Some Times it Makes you Wonder

Peter Plays Dress up

Defense Minister Peter Mckay loves to wave the military's flag and does so every chance he gets. He and his boss Stephen Harper love to play dress up, and get their pictures taken in military garb, rubbing shoulders with the troops. He just loves the look of camouflage.
McKay was in the news this week giving us all glowing reports about how military Griffin choppers were being used to rescue people stranded in the snow in Ontario. Peter is Canada's number one military booster.   Ask him any time.


Unfortunately Peter is only really there when solders are healthy and under active duty. Wounded, that is another matter altogether. A guy with his leg blown off just doesn't give you the same warm and fuzzy feeling. The Harper Government has fallen way short when it comes to supporting those wounded or otherwise disabled in the field.


This isn't a new story but it is one that the Conservatives have managed to ride out so far.
There is a new twist on this story though out of Ontario.


The  Ontario Trial Lawyers Association says they are astounded by the "hurdles, the runarounds and the hardships” Canada’s veterans face when they try to collect federal military service and disability benefits.

“These veterans fight for our country and they really should not have to fight for these benefits,” said lawyer Patrick Brown, chair of the new initiative. About 40 members are taking part in the new program, called Trial Lawyers for Veterans. “If we can help out, we will,” said Brown. “The commitment from our volunteers is to offer free services. It is all pro bono.”
After suffering devastating injuries from roadside or suicide bombers, missile attacks, vehicle rollovers or gunshot wounds, the veterans are often stunned when they find themselves battling Ottawa for money, for a job and for respect.
Peter McKay hasn't said if he is embarrassed by all this. Of course, he could argue that these men and women are not his responsibility anymore. Once they are wounded and ultimately leave the service they fall under another ministry. They are Veterans Affairs Minister Jean Pierre Blackburn's problem now. 
Peter is reported to be looking for another photo op.

Pay Attention Canada

I noticed an important story in the Hill Times today, unfortunately ignored by most of the mainstream media, at least so far.

We remember Pat Stogran the veteran's ombudsman  who is being drummed out of his position by the Harper bullies for having the gall to actually do his job. To speak up, forcefully on behalf of veterans and to voice some of the concerns raised to him by those he considered his constituents and he brought to light the shoddy treatment many of them felt they were getting under the leadership Conservative government.

Harper loved the ready access the military provided for photo-ops and the like but when he was needed to provide support to people wounded or traumatized by Afghanistan little Stevie pulled the political equivalent of a "cut and run."

Real support is so much much more than a photo-op Stephen.

Perhaps the most telling thing he brought to light was when he confided that he was told by a senior civil servant   " … that it is in the government’s best interests to have soldiers killed overseas rather than wounded because the liability is shorter term.” The former senior military officer was shaken to the bone by the comment. “

Now Stogran has revealed that says he believes that the Veterans Affairs Department may have improperly accessed and shared his medical files and other information after he brought forward his concerns and was speaking out on behalf of  veterans.


Mr. Stogran said he first raised the issue after discovering there had been as many as 400 “improper inquiries” into his personal file at the Veterans Affairs Department. At first he didn't worry too much about thinking that people in the department were just curious about who he was but Mr. Stogran became more concerned when
another high-profile veteran, Sean Bruyea, told CP last week that  he obtained information that his personal information and medical files had been spread around within government and used in attempts to discredit him.  It was at that point that Stogran  became aware he may also have been a target. "It was apparent that more people had been in my file than had any business being in my file" Stogran said.

Doesn't this just piss you off? I hate where we seem to be going as a country. Our government is out of control and in the face of it all, Harper is up in the polls.

Give your head a shake Canada. Is this what you want.

Are we Going to the Polls?

Just in case you were wondering about the likelihood of an election in the fall, the signs are there and my guess is that we are about 60% certain that Little Stevie will try and taunt the Liberals into forcing us into one.

The one thing we don't know is if Iggy has any more jam than Stephane Dion.

The NDP are pumped and ready to go, the Liberals are Sabre rattling their way through barbecues and town hall meetings, the Conservative/Alliance/Reformers are poised to re-announce just about every program they have ever thought up and who knows what the Bloc are up to.

Look out for a different campaign. Taking lessons from Vladimer Putin, Stevie has abandoned warm and fuzzy for stalwart and steely eyed.

Don't believe me?

What Canadian Prime Minister has ever spent five days observing military exercises. None that I recall. I spent eight years in the Canadian Navy and never saw a Prime Minister although I did see a Defense Minister once. That was Paul Hellier and we all hated him for his unification of the Armed Forces plan, but I do digress.

In the last week we have seen Harper;

• standing on the casing on a submarine. I hear they might have even dived the thing for him
  

• walking around all decked out in full flying gear, helmet and all

• sitting in the door of a helicopter, legs dandling out as it took off. Or perhaps hovered for the photo op.

This is the new militaristic Stevie, ready to take on the enemy.

I for one am having a bit of a hard time seeing the Ottawa dough boy in that light but he is trying hard to impress Canadians. The depressing part is that it might just work.