By Canadian Press

Veterans ombudsman calls it quits after 18 months

May 11, 2020 | 11:48 AM

OTTAWA — Veterans ombudsman Craig Dalton is calling it quits after only 18 months on the job.

The federal government announced Dalton’s departure this afternoon, saying the former army officer who took over as ombudsman in November 2018 was moving on to a new opportunity.

The move leaves veterans without a key advocate at a time when many are worried about how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting their requests for assistance from the federal government.

Dalton was the third person to serve in the role since the office was created in 2007.

While the position has helped some veterans access services and benefits, it has also been criticized for its lack of independence from government — the ombudsman reports to the minister of veterans affairs rather than Parliament.

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Dalton echoed some of those sentiments in a February interview with The Canadian Press, in which he urged the federal government to review the office’s mandate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2020.

The Canadian Press