March 10, 2011
Ottawa — The Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture), today announced a new appointment to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB).
Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Pierre Desjardins of Longueuil, Québec has been appointed to the Board for a five-year term, effective March 14, 2011.
The appointment was made in accordance with VRAB's merit-based selection process.
"Veterans have told us they would like the Board's membership to include more Canadians with first-hand knowledge of the challenges of military life and service," said Minister Blackburn. "Today's appointment shows we are listening to them. Lieutenant-Colonel Desjardins' impressive career in the Canadian Forces will be a valuable asset to the Board. I commend him for his past service and continued commitment to serving our country as a member of the Board."
Lieutenant-Colonel Desjardins is a former officer with the Royal 22nd Regiment. He retired in 2003 after 32 years of military service in Canada and Europe, including the command of a Canadian battle group deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993. More recently, he has worked as the head of strategic planning and research with the Montréal Police Service and as a senior executive with the Montréal Division of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires.
The Veterans Review and Appeal Board (VRAB) is the independent appeal tribunal for the disability pension and disability award programs administered by Veterans Affairs Canada. It also provides the final level of appeal for War Veterans Allowance applications.
The Board's objective is to ensure that traditional Veterans, Canadian Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police members and Veterans, and their families, receive the benefits to which they are entitled. To achieve this, the Board conducts hearings that give applicants the opportunity to appear in person and present new information and arguments in support of their application for disability benefits.
The Board operates at arm's-length from the Minister of Veterans Affairs to ensure a fair appeal process for applicants. There are now 25 full-time members on the Board, including the Chair and Deputy Chair.
For more information on the Board's program, visit www.vrab-tacra.gc.ca.
- 30 -
Media Enquiries:
Danielle Gauthier
Head of Communications
Veterans Review and Appeal Board
Phone: (902) 566-8575
Sophie Doucet
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs
Phone: 613-992-3465
