy.
Islanders Please mark your Calendar 29 May 08 Red Rally.
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
