To the Editor:
Just north of the CPR mainline, a little white building sits on a small plot of land, between the Regina Armoury and the site of what will become Saskatchewan's new football stadium. For decades, this has been the home of RUSI - the Royal United Services Institute - a modest gathering place for military people and veterans and a symbol of respect toward those who serve or have served in the Canadian Forces or the RCMP
But as of this July, it's gone. Shut down. A victim of federal "austerity" as the Harper government continues to slash everything in sight - all so it can concoct the claim of a balanced budget in time for next year's election.
There's a rude note from the Defence Department taped to RUSI's door, telling everyone to get out. It didn't cost much to run the place or maintain it - certainly much less than this government keeps blowing year-after-year on pointless, partisan advertising. The fact that Conservatives have chosen to fund so lavishly their own self-promotion, but not this small place for soldiers and veterans speaks volumes about Mr. Harper's warped priorities.
He likes to sound like a tough-guy when talking about defence matters. He boasts about his "affection" for the military. He gets his picture taken with lots of people in uniform. He goes to many ceremonies, gives speeches and promises monuments and museums. But his actual record on things that matter is a huge contradiction.
For example, on the procurement of promised new military equipment - ships, icebreakers, trucks, airplanes, fighter jets, etc. - the Harper government has yet to complete one single successful competition. At the top of their list of failures is the $50-billion F-35 fiasco. It was singled out by both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and the Auditor General as a case of massive incompetence and dishonesty.
Funding for the Defence Department is now being slashed officially, but in each of the last four years - despite Conservative bravado - the hacking had already started surreptitiously. Capital budgets within DND were regularly "lapsing" 25% of the funds that Parliament had approved. In other words, there were big announcements, but the money didn't actually get out the door.
But the worst indictment of this Conservative regime is their gross mistreatment of returning soldiers and veterans.
Vets in their 90's have felt compelled to hold public demonstrations protesting deficient benefits, poor services and rude treatment. Two successive Veterans Ombudsmen have exposed multiple problems (including the violation of confidential health files). Most recently, health insurance premiums were doubled.
Eight specialized service centres across the country have been closed.
This government held veterans hostage in the courts for six long years, trying to claw-back some of their pensions. Now the Feds are in court again, claiming they have "no special obligation" to take care of those they send to fight in dangerous places around the world.
Soldiers are being released from military service just before they qualify for a pension.
Support systems for those recently back from Afghanistan appear seriously inadequate - especially psychological care for the many who suffer Post Traumatic Stress. Reports of suicides are painfully frequent.
And then there's the sad spectacle of callous Minister Fantino insulting veterans on television and running away from a military spouse who was asking for a bit of help.
Losing RUSI may seem small in comparison, but it's a metaphor - another glaring example - of Harper hypocrisy.
To put it bluntly, we are free to enjoy our annual Canada Days, as we have in the past, because of the service and valour of those who are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in defence of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
They deserve far better than the betrayals they suffer at the hands of the Harper government.
Ralph Goodale, MP, Wascana, SK.
