Ex-soldiers, sailors and air crew are being left in the dark when appealing denied benefits, Veterans Affairs Ombudsman Colonel (Ret’d) Nishika Jardine said this week, calling the process “not fair.”Blacklock's Reporter says Jardine’s report found that denial letters sent to veterans requesting internal reviews were often vague and unhelpful, leaving recipients confused about why their claims were rejected. “I have heard firsthand all across the country from some veterans and their families whose trust in the department has been eroded,” she wrote. “They say, ‘I don’t even understand why I have been denied this benefit.’”The ombudsman reviewed randomly selected denial letters and assessed only the quality of reasoning provided, not the decisions themselves. Jardine noted that, while legislation or policy may not require full explanations, common law obliges decision-makers to clearly justify rulings, particularly when they have major impacts on individuals’ lives.“Veterans don’t understand why the letters they receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs don’t even acknowledge, never mind respond, to the reasons they wrote,” Jardine said. .Complaints involved benefits under the Veterans Health Care Regulations and the Veterans Well-Being Act, including compensation for income lost due to service-related medical conditions.The report highlighted that while the department handles millions of decisions each year, most are not appealed. It also revealed that decision-makers often included clear reasoning in internal worksheets that was never shared with claimants.Jardine recommended better staff training and a clear directive requiring the department to explain denials in plain language, with “an understandable chain of reasoning.”The report was released a day after Veterans Affairs Minister Jill McKnight praised her staff for “incredible” service. “What has been consistent is the compassionate and incredible individuals who are engaging on a day to day basis,” McKnight told the Commons veterans affairs committee, citing case managers working directly with veterans.
