February 25, 2016 - Ottawa, ON
Yesterday at the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, I was asked what I would change if I could do whatever I wanted with Veterans’ benefits. This is the question we should all be asking.
History has shown that changes to Veterans’ benefits are too often incremental and/or reactive. For the most part, they are based on individual circumstances. Many of these changes did not consider what strategic outcomes were to be achieved for all Veterans and their families.
So, if I had a magic wand, I would start with a clean sheet of paper. I would list all the outcomes we need to achieve to support Veterans and their families. I would consider outcomes, such as:
- financial security for life;
- best possible health care;
- fair compensation for pain and suffering;
- a successful transition to a new job or to the best possible quality of life, if unable to work; and
- informed Veteran-centric service delivery with timely decisions.
Then I would design the benefits and administrative processes to achieve these outcomes. Without a clear understanding of Veteran outcomes, tinkering with existing benefits is a recipe for evolving complexity and disappointment.
Read my full remarks from yesterday's appearance in front of the Senate Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs.
Guy Parent
Veterans Ombudsman