I have been blogging here for several years mainly on Canadian and international affairs. Now I also blog at CommentIndia.com on matters relating to India and international issues.

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War Veteran Blindheim's nightmare in sunny ways' Ottawa!

The decorated war veteran Petter Blindheim is not being admitted to the hospitals/facilities where other veterans are being cared for. He has been turned down by two different facilities despite there being space to care for him.

The Liberal premier of Nova Scotia and Bill Casey one of the Liberal members of Parliament from Nova Scotia have openly disagreed with the decision to force the 94 year old to wait his turn for a provincial facility. In the meantime Blindheim, a decorated soldier, who had fought alongside the allied forces to defeat Hitler, is not able to care for himself. He has already fallen several times breaking an arm and is in danger of receiving more injuries if not given proper care.

And to add salt to the injury and indignity perpetrated on Blindheim and his family the veteran affairs has refused to comment on Blidheim being rejected twice buy two separate veterans' facilities. Why? The decisions don't involve the independence of judiciary which ministers need to respect. The matter is one of the administrative decisions being made by those that run those facilities and the rules they are governed by. The ministers in cabinet are tasked to run their departments. What is the minister of veteran affairs for if he can't go to bat for an elderly veteran who fought shoulder to shoulder alongside Canadians to defend freedom and now needs care?

 

The minister' silence on this urgent matter is troubling to say the least. It is time for him to intervene. And by the way a rote repetition of the talking points re Trudeau's election pledge on veterans' issues no longer suffices as an answer. If a satisfactory answer is not immediately forthcoming from the minister himself, it is time for the prime minister to ask why a decorated veteran in need is being mercilessly kicked around. Why is this bureaucratic nightmare being allowed in the "sunny ways" Ottawa to insult a veteran who deserves our gratitude and care? 

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