Seventeen years ago the Government of Canada declared 2005 to be the "Year of the Veteran.".Its plan was for the country to “remember, honour, celebrate, and teach our youth about the contributions and sacrifices of our veterans.”.This year, veterans were once again a major focus for Canadians, but for a different set of reasons..If a random Canadian was asked about the current state of government and veteran relations, the answer would likely be “strained." Not that they've ever been great, but 2022 was the worst they’ve been in years. Sadly, it’s not surprising why..The veteran file has been a constant parade of policy failures, insulting or dismissive statements from politicians and an overall lack of public interest. Normally veterans would stoically endure their shabby treatment, indoctrinated as they are to handle harsh conditions, but something changed this year — veterans became vocal..It started during the pandemic.. Screen-Shot-2022-02-12-at-3.06.18-PMVeteran between truckers and police in Windsor. Many veterans who supported the Convoy considered the government response to COVID-19 to be a vast overreach of their powers and inconsistent with the values they had sworn to defend. .At the outset of COVID-19, veterans, along with everyone else, watched as public health measures such as self-isolation, mask mandates and lockdowns were instituted across the nation. Each passing week, as more personal freedoms were restricted, more and more veterans closed ranks with those who were critical of the enforced public-health measures. Yes, they were required, but they were equally an assault on all the things many veterans believed they had served to uphold. Their ire was given an outlet in late January 2022 with the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa..It was here that the new year of the veteran began..Barely a day went by when news coverage of the protests did not capture a veteran or group of veterans on Parliament Hill. Many were in fact leaders of the protest, while others were simply attendees. Some sported their old berets, others wore their motorcycle vests. But what really stood out were those who chose to wear their medals..This outward show of support, of assigning their veteran status to the protestors' cause, was highly controversial and caused a great deal of debate. At the time, having recently become a veteran myself, I was struck by how non-homogenous the veteran community was in its opinions on the protest. Some were ardent supporters of the vaccines and public health measures while others were vehemently opposed. I wrote about it in a blog called ‘Veteran Weaponization.’ It was the first time, in my recollection at least, so many veterans took such a public and prominent stand on a topic of national interest..Not long after the protests began in Ottawa a Canadian Armed Forces soldier and veteran of Canada’s war in Afghanistan, Warrant Officer James Topp, recorded and posted statements online that were critical of the government's COVID-19 vaccine requirements. This likely would’ve gone unnoticed if he hadn’t been wearing his uniform. As it was, the military charged him for those comments, yet he went on to march across Canada in protest. That action garnered him celebrity status from those who supported him and his message and notoriety from those who didn’t..Throughout Topp’s trek, public commentary on veteran activism was a feature of public discourse. It reached a fevered pitch on June 30 when he arrived in Ottawa, prostrating himself at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was here, depending on your opinion, either a miracle occurred, or an act of great sacrilege. Debatable either way, but regardless, the fact remains it was a veteran driving the national narrative..As the dog days of summer dragged on, so too did the news cycle. The sun that reached its zenith in Ottawa began to set on James Topp. However, it wouldn’t take long for it to rise again and cast light on another incredible veteran story.. Paralympian MAiDRetired corporal and paralympian Christine Gauthier testifies before the Veterans Affairs Committee in Ottawa. She is one of several Canadian veterans who have claimed that instead of the assistance they sought, Veterans Affairs Canada offered them assisted suicide. .In August, the Globe and Mail broke a shocking story about how a Veterans Affairs Canada employee offered Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to a Canadian Armed Forces veteran. The story brought world-wide attention and condemnation concerning the poor treatment and services available to Canadian veterans. At home, veterans and veteran advocacy groups were — and still are — rightfully livid..Already disillusioned with lacklustre service from Veterans Affairs Canada, facing extended wait times for benefits and assessments, the news exacerbated their animosity..Then Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay threw gas on the fire, saying it was a one-off case, only to have other veterans make similar allegations. As a result, the RCMP are now investigating. The fact the minister remains in his position after such revelations, or the prime minister hasn’t demanded his resignation, is astonishing. Their inaction and lack of accountability only worsens the growing chasm between veterans and their government..However, despite all the controversy, there is reason to hope all the media coverage and conversations regarding veterans will lead to tangible and significant positive outcomes for those who chose to serve their country. The furor that's erupted regarding veterans being offered MAiD may provide the necessary impetus to see meaningful changes made within Veterans Affairs..Better policies are required to support Canadian veterans, and a government dogged by veterans’ deaths at that their department is an albatross they’ll want to cast off with concrete action before an election..Equally encouraging is veterans found their voice and are looking to find a new role in society. As membership with the Royal Canadian Legion declines, it’s possible that this debate will lead to a renewed role for that organization, or potentially spawn a new one where modern veterans feel better represented..It's rare for a sequel to be better than the original but ‘2022: The Year of the Veteran – Part 2’, may be more impactful than the 2005 version..It's certainly given us a lot to consider and we best put the lessons learned to good use in 2023..Lest we forget..John Thomson is a retired veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, children's book author, and aspiring columnist. He lives and writes in Moose Jaw, SK.
