A decade ago, on April 3, 2007, the Canadian Veterans Bill of Rights was given Royal Assent.
It is perhaps not widely known that the Veterans Bill of Rights applies to all clients of Veterans Affairs Canada, including Veterans of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
If you are a Veteran of the RCMP, under the Veterans’ Bill of Rights you have the right to:
- be treated with respect, dignity, fairness and courtesy;
- take part in discussions that involve you and your family;
- have someone with you for support when you deal with Veterans Affairs Canada;
- receive clear, easy-to-understand information about our programs and services, in English or French, as set out in the Official Languages Act;
- have your privacy protected as set out in the Privacy Act;
- receive benefits and services as set out in our published service standards and to know your appeal rights; and
- make a complaint and have the matter looked into if you feel that any of your rights have not been upheld.
Under Order-in-Council PC 2007-530 of April 3, 2007, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman was created. The Veterans Ombudsman is the Federal Government’s special advisor with the mandate to review and address complaints by Veterans Affairs Canada clients and their representatives arising from the application of the provisions of the Veterans Bill of Rights.
Since 2007, the RCMP Veterans’ Association has worked with the Veterans Ombudsmen to ensure that the unique perspectives, needs and interests of RCMP Veterans are considered as well as those of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans, and are never overlooked.
RCMP Veteran and Past President of the RCMP Veterans’ Association, Dave M. Leblanc, Reg. No. 24825, is currently our appointee on the Veterans Ombudsman’s Advisory Council.
