Minister of Veterans Affairs
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Related Release
Cutting Red Tape and Improving Service to Veterans
Winnipeg, MB
February 21, 2012
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Thank you, Gisèle,
It is truly an honour to be with you today to once again re-affirm our Government’s commitment to our nation’s Veterans and their families.
Our Veterans served our country with pride and conviction in the defence of peace, freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
After their military career most of our Veterans resumed a normal life, working hard to provide for their families and their loved ones.
Our Veterans, after serving in dangerous regions around the world and sacrificing so much to make our world a better place, ask for nothing in return. They simply say “I was doing my job.”
It is our duty, as a government, to ensure Veterans and their families have the care and support they need. It is the least we can do after what they have done—for us—for our country.
As Minister of Veterans Affairs, I believe Veterans and their families have the right to receive the best possible service from the Department.
Veterans have told me that the information provided to them by the Department was hard to understand. They told me there was too much bureaucratic red tape. You know what? I agreed with them.
And this is why I am here today. I am here to let our Veterans know that we are listening and we are delivering.
I am extremely proud to launch the “Cutting Red Tape for Veterans” action plan. Today’s announcement is just the beginning.
Much of what is needed to make these improvements simply involves returning to the basics. That will be our mantra as we overhaul how Veterans Affairs Canada works, put in place updated and more efficient technology and make bureaucratic delays a thing of the past.
In long-term, broad strokes, we are:
- making our programs and policies more relevant;
- providing faster and easier access to benefits and services;
- offering professional service from employees who understand the military experience; and
- creating a seamless transition from military to civilian life.
So what are some of the new steps on this path to improvement?
Our Government believes Veterans have a right to access information that is easy to understand. Veterans want information written in clear and plain language.
Last year, my department processed more than 40,000 first-time disability benefit applications from Veterans. Each time, a letter was written and sent out advising them of the decision. In addition to that, thousands of other letters are sent out each year explaining benefits and programs for the survivors or dependants of Veterans.
One only has to take a quick glance at these letters to see that they are too complex. Their message and intent gets lost in the bureaucratic language and you are left wondering, “What does this all mean for me?”
The Department has taken steps over the last 18 months to improve the clarity of these letters but more work is being done.
Starting today, we will be reaching out to many Veterans who have recently received decision letters to make sure they have the information they need and find out how we can make our letters easier to understand.
As well, better training for employees and better technology will ensure letters are processed faster and meet the accepted standards of plain language.
We are moving away from a lot of the paperwork used to make those decisions. By making better use of digital imaging and electronic records and by allowing Veterans’ doctors to file medical assessments and other documents electronically, the whole process becomes much faster.
We have also produced a new easy-to-read brochure that explains the services and benefits available to Veterans and their families.
This brochure is easy to understand and avoids the bureaucratic language that can be frustrating for many . . . not just Veterans. It provides a good overview of how the Department can help . . . and explains clearly what Veterans should do if they believe they are eligible for a particular service or benefit. Copies of this new brochure are available here today.
Further, we are modernizing the tools that staff members use so they can serve Veterans more quickly. We recently implemented an “internal” online tool called the Benefits Browser that allows our employees to quickly access information on the programs and services most relevant to the Veterans they are serving.
You will see a demonstration of the Benefits Browser a little later and hear directly from an employee here in our Winnipeg District Office about how it helps them to help Veterans. We are also working on a similar tool for Veterans and their families.
Veterans will be seeing a difference. In the past year, we have reduced the amount of time it takes for Veterans to receive decisions regarding their disability benefits. We have improved the response times at our national call centre. We have reduced the amount of paperwork Veterans have to complete for many of the health benefits provided by the Department. As well, with direct deposit now available for a number of benefits, Veterans and their dependants are receiving their money faster.
This is just the beginning.
Over the next few months, our Government will announce more initiatives that further demonstrate our commitment to cutting red tape and providing Veterans and their families with the best possible service.
Once again, our Government is demonstrating it not only listens to Veterans but takes action.
Veterans have told us that they want a system with less red tape and fewer bureaucratic roadblocks. We have a solid plan in place to make that happen.
Thank you.
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