Harper Government is Cutting Red Tape for Veterans

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwire -02/21/12)- Editors' Note: A photo for this release will be available on the Canadian Press picture wire via Marketwire.

The Honourable Steven Blaney, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today introduced a red tape reduction initiative that will change the way Veterans Affairs Canada communicates with Veterans, Canadian Forces members and their families. The new measures will provide Veterans with a better understanding of benefits and services available to them while cutting cumbersome red tape which has been a source of frustration for our nation's heroes.

"Our Government believes that Veterans have the right to receive better and faster service, and to access information that is easy to understand," said Minister Blaney. "As a Government, we are determined to deliver clearer and better information on our Web site, in our letters, brochures and policies."

In recent months, Minister Blaney met with Veterans' groups across the country and received feedback on how the Department can better serve Veterans, Canadian Forces members and their families. They said they wanted a more hassle-free system with less bureaucratic roadblocks. The cutting red tape initiative primarily focuses on making policies and programs less complicated and making access to services easier. For example, Veterans Affairs Canada is already taking steps to improve its communications with Veterans, Canadian Forces members and their families, such as:

 

--  simplifying content and improving information in decision letters on
    disability benefits, making it clearer for Veterans to understand;
--  creating a new, easy-to-understand brochure that outlines the benefits
    and services available to Veterans and their families; and
--  providing staff members with easier access to relevant online
    information on programs and services to help them serve Veterans more
    quickly.

In addition to the measures announced today, Veterans Affairs Canada has already reduced the amount of time it takes for Veterans to receive decisions regarding their disability benefits, improved response times at its national call centre, and reduced the amount of paperwork Veterans have to complete for many of the health benefits provided by the Department.

"This is just the beginning. Veterans are going to see a significant difference in the quality of information provided and in the timeliness of service," said Minister Blaney. "Over the next few months our Government will announce more initiatives that further demonstrate our commitment to cutting red tape and providing our Veterans and their families with the best possible service."

As Veterans Affairs Canada continues to improve the delivery of its services, it will introduce more convenient ways for Veterans to interact online with the Department and will further improve its Web site.

For more information on the changes at Veterans Affairs Canada, visit veterans.gc.ca.