Rachel Blaney Demands Response on Long-Term Care Bed Costs for Veterans

Ottawa, ON–Rachel Blaney, NDP MP (North Island–Powell River), is calling for answers from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on behalf of Canadian Veterans and their families after a recent CBC report revealed they were overcharged for long-term care beds for more than 19 years. According to the report, thousands of Veterans have been paying hundreds of dollars more than necessary every month for their care.

“Canadians who serve in the military deserve our gratitude and support, but we have learned that for at least 19 years, the Liberal government and the former Conservative government overcharged Veterans and their families for long-term care beds,” Blaney said. “Again, Veterans and their families have to fight the government tooth and nail to get what they are due. Canadians need to know who did what and when.”

The CBC report indicates that a federal oversight led to Veterans paying over $3,000 extra each year since 2005. A misinterpretation of the rules appears to have skewed the rate calculation by excluding the Northwest Territories, where long-term care costs are lower than those in Manitoba, the province used to set the fees. Because of issues in record-keeping before 2005, it’s not clear how much earlier this issue began.

“It’s time the government took responsibility,” Blaney said. “How did they not know how much long-term care beds cost across Canada? Why would they forget that there are Territories whose rates should have been included? The Prime Minister gave his usual non-answer during Question Period, saying that his government is committed to supporting Canada’s Veterans, but time and again they refuse to take accountability. This situation is unacceptable. We need to know when this happened and make it right by compensating Veterans and their families.”

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Link to question: https://youtu.be/AvKWt1a44ss