As Canadians we enjoy many freedoms. Freedom of conscience, freedom of belief, freedom of association, freedom of mobility. These are the freedoms—and indeed, the rights—we enjoy in Canada.
Today, Canada’s Veterans Ombudsman, Guy Parent, issued the following statement in response to the announced amendments to the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Regulations:
"Earlier today, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that amendments to the Canadian Forces Members and Veterans Re-establishment and Compensation Regulations are now in effect. This is bittersweet news for the Veterans’ community.
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January 19, 2021 – Ottawa, ON The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) today released its report, Mental Health Treatment Benefits for Family Members, in Their Own Right, for Conditions Related to Military Service.
The OVO finds, through this investigation, that family members of Veterans should have better access to mental health treatment when the need is connected to military service. The report examines how this service can uniquely impact family members as individuals.
Veterans Ombudsman Craig Dalton today released his office’s 2019 Report Card, which reports on the Government’s progress to improve services and support for Veterans and their families. The release was made before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. The Report Card, first introduced in 2017, is a tool used by the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman to capture, track and report on action taken in response to recommendations made by the Ombudsman to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. Progress is measured against these evidence-based recommendations.
June 2, 2021 – Ottawa, ON The Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) today released its report, Peer Support for Veterans who have Experienced Military Sexual Trauma.
April 21, 2022 - The Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) today released its report, The Adjudication of Sexual Dysfunction Claims Consequential to an Entitled Psychiatric Condition.
Our investigation found sex-based bias in Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) adjudication processes for female sexual dysfunction claims. VAC streamlines male-specific erectile dysfunction claims related to a psychiatric condition, but no similar process exists for female claims. This is unfair.
October 12, 2022, Ottawa, ON – Today, the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) released its 2022 Report Card tracking the status of the implementation of its recommendations to Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). As of March 31, 2022, VAC has fully or partially implemented 69 percent or 52 of the OVO’s 75 recommendations, showing a slight improvement over last year.
October 25, 2022, Ottawa, ON – Today, the Office of the Veterans Ombud (OVO) released its Disability Benefit Wait Times Update. This builds on our 2018 report and provides an update on how long members and Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and the RCMP are waiting for disability claim decisions from VAC.
The long wait time for disability benefits continues to be the number one complaint the OVO receives. Wait times significantly exceed the 16 week service standard set by VAC.
February 1, 2023, OTTAWA, ON – Veterans Ombud Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine will be in British Columbia the week of February 6 to meet with the Veterans community. This visit will include town halls, meetings with stakeholders, and attending the grand opening of the Veterans Village in Surrey.
