Statement made on 07 December 2011 by Senator Wilfred Moore
Hon. Wilfred P. Moore:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. We learned from the Canadian Press last week that a human rights tribunal has suddenly rejected a complaint from a fallen soldier's family after Veterans Affairs decided to recognize Corporal Matthew Dinning's girlfriend as his common-law spouse, making her eligible to receive his $250,000 death benefit.
The complaint focused on the discrimination displayed towards the families of soldiers who were single at the time of their death not being eligible for the death benefit. Only spouses of troops who die in combat are eligible to receive this stipend. There is much suspicion that the move by Veterans Affairs was aimed at dismissing similar complaints from four other families whose sons were single when they were killed in combat; and more families are expected to come forward with similar complaints.
Beverley Skalrud, mother of fallen soldier Private Braun Scott Woodfield, has launched a human rights challenge against this discriminatory practice as a matter of equity and fairness. When speaking to reporters she asked: "Was the life of my son worth less than a married soldier?" That is what it meant to her, and that is also how I interpret this practice that the government instituted in 2006. Is Ms. Skalrud's pain any less? Does she miss her son any less? Of course not.
Given the inherent discrimination found in the application of this policy, will the government save these grieving families the additional stress of pursuing this matter before the human rights tribunal by committing today to extend the death benefit to all soldiers and not just the married ones?
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