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Failure to Communicate
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What we've got here is failure to communicate.
(From the movie “Cool Hand Luke” and it is one of the most quoted movie lines in
American cinema)
Receiving correspondence from
VAC can be very annoying and even traumatic.
There is a real possibility that the information will be disappointing or just negative.
It can also be another example of how the department does not honour its commitment to treat Veterans with dignity and
respect.
I was reminded of this by the most recent correspondence.
It was a letter stating that I had failed to communicate as required and as a consequence, VAC was suspending my VIP
benefits.
No, we are concerned that you have not been in touch with us and were wondering if you were okay.
No just another cold and impersonal letter, which was not signed.
It was dated 17 July, but benefits were suspended on 4 July, so much for some advanced notice!
I did have the option to have
the decision reviewed by another section of VAC (National 1st Level Appeals), which is located in
Dartmouth, NS.
I live in Ottawa so it is very logical to have a different office handle the review.
God forbid that I have
serious health conditions, which is why I am a client of VAC and entitled to VIP.
I am not even sure if VAC knows or cares if I am still alive.
Considering the only time that I meet with VAC officials is when I am advocating on Parliament Hill, I do not know if
the Ottawa District staff know that I am one of their clients.
It would be nice to receive
services and benefits because I am entitled to them for my military service to Canada.
This is after all part of the social contract which the Minister of Veterans Affairs confirmed exists between Canada
and its Veterans.
It would also be nice to treated with dignity and respect rather than made to feel as if I am greedy and demanding.
This is not the first time
that VAC has “punished” me for a failure to communicate.
My case manager sent me a letter last year and stated that I would have to complete another ream of forms to maintain
my status as a client.
Again she was not really worried about me just that I failed to comply with her timetable.
It was the last time that she communicated with me to my knowledge.
I did call the district
director once to express my concerns.
She told me that she does not speak with Veterans.
I thought that this was odd, but then VAC really is not interested in communicating with Veterans except when the
department needs something.
The director was probably kept busy striving for her next promotion.
VAC gets plenty of information about its services from the few clients who complete its surveys.
If you have anything negative to report, then do not bother as no one is really interested.
I do not know anyone who has actually done a survey so the statistics could be developed in Charlottetown as pure
bullshit.
If you want to feel good, then compliment yourself.
It is not like I make a habit
of trying to piss off VAC, it is just easy to do if you fail to dot the “i” and cross the “t”.
There must be a lot of happy people pushing paper in VAC because it certainly demands a lot of it.
Again I am confused because the department has a very bad file management system.
It is forever losing important data and misfiling documents.
This may explain the long delays when a Veteran does complete all the correct forms.
It is all right for VAC to make excuses when it can not meet deadlines, but it is not good for a Veteran.
No a Veteran must provide satisfactory information in a timely manner or risk the consequences as stated above.
Just another example of bureaucratic hypocrisy.
Ironically, VAC seems very
able to retrieve personal information when it wants to defame a Veteran.
No bureaucrat is going to be seriously punished for accessing our information in this regard contrary to Canadian law.
So why is it just about anyone in VAC can find my personal information in such situations, but I have to keep
submitting documents repeating what is already on file every time that I want service?
I have even been punished
because of my medical conditions.
In 2004, I was admitted to the VAC hospital for a three week assessment.
Four days later I was expelled for failing to be cooperative.
Again no consideration was given to the fact that the staff changed my medication, which basically turned me into a
zombie.
The normal procedure is do an assessment first and then prescribe medications.
I guess the staff knew better, but I still do not know how I managed to drive to Ottawa from Montreal without crashing
my car.
It really does not take much
to piss off VAC bureaucrats.
In October 2003, I was meeting with a lawyer of the Bureau of Pension Advocates and a nosey bureaucrat joined the
conversation (so much for having a confidential discussion with a lawyer).
I am not sure to this day what I did to upset him, but he decided that I was a threat to him and announced that he was
calling the police.
I quickly left the district office in confusion.
Later he sent me a letter informing me that I needed permission to enter the office.
Since then, I have avoided the district office as much as possible.
Given that it is a very cold and impersonal environment like some of the people who work there, I prefer to visit only
if necessary.
The place holds too many bad memories, which cause me a lot of stress.
You are not expected to take
my word for this information.
The letters are attached so that you can make your own assessment.
VAC is responsible for
providing services and information, but seems to have a knack for always failing to do a satisfactory job.
This does not prevent it from harassing Veterans when we fail to perform in an exemplary manner.
For the Veteran the consequences can be severe financial hardship, lack of medical care and abandonment.
I am not sure if there are any consequences when VAC fails the Veterans Community.
So why do we merit punishment
like the prisoners in “Cool Hand Luke”, when we fail to communicate, but nothing is done to VAC?
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PPCLI Association 
