Every Remembrance Day, the familiar refrain of "thank you for your service" echoes across Canada, directed at veterans like Robert Smol, who served honourably in the Canadian Armed Forces reserves for over two decades. Yet this annual expression of gratitude rings hollow in the face of looming federal budget cuts that threaten to slash $4.2 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Hypocrisy of Remembrance Day Gratitude
Smol, a retired teacher and military historian, questions whether these thanks genuinely express gratitude or simply relief that the public's one-day obligation to honour veterans is complete. This performative appreciation contrasts sharply with the reality facing disabled veterans struggling to access benefits from a department facing the second-highest level of financial cutbacks across the federal government.
Buried within Prime Minister Mark Carney's budget, currently undergoing confidence votes, lies the stark reality that Veterans Affairs will suffer substantial reductions exceeding those planned for Global Affairs, the Canada Revenue Agency, and Innovation, Science, and Economic Development.
Where Will the $4.2 Billion in Cuts Actually Fall?
The government has suggested the primary cut would involve reducing the medical cannabis allowance from $8.50 to $6.00 per gram for eligible veterans. However, simple mathematics reveals this minor adjustment cannot account for the massive $4.2 billion reduction.
Smol argues this focus on cannabis—still widely perceived as recreational—represents a politically savvy distraction from the real targets. The cuts will inevitably impact essential services including:
- Disability pensions
- Drug prescriptions
- Physiotherapy services
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Mental health support
The Dangerous Trend Toward Privatized Veteran Care
These cuts could accelerate the troubling trend of outsourcing veteran healthcare to for-profit corporations. The previous Liberal government under Justin Trudeau began this process in 2022 by privatizing veteran medical, psycho-social, and vocational rehabilitation services to companies like Lifemark, owned by Loblaws.
If a left-leaning government had no qualms about privatizing veteran care, what might an economically-focused administration under Carney be prepared to do? This outsourcing not only reduces service quality but also entrusts sensitive medical files to corporate entities.
The situation becomes particularly concerning considering Carney's proposed military expansion. If successful, this would inevitably increase disability claims from new recruits, placing additional strain on an already shrinking department.
Smol concludes that genuine gratitude requires concrete action. Instead of empty thanks, Canadians should demand the government halt the planned cuts to Veterans Affairs and reverse privatization initiatives. True support means being willing to fund robust public veteran care through taxation.
Otherwise, the annual Remembrance Day expressions of thanks become merely a convenient fiction that allows Canadians to ignore the deteriorating support for those who served their country.
