Veteran`s- will Harper call for committee

[Topaz]

Will the Tories do the right thing and call for an open committee look into what is exactly happening in Veterans Affairs department into privacy issues? One of the Vets had his file looked at 4000x! BTW, do any of you remember who was the first Veteran Affair minister in 2006 under this government? http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/10/07/veteran-privacy-breach.html

[Topaz]

I knew that Thompson was the former minister but I didn't realize he held the job longer than other ministers. So is this why he resigned? Did Harper find this out and decide to hide it. Of course, when the Tories say non member of Parliament is involved because Thompson quit! If this guy ever wants to be a member of this government like a senator, he should have that chance gone out the door! This one vet said he has suffered for five years trying to proof his view on this cases. Thompson should also be fined for letting this go on under his watch! http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2010/01/16/thompson-resigns.html

[capricorn]

Thank you. And please...please...start a thread on Poilievre breaching security on Parliament Hill. I'm counting on you Topaz.

[Topaz]

Thank you. And please...please...start a thread on Poilievre breaching security on Parliament Hill. I'm counting on you Topaz.

Did I hit a nerve, Cap? Since you started it, why don't you finish the story.

[Keepitsimple]

As the former Ombudsman Stogren said - these problems have been going on for decades. The elephant in the room is the unionized civil service....because many of these "bureaucratic" problems are really rooted in the enertia of the civil service - a cultural unwillingness to make much change. Governments come and go - but the civil service lives on, buttressed by a union mentality. Even Mr. Bruyea admitted that Blackburn was not well liked by the civil service because he's rocking the boat....the guy earnestly looks like he wants to fix rhings but he seems like a deer caught in the headlights. What Stogren has been trying to say is that there needs to be some serious butt-kicking up and down the Veterans' civil service. Good luck, Jean-Pierre.

[capricorn]

As the former Ombudsman Stogren said - these problems have been going on for decades. The elephant in the room is the unionized civil service....because many of these "bureaucratic" problems are really rooted in the enertia of the civil service - a cultural unwillingness to make much change.

Someone on CTV power and politics made an interesting comment. He said that the department of veterans affairs, which was first set up to deal with issues faced by WW1 and WW2 vets, has failed to incorporate the needs of veterans from subsequent wars and conflicts within its structure and operations. So yes, I can see that the bureaucracy would stick to an outdated culture along the lines "it's not in our mandate" type of mentality. It's a fact that subsequent governments have been short sighted in not fingering this flaw and fixing it.

To add to this, the Royal Canadian Legion did much for the WW vets and were advocates long before the appointment of an ombudsman. But is has been pretty much absent when it comes to vets that came after. Sadly, the Legion's membership is in decline so I don't see that organization making more of a contribution than it is making presently. As WW vets die off, the Legion's involvement in matters related to vets will dwindle even more.

Indeed, Blackburn has his work cut out and will need help fixing this mess that in my view is shameful. Our forces members deserve better while they serve and after their return to civilian life.

[waldo]

The elephant in the room is the unionized civil service....

and here I thought the 'elephant in the room' was Conservative ministerial accountability... it's most unfortunate Privacy Commissioner Stoddart doesn't elaborate on whether the failure to protect the veteran's personal information stemmed from a Harper Conservative government directive... you know, determining the origination point as to why the veteran's information appeared within a Conservative cabinet minister's briefing notes, two separate times. I thought that was the 'elephant in the room' - hey Simple?

[waldo]

Thank you. And please...please...start a thread on Poilievre breaching security on Parliament Hill. I'm counting on you Topaz.

ya, ya... cause Pierre Poilievre, Harper's Parliamentary Secretary, is such an important guy... much too important to be subject to Parliament's RCMP security measures

[lukin]

The Liberals need to be very careful here. they aren't exactly innocent in this situation.

[Topaz]

So Pierre got himself in trouble. Didn't hear about this one until Cap mentioned it. The guy comes across in my view, as very arrogant, but lately he's been quiet in QP. maybe these little problems he has, has something to do with it. Not wanting to bring attention to himself for the opposition to say something, which they haven't as yet.

[msdogfood]

ya, ya... cause Pierre Poilievre, Harper's Parliamentary Secretary, is such an important guy... much too important to be subject to Parliament's RCMP security measures

looks good oh Pierre Poilievre!!!