OTTAWA, ON, AUGUST 27, 2001 - A news story, apparently based on a release from Veterans Affairs Canada, quoted the National Council of Veteran Associations as stating that the families of deceased veterans "don't deserve a penny" in regard to claims that interest should have been paid by the Government on veterans' trust accounts.

Cliff Chadderton, Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA), said today that the 38-member organization had asked the Minister of Veterans Affairs on April 20, 2001 to set up an adjudication process to ensure that legitimate cases would be considered. This would include dependants.

The Pension Act makes no mention of relatives generally, but defines dependants as the children of veterans.

"It is our position that, regardless of whether the Department of Justice wins its appeal against the lower court judgment, the Veterans Affairs Minister has a responsibility to ensure that legal dependants would share in any payments involving interest going back to the late 1970's, when the Government was first made aware of the possible liability. Legislation passed by the Government in 1990 effectively blocked any retroactive payments prior to January 1, 1990," Chadderton said.

Chadderton, who filed an affidavit requesting Intervenor status in the court case, stated that the request of the Class Action lawyers was far too broad, going back to 1917. Their approach to the Court suggested payments to what they called "52nd degree cousins," he said.

Chadderton stated that the proposal of the National Council was to include dependants, but not descendants.

Chadderton vowed to vigorously oppose any Government suggestion that retroactive interest payments should go only to veterans who are alive.