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Veteran Affairs Canada Broke Law Handling the Case of a Veteran

by Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke | October 7, 2010 at 08:09 am

282 views | 18 Recommendations | 4 comments

Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddard says that Veterans Affairs broke the law in the handling of the case of Jean Bruyea.

Jennifer Stoddard investigated the Department of Veterans Affairs Canada on a complaint of Sean Bruyea, a veterans case handled by the Department. In her findings she concluded that information was shared openly among members in the Department without a need to know basis. She concluded that Veterans Affairs broke the law.

Bruyea has been a strong advocate for Veterans over the past five years. His medical and financial information was contained in briefing notes, prepared for then Minister of Veterans Affairs in 2006. "What we found in this case was alarming," Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddard said in a news release.

"The veteran's sensitive medical and personal information was shared – seemingly with no controls – among departmental officials who had no legitimate need to see it. This personal information subsequently made its way into a ministerial briefing note about the veteran's advocacy activities. This was entirely inappropriate."

Veterans Affairs has been under fire recently for their handling of Veterans cases. Colonel (Retired) Pat Stogran has also made allegations that his records had been accessed at least 400 times. He was concerned that his struggle with PTSD would be used against him. His contract was not renewed.

Stogran had several news conferences, in which he put the blame square on the bureaucracy for the maltreatment of Veterans.

In a press conference this morning Minister Blackburn said that the Privacy Commissioner would have full access to investigate the Department and that all her recommendations would be adopted.

Sean Bruyea, who held a separate press conference was visibly upset with the treatment, as he asked both Minister Blackburn and Prime Minister Harper for an apology.

He called a complete revamp of Veteran Affairs, as he felt no amount of redecorating would fix the systemic problem rampant in the Department.

He thanked Canadians for having taken up the cause of Veterans, especially in the past three months.

Hopefully the findings of the Privacy Commissioner and subsequent investigation will move the Department in a different direction.

A country that sends its soldiers to war, must be prepared to look after them when they return, no matter how broken they are.

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Barry ORegan

at 15:35 on October 7th, 2010

You know what they say Buddy, money talks and veterans walk.

Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 03:21 on October 8th, 2010

Hopefully we have made enough noise to get some action. There is a Veterans Protest Across Canada on November 6th.

Piobar

at 07:53 on October 13th, 2010

Sadly, it is the boot-lickers, and political lap-dogs, who are the problem with the system. The lower level bureaucrats feel just as trapped by the system. I have had nothing but good experiences in recent years with Veterans Affairs, but I am only dealing with the front line staff. The people at the top bow down to politicians whose primary goal is to give themselves another pay increase, get relected, and do as little as possible.

Those at the top, calling the shots from Ottawa jump from job to job, only worried about being in the good books of this or that minister, because the status quo is safer for them, it costs less, and makes them look more skilled than they are. General (ret) Hillier used a great analogy of a torpedo, and the heads of the various departments just wanting to speed it along the same course until they can get a new, higher position.

Nothing will change until the politicians do, and they wont hcange because we have no alternatives to the same old scoundrels, so they have no need to change their attitudes. Who else are we going to vote in? The NDP? the Green Party? So it stays the same, and those who have worked the hardest for our country are the least provided for by it....