It was hailed as a giant step forward in aid of Canada’s disabled veterans.
The Veterans Hiring Act was passed by the Conservative government July 1, 2015. Canada Day.
Its thrust was straight forward: veterans released for medical reasons were to be first in line for any federal civil service job.
There has been no stampede.
Citing the Public Service Commission, the Globe and Mail reported Thursday that from the passage of the the bill through this past April, a total of 26 veterans had been given government jobs based on a priority status resulting from injury attributable to their service.
The government also issued priority placement to 112 veterans who were released because of injuries that were not directly attributed to their military career.
According to PSC figures, as of May 16, a total of 424 medically discharged veterans remain the priority list for government jobs.
One more figure: Since the Veterans Hiring Act was passed, 20,000 people have been appointed to government positions.
A lot of veterans who let out a deep breath a year ago are not happy.
One of them is Don Leonardo, a third generation member of the Canadian military, who served as a Canadian peacekeeper in the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990’s
Mr. Leonardo is a long-time veterans advocate who is president of Veterans Canada, which has 8,000 members and is the second largest (after the Canadian Legion) veterans group in the country.
He spoke to RCI by phone from his home in Airdrie, Alberta.
Listen
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.