OTTAWA—The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence, today issued the following statement regarding amendments to the Canadian Forces Accidental Dismemberment Insurance Plan:
“Our government continues to build on our record of caring for our ill and injured military personnel. We are also committed to providing the best possible care and support to members who have suffered from injury sustained while serving our country.
“Reserve Force Personnel in both full-time and part-time service are essential to Canadian Armed Forces operational effectiveness at home and abroad. Under the amended Accidental Dismemberment Insurance Plan, all Reserve Force Personnel, including members of the Cadet Organizations Administrative and Training Service, Canadian Rangers and Officer Cadets in the Reserve Entry Training Plan, are now entitled to the same compensation as their Regular Force counterparts for accidental dismemberment, loss of use of a limb, or the loss of sight, speech or hearing, which is attributable to military service. Changes were also made to the timeline for which members could submit a claim under the Accidental Dismemberment Insurance Plan from within 90 days of the injury to 365 days.
“This shows tangible and meaningful progress for people who need to know that their government stands behind them. It also fulfills a recommendation of the Canadian Armed Forces Ombudsman, a demonstration of progress on 11 of 12 recommendations for reservist care.
“Our government continues to improve itsprograms dedicated to supporting Canada’s ill and injured military personnel and veterans and to provide the care that our personnel and their families deserve. In line with this, I spearheaded an initiative to augment mental health care and preventive programs in the Canadian Armed Forces, announcing an additional commitment of $11.4 million in September 2012 to augment mental health care and preventive programs in the Canadian Armed Forces, bringing the annual mental health care budget to $50 million.”
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