AGAIN! O'Connor doesn't know what is going on!

[Topaz]

O'Connor stood up today and said the soldiers coming back in caskets are having the funerals paid for in full by the government. Well, I just read that that isn't true, the families have had to pay part of the expenses. O'Connor said he told his department to make sure this is done so, either O'Connor didn't tell them, or someone is not doing their job and O'Connor should have double checked to see if this is happening. I have a feeling he tells people to do things and doesn't check it if its been done and we are paying him to do what???

[jdobbin]

The link on this.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/070528/...an_cda_funerals

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor says his department has paid the entire burial costs for troops killed in Afghanistan, contradicting his own officials and the families of at least two slain soldiers.

"Since I've been in office, I've directed the department to pay the full funeral cost of fallen soldiers," the minister said Monday in the House of Commons.

"And I also directed the department to review the previous Treasury Board policy set by the Liberals to come to a proper resolution and to line it up with current realities. We have been doing that since I've been in office. Any family that had to bury their loved ones is entitled to the full recompense for the funeral."

[M.Dancer]

He has been a hopeless political liability. Unfortunately for him, he is a one trick pony. He has no credentials for any other post, if he gets canned as minister of defence, his political career is over.

[madmax]

I haven't the words to express what the families might be feeling.

Politicians and this Defence Minister need to recognize the sensitivity and pain involved in these bumbling errors.

We have our Canadian Forces working hard, fighting hard, and believing in this mission, and then a family has to face a level of (unintentional?) disrespect by our government.

[Figleaf]

This kind of shabby treatment puts the lie to the pretense that Steve's government really cares for the troops.

Chalk up one more reality check for Canadian voters to keep in mind.

[jdobbin]

I haven't the words to express what the families might be feeling.

Politicians and this Defence Minister need to recognize the sensitivity and pain involved in these bumbling errors.

He probably would have been better to say he was looking into the matter and contacted the families personally and dealt with it. Instead, he tried to get partisan shots in and now just look insensitive.

[Argus]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

[jdobbin]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

I'm sure that is the winning attitude that will deal with the situation.

[Argus]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

I'm sure that is the winning attitude that will deal with the situation.

You mean like your party dealt with it by not raising the allowance for funerals in the entire time they were in office? Lots of concern for the welfare of soldiers you guys had then, eh?

For that matter, maybe if you'd shown slightly more concern they would have gone to Afghanistan with the proper equipment and not as many of them would have died.

But then, it's not like you guys ever gave a damn.

[Fat Freddie]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

I'm sure that is the winning attitude that will deal with the situation.

Actually, my x-wife works in NDHQ and when it was reported that this problem had occured, it became a priority issue and workers were put onto the problem to find out who had been short changed. If someone was owed money, the department went out of their way to ensure it was paid off without questioning the expense. In most cases the funeral homes and churches were contacted and DND worked with them instead of contacting families directly to avoid adding insult to injury. I'm told the Defence Minister and CDS were quite upset by this as they take the deaths of soldiers on their watch very personally. I know Liberals have a hard time with this thought, but ripping off Canadian taxpayers of millions and then suffling the blame off onto a few pee-ons shows that the Liberal have less heart than Cons. Besides, who was it again that got us involved in Afghanistan and set the funeral expense rates to begin with?

So stop your bitching and recognize that DND and the government are working very hard to straighten out yet another Liberal screw up left for the Conservatives to fix. Just like the uniform, weapons, vehicles, aircraft, boats.....Damn that list is long! I'm surprised the Liberals had time to steal the ADSCAM money with so many issues to avoid dealing with. <WINK>

[jdobbin]

So stop your bitching and recognize that DND and the government are working very hard to straighten out yet another Liberal screw up left for the Conservatives to fix. Just like the uniform, weapons, vehicles, aircraft, boats.....Damn that list is long! I'm surprised the Liberals had time to steal the ADSCAM money with so many issues to avoid dealing with. <WINK>

I have no doubt that people in the department are aware. The only one who doesn't seem to be be aware is O'Connor.

And the complaints came from the soldier's families. It wasn't something the Opposition came up with as an attack plan. The questions in the House are legitimate. The brush off by the minister is not.

[jdobbin]

But then, it's not like you guys ever gave a damn.

Here's another one of the "but the Liberals are worse" arguments.

O'Connor is incompetent. Time for the Tories to give their head a shake on this guy.

[gc1765]

And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

Is that really how you view lefties? You really think none of us give a damn about soldiers?

