The Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS) firmly stands behind the Legion in their campaign for improved funeral and burial benefits for veterans. As Canada’s senior veterans organization we find the current benefits greatly lacking in fairness and find it a blight to our national heroes.
ANAVETS identified three issues that need to be immediately addressed:
1. The current maximum allowance of $3600 under the Veterans Burial Regulations 2005, has not increased since November 2001. It has in no way kept pace with the average rising cost of funeral services as noted by the Canadian Funeral Services Association. We strongly urge the maximum allowable payment for the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral & Burial Program be adjusted to equivalent levels established for the RCMP and DND to $14,320. Recognition that their service to Canada is of equal importance and that a Cost of Living Allowance be introduced equal to Statistics Canada annual adjusted CPI.
2. In February 1995 the Government of Canada reduced the Survivor/Dependent Estate Exemption from $24,030 to $12,015, a contributing factor for the approval or denial of funeral & burial benefits for veterans. The reduced exemption is considerably less than the poverty level, denying benefits to hundreds of Veterans which creates an additional burden on families of these veterans. We strongly urge the Survivor/Dependent Estate Exemption be restored to an amount not less than the poverty level as determined by Statistics Canada and that a Cost of Living Allowance be introduced equal to Statistics Canada annual adjusted CPI.
3. The Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral & Burial Program is not offered to those who have served in the regular or reserve components of the Canadian Forces since the end of the Korean War unless they are in receipt of a disability benefit or earnings loss benefit from Veterans Affairs Canada. This has resulted in Canadian Forces Veterans who lack sufficient funds being denied a dignified funeral and burial. We strongly urge that all Canadian Forces Veterans deemed low income become eligible to receive Veterans Affairs Canada benefits and services under the Funeral & Burial Program.
The Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada (ANAVETS) has lobbied the Government of Canada on these insufficiencies for over 15 years. At our biennial national conventions we have carried resolutions urging the government to rectify the shortfalls in the Veterans Funeral & Burial Regulations since 1998. Veterans’ organizations have collectively repeated these issues year after year as the gap between what is required and what is allowed continues to grow. Frustrated and disappointed in the inaction displayed by successive governments on this issue have led the Royal Canadian Legion to employ a letter writing campaign to all of their members. As a show of support, ANAVETS is asking that all of their members support this initiative by joining the campaign. We strongly urge the Minister of Veterans Affairs take necessary action to restore reasonable funding and eligibility requirements to the Funeral & Burial Program for our deserving veterans.
Shoulder to Shoulder,
George Beaulieu
Dominion President
The Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada
Below is a copy of the letter to be sent to your Member of Parliament.
Download the Member of Parliament Letter of Support in Word Format HERE.
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