North Island-Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has made a statement and tabled a private member’s bill regarding Canada’s veterans during Veterans Week.
“This week, we honour and thank all of the Canadians who served our country and fought to protect peace, equality and freedom,” stated Blaney, who is the NDP veterans affairs critic, in a media release.
“Canadian veterans and their families have sacrificed so much for all of us. We need to make sure that they have the support they need and the respect they deserve. For years, we’ve seen the Liberals over-charge veterans for long-term care and leave women veterans out of the conversation, while Conservatives cut pensions and closed nine veteran affairs centres.”
Blaney stated that this week and every week, she and her New Democrat colleagues are dedicated to supporting brave veterans and their loved ones.
“As we also mark Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, I encourage everyone to thank and honour our veterans,” stated Blaney. “Lest we forget.”
On November 5, during Veterans Week, Blaney tabled a private members bill that would make sure all veterans who need a service animal can receive one.
Veterans face many barriers to getting a service dog, including high costs and uncertainty regarding their training, a media release stated. Blaney’s bill would lift those barriers and make national standards mandatory.
“After serving our country, many brave veterans come back with trauma, PTSD and physical disabilities,” stated Blaney. “Service animals help our veterans heal and adapt to life post-service. For many veterans, there are a lot of barriers. Some providers will charge tens of thousands of dollars for a service animal without ensuring the animal has the proper training. We need to make sure this isn’t happening; our veterans deserve that at the least.”
Blaney’s bill would create a framework to enhance the provision of animal-assisted services to veterans by the department of veterans affairs and national standards to define what training a veteran’s service animal has and to force the government to provide animal-assisted service to veterans, the release stated.
“For generations, the Liberals and the Conservatives have put veterans on the back burner,” stated Blaney. “It’s time we do better by our veterans, so I’m calling on the government to support New Democrats in making sure all veterans can get a service animal if they need one.”
Veterans Week runs from November 5 to 11.
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