[Argus]

So stop your bitching and recognize that DND and the government are working very hard to straighten out yet another Liberal screw up left for the Conservatives to fix. Just like the uniform, weapons, vehicles, aircraft, boats.....Damn that list is long! I'm surprised the Liberals had time to steal the ADSCAM money with so many issues to avoid dealing with. <WINK>

I have no doubt that people in the department are aware. The only one who doesn't seem to be be aware is O'Connor.

And the complaints came from the soldier's families. It wasn't something the Opposition came up with as an attack plan. The questions in the House are legitimate. The brush off by the minister is not.

First, I think this came from someone. I don't know if it was an opposition researcher directed to call all the families or whether someone in the media did it. But someone contacted all the families looking for someone who had expenses which hadn't been covered And someone arranged for this family to come to Ottawa to give a news conference.

And it turned out the "funeral expenses" not covered involved this family renting out an entire hockey arena and inviting thousands of people to the huge event they made of the solemn occasion. I would think that even with soldiers' funerals we have to draw the line somewhere in what the family wants to expense to us.

[Argus]

And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

Is that really how you view lefties? You really think none of us give a damn about soldiers?

My experience is Lefties have a profound dissaproval of all things military, and all spending on the military, and that their reflexive, knee-jerk anti-militarism extends to sneering contemptuously at soldiers, regarding them as ignorant, uneducated, violently inclined rabble. And certainly the Liberals didn't mind offering them around to any location in the world that the government thought would make itself look magninimous, but they never put much effort into properly equipping them. That's why they went to Afghanistan with those crappy little jeeps which got some of them killed. That's why they went to Afghanistan with no supply helicopters - thus neccesitating long, dangerous convoy supply missions that got and is continuing to get more of them killed. That's why so much of their equipment is in danger of rust-out, and why there aren't enough of them.

[Topaz]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

[Leader Circle]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

Well, that being said topaz, would you be okay with spending $50,000 dollars on every funeral? What if the auto workers union was shorted some money to help support that, would that be kosher for you? I'm sure ole BUZZ might not like that. How about the Ontario teacher's union get shorted some dollars to help fund this, bet that would be okay. So don't come here talking shit and think that there is no end to what the gov't should spend on this. If it was no holds barred on funeral expenses, the opposition would still be pissed.

Come down off your soapbox and be reasonable.

It sickens me that this is the work of some newspaper or scumbag opposition that probably called come of these families to confirm what O'Connor said. What a bunch of ambulance chasers. Truly disgusting, just for some media spin!!

[jdobbin]

First, I think this came from someone. I don't know if it was an opposition researcher directed to call all the families or whether someone in the media did it. But someone contacted all the families looking for someone who had expenses which hadn't been covered And someone arranged for this family to come to Ottawa to give a news conference.

And it turned out the "funeral expenses" not covered involved this family renting out an entire hockey arena and inviting thousands of people to the huge event they made of the solemn occasion. I would think that even with soldiers' funerals we have to draw the line somewhere in what the family wants to expense to us.

I didn't see any Liberals present at the press conference a family had to undertake today. Nor have I read a single account of how the Opposition initiated this. Sounds like it was pissed off of families of dead soldiers who were the driving force.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

The average cost of a funeral is $7,500. It seems like some Tory supporters here are pissing all over the families about getting less than $5000 to cover those costs.

Just who exactly is supporting the troops?

[jdobbin]

Well, that being said topaz, would you be okay with spending $50,000 dollars on every funeral? What if the auto workers union was shorted some money to help support that, would that be kosher for you? I'm sure ole BUZZ might not like that. How about the Ontario teacher's union get shorted some dollars to help fund this, bet that would be okay. So don't come here talking shit and think that there is no end to what the gov't should spend on this. If it was no holds barred on funeral expenses, the opposition would still be pissed.

Come down off your soapbox and be reasonable.

It sickens me that this is the work of some newspaper or scumbag opposition that probably called come of these families to confirm what O'Connor said. What a bunch of ambulance chasers. Truly disgusting, just for some media spin!!

Many of the families are going to the media. Nice spin on that. Watch the news tonight. See the families actually say they came forward.

It is the government they are railing about because the funeral expenses don't cover basic costs. It is $7,500 on average to bury a soldier.

All I see are people here spinning the story to either blame the media, blame the Opposition or blame the families.

Even the foreign media is picking up on the mean spiritedness of the Conservatives on funerals.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18941690/

Canada, trying to tackle another controversy involving its military mission to Afghanistan, ordered a probe on Wednesday into reports that Ottawa had broken promises to pay the funeral costs of those killed in action.

Defense Minister Gordon O’Connor, who assured Parliament on Monday he had already ordered that all regular funeral costs be covered, said it was “with considerable distress” he had learned some families might not have been reimbursed.

