Burnaby香蕉视频直播檚 Central Park was packed with people on Sunday morning, all there with one goal: to bring back lifelong pensions for veterans.
Hundreds of people had come out for the Equitas Society香蕉视频直播檚 inaugural Walk for Veterans.
, the South Surrey-White Rock based group has been advocating for the cause .
WATCH: The fight for lifelong pensions
The Pension Act, which guaranteed lifelong pensions for veterans, was replaced by the New Veterans Charter in 2006.
香蕉视频直播淚t replaced [lifelong pensions] with lump sum payments that ended up being disproportionally lower,香蕉视频直播� said society president Marc Burchell.
Burchell said that although Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a pledge to reinstate the lifelong pensions during the 2015 federal election campaign, the lack of action has left veterans feeling betrayed.
香蕉视频直播淗e has failed to keep that promise,香蕉视频直播� said Burchell.
Currently, the Canadian government is fighting the lawsuit in the B.C. Supreme Court of Appeal. If Ottawa fails to get the result it wants, it must take the case to the country香蕉视频直播檚 top court.
The lawsuit has six plaintiffs, including Coquitlam veteran Aaron Bedard.
WATCH: veteran Aaron Bedard asks you to help support the :
香蕉视频直播� Kat (@katslepian)
Bedard served with the Canadian Armed Forces in Afghanistan as part of the first combat tour of Kandahar. He served for 10 years, from 2002-2010, despite a serious injury from going over an anti-tank mine just three months in.
香蕉视频直播淚 hid my injuries and carried on with a traumatic brain injury and damage to my spine,香蕉视频直播� said Bedard. He returned to Canada in 2007 and was sent from doctor to doctor, but received little help.
香蕉视频直播淚 started developing post-traumatic stress disorder.香蕉视频直播�
It took three years before he was released from service but according to Bedard, much of the fight remained ahead.
香蕉视频直播淒ealing with Veterans Affairs Canada was immediately adversarial,香蕉视频直播� said Bedard. He learned that he would only be getting a lump sum, which in 2010 was only $250,000.
It香蕉视频直播檚 a common thread, said Burchell, that香蕉视频直播檚 not helped by what he calls Veteran Affairs香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播渃ulture of denial.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淭hese men and women come back from Afghanistan and a lot of them are suffering from PTSD,香蕉视频直播� said Burchell. 香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檝e been fighting [for pensions] but it香蕉视频直播檚 hard for them to fight when they香蕉视频直播檙e suffering from this disability.香蕉视频直播�
To learn more about the Equitas Society,
Like us on and follow us on .
