Subject: Fw: Bill C-201
Dear MP XXXX
Private Members Bill C-201 is scheduled for 2nd reading, debate (May 12th) and vote on Wednesday, May 13th.
I hope Veterans can count on your support so that the forcing of veterans to kneel before Parliament with their hat in hand will, finally, cease.
With regards to the Clawback to Veterans Pensions, Mr. Stoffer has provided a responsible and viable solution. It was never the intention of Veterans to have Canadian Taxpayers pick up the tab, as many seem to allude to. Veterans are Canadian taxpayers, as well. So in the end youll get most of it back, anyway. However, Mr. Stoffers solution seems to be unsatisfactory to Conservatives and some Liberal Members of the House.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation researched Industry Canada Subsidy Programs and reported over $18 Billion of Canadian taxpayers money had been doled out in financial assistance to not a couple, but many Multi-Billion Dollar Asset Profit Making Corporations and to the politically connected through loans, grants, contributions (free taxpayers money) and loan guarantees, where the Government; Read: taxpayer, picks up the tab should the loan default. All this generosity with no consultation with the very taxpayers Liberals and Conservatives so vehemently profess to have such deep concern about and who have been in the past and are now(not to mention future generations will inherit) financing the Governments reckless decisions.
Of the $18.1 Billion, $7.1 Billion was marked for repayment, or at least thats what was indicated. However, as of Jan 2007, only $1.3 Billion of taxpayers money was ever recouped and there is no guarantee there will be further repayment and because of creative book-keeping, contracts written in favour of the corporations and next to no transparency, there is no way of checking into the matter. Those who receive tax dollar handouts must give their permission, and there are those who have refused, before repayment records or information is disclosed.
It was difficult to chose, there being so many acts of Government philanthropy, but here are a few of my personal favourites:
$311,400,000.00; Contribution to Pratt Whitney in yrs 2003-2006,
$200,000,000.00; Contribution to General Motors Co on 2005-12-05,
$200,000,000.00; Contribution to Owens Corning Can. on 2005-02-03,
$100,000,000.00; Contribution to Ford Motor Co. on 2005-12-05,
$115,340,000.00; Contribution to Bell Helicopter Textron on 2005-06-01,
$25,000,000.00; Contribution to Can. Opera House Corp on 2006-03-23,
$25,000,000.00; Contribution to Tourist Ind. Assoc. of Nfld Labrador on 2006-03-23,
$25,000,000.00, Contribution to Lab West Tourism Dev Corp on 2006-03-23,
$5,000,000.00; Grant to Canada-Israel Indust. RD Foundation on 2005-05-05
And, a real surprise and mystery to me, as Im sure it will be to most Canadians$42 Million to Wachovia Bank, (4th largest in the US ) North Carolina . The budget for the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman is less than that.
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To put this in perspective, our Canadian troops (a fresh batch of future veterans) were coming back from Afghanistan in coffins, dismembered, shattered during this period of extreme charity and gimme-gimme madness.
All these Billions in handouts with no requirement for readings, debates, votes, committees and, yet, so many MPs continue to vigorously, quibble over a few hundred dollars per month to veterans. If $30 Billion hadnt been absconded from their Pension Funds in the first place and legislation written to strip them of their dignity at age 65, this wouldnt be an issue.
When the Canadian public becomes aware of how irresponsibly their hard earned dollars have been squandered, they will be more upset with the actions of their elected than with their veterans. Blaming the economy for the dilution of social programs and how they are advised to tighten their belt due to these hard times wont wash, either.
None of these Corporate CEO welfare bums have ever made a quarks measure of the sacrifice Soldiers/RCMP/Veterans have made for this nation. Nor have their high paid, chronic rule-breaking lobbyist, many of whom were and are former Canadian Forces Senior Officers, Ministers and other Senior Government Bureaucrats armed with a database of former colleagues/buddies and insider information on how to work the system to their own benefit and sway government polices to suit the company agenda. Lobbyists who have wined, dined and contributed to political parties-possibly even to you. Perhaps Veterans should be writing to them, since so many of our elected officials seem to pander to their wants and ignore veterans needs.
Family, friends and supporters within the Veterans circle will be watching where you will place your gratitude and the support you regurgitate when it suits you.
Will it be with the Lobbyist and Cronies or will it be with the veterans who have selflessly served this nation at the risk of death and/or dismemberment?
It will be interesting, indeed, to witness where your conscience lies as you cast your free vote on Tuesday, May 12 th.
Claudia Schibler
Halifax , NS
In response to our Veterans Ombudsman Blog previously entered in this paper: Please link to or Cut and Paste for very interesting article and letter: http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/defencewatch/archive/2009/05/08/veterans-advocate-defends-col-stogran-takes-issue-with-minister-thompson.aspx
Please support our Troops and Veterans
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
