North Island Powell River MP Rachel Blaney has written to the Minister of Veterans Affairs to designate Canadians who served in the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991 as Wartime Service Veterans.

“Like many Veterans before them, these brave individuals answered the call of duty and risked their lives in active combat,” Blaney writes.

“Their service deserves to be recognized fully, and it is both disappointing and disrespectful that Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) refuses to do so. On the surface, it appears this refusal is because the department is more concerned with saving money than affording Veterans the benefits they deserve.”

In her letter, Blaney notes that the government designated those Veterans as “Special Duty,” rather than “Wartime” Veterans.

She notes that means they have access to fewer benefits than Wartime Veterans, nor are they eligible to be separately inscribed in the National War Memorial or any other municipal cenotaph in Canada.

To learn more, visit Rachel Blaney North Island – Powell River.