Kamloops Legion President Daniel Martin (left) speaks with MP Frank Caputo (right) in front of the Battle Street cenotaph. (Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

SHADOW CABINET

Veteran Affairs wait times top of mind for newly-appointed shadow minister Frank Caputo

Nov 9, 2021 | 4:20 PM

KAMLOOPS — The appointment of Frank Caputo as the new Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister for National Defence was met with excitement by the rookie MP, and veterans living in the community he represents.

“I was really proud during my campaign to have three veterans volunteer for me. And veterans (issues were) something that [were] an issue I identified as being passionate about. When I look back on it, I’m not surprised I ended up here but it was a pleasant surprise to get the phone call as a shadow minister because I didn’t expect that.”

Caputo notes on the campaign trail for the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo seat this year he heard from many veterans who were concerned with how long it takes to get assistance from Veterans Affairs Canada.

“People who have served our country are entitled to know where their benefits stand in a timely manner. And that shouldn’t be taking 18 months or two years, and an appeal of that decision taking months or years,” stresses Caputo. “My goal is to first and foremost listen, and secondly to hold the government to account especially on these long waiting times, but I’m also eager to have veterans tell me what they need.”

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According to Daniel Martin, the President of the Kamloops Legion, wait times to get assistance approved, or to even find out if an application was received are often lengthy.

“I was just talking this weekend to a veteran about issues that he had, and they gave him a period of 46 weeks of waiting time for a medical issue,” explains Martin. “I mean this is somebody that served for over 25 years in the military, put his life on the line for us to be able to do this — to talk freely and to be able to do interviews and stuff like this. And when I heard that, it kind of saddened my heart.”

The Veterans Affairs application backlog is one of several issues Martin and the Legion expects to bring to Caputo’s desk during his time as shadow minister.

“I can go to Frank and say, ‘Frank, this is what’s happening. What can we do?’ I’m pleased that I’ll be able to talk to somebody local here to help our veterans at the Legion.”

Day One on the file is already underway, and Caputo says he’ll be spending his time studying the portfolio before standing up in the House of Commons.

“To me that’s a tremendous honour and I hope to do every veteran in this country proud.”