OTTAWA, ON, December 7, 2004 - The National Council of Veteran Associations (NCVA) expressed appreciation for the announcement by the Minister of Veteran Affairs today granting reinstatement for the VIP program (housekeeping and groundskeeping services for widows) from the existing date of September 1, 1990 to a new date of April 7, 1981, which was the commencement of the VIP program.

Cliff Chadderton, NCVA Chairman, stated "We have been advocating for some time to have this benefit extended to this larger and deserving group of widows. It had been very difficult to explain to these widows why they had been left out of the earlier legislation. Many of them had acted as primary caregivers for 60 years, assisting their seriously disabled veteran husbands."

The NCVA, representing 49 organizations including 200,000 widows, requested enactment of this vital benefit for elderly widows, most of whom are now in their 80s. This will allow them to remain in the family home.

Chadderton added that "It was completely inequitable that this benefit would have been provided only to a select group of widows whose husbands had been receiving the VIP benefit but had not died until May of 2003.

Chadderton has now written to the Minister congratulating the Prime Minister and the Government and Members of Parliament generally, for its compassionate decision to have the benefit commence with the start of the VIP program in 1981.

In some instances this will mean a much needed increase of as much as $7,000 per year.