“If confirmed, this would indicate that my direction was not followed and I can assure you that this will be dealt with accordingly and corrected as soon as possible,” O’Connor told a hastily-arranged news conference.

[Alexandra]

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

Where and when did the ..."PM say they would receive what is reasonable"?

Or, is this another statement made by that un-named someone or source you heard on television or on radio or read in a newspaper or on-line? In order to back up your numerous 'hearsay' comments it's about time you provided links for all of your posts which in some cases seem to be nothing more than a stretch of imagination on your part.

And, try citing the Hansard when posting what you think/thought you heard, saw or read re the House, etc.

FYI, nowhere could be found the PM saying the families would "receive what is reasonable..." Where is your proof of your statement?

[Topaz]

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

Where and when did the ..."PM say they would receive what is reasonable"?

Or, is this another statement made by that un-named someone or source you heard on television or on radio or read in a newspaper or on-line? In order to back up your numerous 'hearsay' comments it's about time you provided links for all of your posts which in some cases seem to be nothing more than a stretch of imagination on your part.

And, try citing the Hansard when posting what you think/thought you heard, saw or read re the House, etc.

FYI, nowhere could be found the PM saying the families would "receive what is reasonable..." Where is your proof of your statement?

Harper said in Parliament today when he was asked about the problems within the department of Defense.

[Topaz]

Geeze, more snivelling and whining on behalf of soldiers by the "no dogs or soldiers" crowd, people who generally sneer at soldiers with contempt and wouldn't willingly pay a dime to replace a bald tire on a rusting old military truck.

So one or two soldiers families had to pay part of the cost last year for whatever reason, somehow falling through the cracks program support. Hey, there are alway people who don't fill out the right forms, or don't get the right information. It will be fixed. And it's not like any of you really give a damn anyway. It's just another excuse to rant at the evil Conservatives.

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

Well, that being said topaz, would you be okay with spending $50,000 dollars on every funeral? What if the auto workers union was shorted some money to help support that, would that be kosher for you? I'm sure ole BUZZ might not like that. How about the Ontario teacher's union get shorted some dollars to help fund this, bet that would be okay. So don't come here talking shit and think that there is no end to what the gov't should spend on this. If it was no holds barred on funeral expenses, the opposition would still be pissed.

Come down off your soapbox and be reasonable.

It sickens me that this is the work of some newspaper or scumbag opposition that probably called come of these families to confirm what O'Connor said. What a bunch of ambulance chasers. Truly disgusting, just for some media spin!!

Please try not to act and talk like the rest of the Cons on Parliament Hill!! These are young men and women that are sent by this govt to die for "Canada's interest" as Harper put it! If they are willing to die for this country than they should have the BEST funeral this country can give them, no matter what the cost. What are we to spend more money on the military equipment needed than to the people that serve??

[Alexandra]

You be surprised how many people give a DAMN!! IF the Harper want to continue with this war then better make sure the families of the military get the best treatment when either coming in a casket or are injured! How dare the PM say that they would recieved whats REASONABLE!! No way, they get the BEST treatment that money can buy and if he doesn't want to do it that way then he can join the unemployment line because this country will not stand for anything less!! Tell that to your leader!!

Where and when did the ..."PM say they would receive what is reasonable"?

Or, is this another statement made by that un-named someone or source you heard on television or on radio or read in a newspaper or on-line? In order to back up your numerous 'hearsay' comments it's about time you provided links for all of your posts which in some cases seem to be nothing more than a stretch of imagination on your part.

And, try citing the Hansard when posting what you think/thought you heard, saw or read re the House, etc.

FYI, nowhere could be found the PM saying the families would "receive what is reasonable..." Where is your proof of your statement?

Harper said in Parliament today when he was asked about the problems within the department of Defense.

Topaz. When did S. Harper say the families would "receive what is reasonable ..." in the House today? By now saying he made that comment re the 'problems within the D.O.D.' you are obviously being obtuse. Trying to provide a smoke screen now about what was actually discussed in the House today by once again playing fast and loose with the truth doesn't cut it. It is time you stuck to the facts instead of the fanciful.

Harper was not referring to the families of the fallen soldiers or the injured in the context you deliberately posted here, in the House today. You know that.

`

[Catchme]

Actually, alexandra, Harper did say today that they would get what was reasonable, and you full well know it.

[jdobbin]

Where and when did the ..."PM say they would receive what is reasonable"?

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said O'Connor told the department upon taking office that the government would pay "all reasonable funeral costs, even if they exceeded the limits established by the previous government.

Now, I think in all fairness you should apologize.