OTTAWA, ON, September 8, 2005 - The National Council of Veteran Associations (52 member groups) is withholding any opinions or views in respect of a proposal to establish a Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program.

Our objections have been made known following receipt of a letter from Derek Sullivan, the Director General of the Canada Remembers Division.

"To be specific, we were asked to endorse the overall project and to advise the Associate Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs Canada, Ms Verna Bruce, concerning our objection to name former Liberal Member of Parliament Bob Wood as Chairman of a Review Committee and possibly a more influential role in the overall program," said NCVA Chairman Cliff Chadderton.

"We were surprised and disappointed to learn from Ms Bruce that the Government has already proceeded with the program, including possibly an approach to Mr. Bob Wood as to whether he would accept the Chairmanship. We then asked Ms Bruce why she was bothering to consult with us, when the Government has already made its decision," stated Mr. Chadderton

"Ms Bruce stated that she could not provide any rationale for asking for our opinion after the program had already proceeded along the lines set out in Mr. Sullivan' s letter to me of September 2, 2005," concluded Mr. Chadderton.

Copies of this letter and Mr. Chadderton's response follow herewith for information.

Dear Mr. Chadderton:

In the last federal budget, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) received funds to establish a Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program. In partnership with community groups and local organizations, VAC aims to ensure that cenotaphs and monuments that honour Veterans, war dead and significant military events, are conserved to the high standard of care and dignity that they deserve.

The Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program will assist communities across the country to properly repair and restore cenotaphs/monuments that preserve the memory of those who have served Canada and significant military events in which Canada was actively engaged since 1867.

The following partners will be eligible to apply for funding to the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program:

To answer the requirements of the Treasury Board approved terms and conditions, an external review committee will be set up to evaluate and recommend funding for projects submitted to this new program. As an organization with significant interest in Veteran services and programs, VAC would like to extend an invitation to the National Council of Veterans Associations to appoint a member representative to the external review committee.

The Committee will meet quarterly to review applications, with a contingency plan of ad hoc teleconference/email review for urgent applications. The meetings will be held in the Ottawa area, therefore we would appreciate you selecting someone from that area to represent your organization.

The Minister will be announcing this new program in September and we will then identify a first meeting date for the review committee. Mr. Emile Gallant has been tasked with the responsibility for coordination and delivery of this new program. He will be acting as the committee's resource person and will be communicating with you over the next few weeks to discuss our member representative request.

If you require more information, please don't hesitate to contact Emile Gallant at (902) 566-8068 or by e-mail at emile.gallant@vac-acc.gc.ca

Yours sincerely,

Derek Sullivan
Director General
Canada Remembers Division

Mr. Derek Sullivan
Director General
Canada Remembers Division
Veterans Affairs Canada

Dear Mr. Sullivan:

RE: Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program

This has reference to your letter to me of September 2, 2005.

Brian Forbes was contacted in regard to this matter by Verna Bruce, Associate Deputy Minister.

Ms Bruce also contacted me during the plaque unveiling ceremony of the Veteran's Charter at the War Museum on September 6, 2005.

It is important for you to realize that both Brian and I were contacted. Accordingly, I think we have our facts correct.

It seems that the information given to us by Ms Bruce is somewhat different than that outlined in your letter.

According to the recollections of Brian Forbes and myself, the project would involve a lot of technical experts who would recommend necessary restoration.

Your letter seems to imply a different approach; that is, that the project would involve partners in the Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Project.

An external review committee would be established to evaluate and recommend funding for the projects submitted under the new program.

It would appear to us, therefore, that the task of the review committee and possibly the objective of the overall program is to provide funding, presumably at the direction of the program managers and/or the review committee.

The National Council of Veteran Associations is not prepared to endorse the idea of funding, at least until we have clarification from you as to whether this is a funding program or one in which technical experts would advise on the structural and repair elements required to update the monuments and cenotaphs.

Ms Bruce, in further discussion, requested NCVA, through myself and Brian Forbes, to advise the government in regard to the proposed approval of former Liberal MP Bob Wood as the Chairman of the review committee and possibly a direct role in regard to the activities of the program itself.

Both Mr. Forbes and I, after consultation with a number of executive officers of NCVA, were firm in our decision that we could not, under any circumstances, endorse Mr. Wood in the role as Chairman of the review committee or any other position in which he would be responsible, through a committee or otherwise, to decide upon restoration, technical repairs and, according to your letter to me, selection of funding applications.

We wish to make it abundantly clear as to our reasons for withholding endorsement of Mr. Wood.

Firstly, although some may differ, it is our view that he was not particularly helpful in regard to the handling of the problems involved in extending rehabilitation benefits to Merchant Seamen.

Secondly, he served in an influential capacity in regard to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs in its deliberations concerning the Merchant Seamen request which was endorsed and upon which NCVA, through the persons of Brian Forbes and myself, made major submissions to various Parliamentary Committees.

We feel it is a dereliction of its responsibility for the Canadian government to politicize this appointment. Perhaps we have no specific proof that this would develop. We bring to your attention, however, the fact that Mr. Wood was a member of the Liberal Party while he served in Parliament.

He has absolutely no expertise, so far as we know, in the area of construction, restoration and repair of cenotaphs and monuments.

In short, this is a political appointment and NCVA must register strong disapproval regarding any decision to proceed with the appointment of Mr. Wood.

In that the task of this committee has been made known to some of the media, who have contacted me, we are sending copies of this correspondence to our regular media sources.

In the meantime, we would appreciate knowing whether the government decides to proceed with the appointment of Mr. Wood. If so, it will be my intention to immediately call a national press conference to register our views as outlined in this letter.

Yours sincerely,

H. Clifford Chadderton, CC, O.Ont., OStJ, CLJ, CAE, DCL, LLD
Chairman