Thunder Bay’s veterans are angry.
And quite frankly, they have every right to be.
These men and women volunteered to serve their country and fought to maintain our freedom and way of life.
The federal government made promises to take care of them for the rest of their lives.
Now, when many need the services of Veterans Affairs the most, Ottawa has decided to close down satellite offices in smaller communities across Canada.
Thunder Bay is on the chopping block.
Veterans have been handed a 1-800 number, their records moved to such accessible communities as Winnipeg, North Bay and Prembroke, Ont.
Instead of a face-to-face encounter when problems arise, our veterans are being put on hold or forced to play phone tag.
This is bureaucracy at its finest, an example of a government trying to balance its books on the backs of those the country can least afford to nickel and dime.
As Roy Lamore said at a national protest in Ottawa, without our veterans, Canada’s national dish might be sauerkraut and sausages.
Our veterans deserve better. Canadians deserve better. Keep our office open, even if it’s only a couple of days a week. It’s money well spent and the least we should do.
