OTTAWA, ON, November 1, 1996 - The National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA) today urged the Canadian Government to pay a basic minimum pension to all Canadian military personnel who served in the Gulf War who have medical problems. Additional pension could be granted depending on the extent of the disability.

The request of the Council arose out of a study by Dr. A.B. Miller, an epidemiologist, of the University of Toronto, prepared at the request of the Department of National Defence. Dr. Miller's report was submitted January 23, 1996.

The recommendation was forwarded today in a letter to Doug Young, Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, by Cliff Chadderton, Chairman of the National Council of Veteran Associations, which represents 31 veterans' organizations. In his letter, Chadderton noted that Dr. Miller had recommended that the Canadian Government not wait for results of studies on the Gulf War Syndrome being undertaken in the United States.

Chadderton stated that there was a "strong parallel" between the situation of the Gulf War veterans and that of Canada's Hong Kong veterans, who developed many unidentified disabilities following their return from four years imprisonment by the Japanese during World War II.

The Hong Kong veterans now receive a basic 50% pension, regardless of the type of disability. Chadderton, who is the Patron of the Hong Kong Veterans' Association, pointed out that it had taken 25 years to convince the Canadian Pension authorities that service in the Far East was responsible for the disabling conditions.

"The medical authorities dealing with the Hong Kong veterans encountered problems in determining that a host of disabilities from heart conditions to arthritis were arising from the conditions of their incarceration in Japanese prison camps," Chadderton said.

"Accordingly, we coined the term avitaminosis' and suggested a blanket-type coverage which was eventually accepted by the government and set out in an amendment to the Pension Act dated March 30, 1971," Chadderton said.

Chadderton expressed the view that a similar situation exists with Gulf War veterans, pointing out that the medical authorities, although admitting that some disabilities exist, have failed to accept the premise that such have arisen from the Gulf War experience, including exposure to toxins and the side effects of drugs taken to prevent or treat largely-unknown medical conditions.

The National Council recommendation is based on a number of factors which occurred in regard to the Hong Kong veterans. Chadderton noted that the most urgent problem was one of medical treatment.

"If a Gulf War veteran is granted a pension, he or she would be entitled to medical treatment with the particular need to determine whether service in the theatre of operations in the Gulf might be a contributing factor. Delay in identifying special problems could be fatal, particularly in some of the unspecified complaints of Gulf War veterans including respiratory and psychological conditions," he said. "Some Hong Kong veterans with a psychological diagnosis committed suicide while awaiting treatment entitlement," he added.

Chadderton stated that Dr. Miller's report failed to identify any "unique cluster" which would lead to the conclusion that the Gulf War Syndrome could be identified, noting that the complaints of the veterans indicate "similar symptomatologies that occur in the general population."

The Miller report states further that, "the extent to which there may be various non-specific or exacerbating overlays cannot be determined," noting that, "it is not certain that there is any link between these reported exposures and the respondents' symptoms."

Chadderton suggested that, notwithstanding its negative findings, Dr. Miller's report is useful to Gulf War veterans. "The government should certainly seize upon his recommendation that it was not appropriate for Canada to wait for the results of further research," he said.

Chadderton noted that in a news release from the former Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs of April 26, 1996, an Advisory Committee had been established.

"This is probably all the proof we need to conclude that the matter of identifying the Gulf War Syndrome, under the present plans of the government, may well take up to ten years. The Gulf War veterans cannot wait," Chadderton said.

"It was the conclusion of the National Council that our country could gain considerable international recognition by awarding a basic pension to Gulf War veterans and, in so doing, acknowledge that the unusual circumstances of military service in the Gulf were such that normal standards of adjudication in pension applications could not be applied," Chadderton said.

He suggested that the large number of complaints from Gulf War veterans in the United States, Great Britain and Canada indicated that they are suffering from a wide variety of disabilities for which medical authorities cannot account. This must be coupled with the known fact that, as a group, they were exposed to a hostile environment, drugs, and possibly chemical and biological weapons, the recognition of which is far beyond the capability of current medical research.

There are approximately 4,500 Gulf War Veterans, of whom 237 are women. A basic 5% pension, under the present legislation, would result in compensation of approximately $82 a month, plus the right to special medical treatment. These veterans would be able to apply for increases where warranted by the extent of the disability.

For more information, or a copy of the submission, please contact Communications at (613) 731-3821 or 1-800-465-2677 or by fax at (613) 731-3234.