1999-2

International Edition Issue 2/1999

DEATH OF DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

†

Since 15 April 1999 the government of the people, by the people, for the people, legalized the theft of your deferred pay account (superannuation surpluses) to the tune of over $12 billion).

This is in addition to the $4.6 billion already confiscated.

Bill C-78 was introduced on 15 April 1999 in Parliament. Zipped through Two Readings and sent to the innocuous and ineffective Parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Government Operations. This Committee rushed through the so called "clause by clause" reading of a comprehensive 200 page document in a matter of hours and then requested chosen tame witnesses to appear before the Committee, allowing a few minutes to present Briefs.

The AFP/AAC was NOT requested to make a presentation! When this deliberate slight was pointed out, the AFP/AAC was given a few hours in which to prepare a Brief then fly to Ottawa to make a 15 minute presentation to a Committee which already had its orders to return Bill C-78, INTACT, for Third and final Reading (with limited debate [closure]).

The AFP/AAC saw the Bill for the first time on 22 April 1999, FIVE Days after it had been produced in Parliament. Our legal counsel had only been able to read and assess the first few pages of the document, so NO intelligent Brief could have been presented. The AFP/AAC asked to be Heard on 17 May 1999 and was REFUSED, because the Bill had to go back to Parliament before then and be passed by 25 May 1999!!! Then sent to the Senate for a quick peak at the Bill, then returned - unchanged - for proclamation as Law, before the MPs took off on their extended summer holidays on 10 June 1999!

The Liberal plan in the Liberal dominated Senate did NOT go according to Jean Chrétien’s ORDERS.

Although only one evening was allotted by the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce or Opposing Witnesses to voice their respective objections to the legalizing of the theft of contributors retirement savings; the voices were loud and clear, even though the setting was NOT conducive for any comfort. Whether the venue was deliberately chosen to make things uncomfortable is not provable, it was a tiny room with little or no air conditioning on a very warm and humid evening. There was standing room only, and many stood for the entire five hours of the Hearing!

In spite of the discomfort, all witnesses, associations, unions and individuals, had their short say and not one voice favoured the government’s action. The AFP/AAC presented two Briefs. One by Chairman Ed Halayko (accompanied by legal counsel Fiona Campbell) and another by the Manitoba AFP/AAC Regional Director, Major Brian Westbrook - their Briefs are published elsewhere in this NEWSLETTER)

Unfortunately, the Liberal dominated Committee Report to the Senate was NOT too favorable to our cause. Much effort was expended on the proposed Pension Investment Board (a Board to be controlled by the same bureaucracy responsible for Bill C-78 and not subject to Access to Information rules, and contributors having NO VOICE on The Board). Now that is democratic, as seen through the eyes of Mr. Chrétien and his government. The Report did make reference to losses sustained by the "six and five" legislation but agreed that our surpluses belonged to the government!

Only references to the public service "pension" remained continuous and consistent, as if the Bill only applied to the public servants. Meaning that only the public servants are affected! Thus this subterfuge managed to avoid generating any public sympathy for the two groups hit hardest by the Bill: The Canadian Forces, the CF Retirees and their survivors and similarly for the RCMP and the CSIS!

On one occasion, when the President of the Treasury Board, Marcel Massé, during Question Period, was asked about the military’s losses, his curt response was that they had received a pay raise last year!!!! That pitiful raise has no connection to the theft of their retirement savings and the dismantling of the Superannuation Plan.

While all this political manipulation and manoeuvring was going on, with very little media attention, the government was dispatching Canadian troops into a WAR ZONE, leaving their dependants at home depending on Food Banks for support and survival!

Send soldiers to SERVE their country HONOURABLY in uniform to a place of danger while their government was dishonourably in the process of stealing their accumulated retirement savings!!!

Once more Canadian Service personnel are paying for the privilege of laying their lives on the line for the politicians. The first time was the loss of entitlement to their Unemployment Benefits and now losing their retirement savings.

Would the government of any other country in the world do that to their military and national police??

To use words from Pygmalion: "NOT BLOODY LIKELY"!

The media, with very few exceptions, did not give this scam by the government of over $30 billion from only about 670,000 Canadian citizens much coverage. This will be the biggest theft of individuals' money in the history of mankind and probably make the Guinness Book of Records! $30 billion is more than was spent on fighting WW II! The government bureaucrats and their political servants played this scam very cleverly. Sneak a complicated omnibus Bill into parliament with NO previous consultation or negotiation with the principal stake holders, disallow any debate, disallow any "clause by clause" study, ram the Bill through parliament and ship it off to the Senate with the expectation that it would receive the same undemocratic treatment that already had been accorded by the party adherents in parliament. Well, in the Senate there are some Senators who would NOT go along with Canada’s dictator. The Bill was NOT passed by the Senate to meet the hidden agenda and has been referred back to the Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce for further study until 7 September 1999.

It has been referred back because of the questionable make-up of a proposed Pension Investment Board and the redefinition of marital relationships and the provision of a survivor’s benefit for homosexual relationships. Of course there was NO mention of improving survivors’ benefits for normal relationships and for those who marry after reaching age 60 or other improvements for both the contributors and retirees.

Unfortunately, the senators seem to be comfortable with the government stealing our deferred pay (retirement savings).

The Bill provides for the separation of the Canada Pension Plan from the Canadian Forces Superannuation. This would mean that after 2001 all Serving personnel would pay the full amount towards the CPP. However, after 2001 the government could also start charging an extra 0.4% every year for the basic superannuation in order to be able to sustain the level of superannuation guaranteed by the Act. Steal the surpluses and then charge to keep the plan solvent. Only a genius could have come up with such a piece of trashy legislation. Steal the people’s savings and then have them pay again.

Sometime in the future, participation in the current government dental plan has been suggested. Steal $30 billion and in return provide a $50 million benefit. Most of us would like to be bankers under those conditions. Give me $30 billion and in exchange I’ll give you $50 million — maybe.

One other carrot has been mentioned. The Supplementary Death Benefit (SDB) would also be increased. Naturally the authors of Bill C-78 assumed that we are stupid and not see through that bribery attempt with our own money. The SDB is a separate insurance account and NOT included in the CFS Account. As an insurance account, even this government would not dare steal the surpluses therein, as that would definitely be a criminal offence!

There is another very negative aspect to Bill C-78. It circumvents the Canada Pension Benefits Standards Act by unilaterally confiscating the surpluses, without contributors approval! Thus, having set a precedent: all provincial premiers will no doubt follow the federal government and abrogate their Pension Benefits Standards Acts and grab their employees savings. Next will follow the private sector. Why even Conrad Black, Jean Chrétien’s alienated friend, could go after the $50 million that he had to return to his employees. Even the questionable investment practices that were used with the hockey players’ pension money might be legalized. The possibilities are endless — and the media hardly gave this Bill much attention. The main reason for the neglect is that only the public service has been mentioned in regards to this scam and the public servants are considered to be "fat cats" not worthy of any sympathy! Of course that the defenders of Canada and the RCMP are the biggest losers has been totally ignored. Probably because the media reporters and journalists can only count to twenty, having only 20 fingers and toes and here we have $30 billion involved.

It must be pointed out that NOT ONE of our many politicized generals (70 of them) has raised a voice of disapproval or placed his career on the line by refusing to go along with this theft. Even the ex-ADM (HR-Mil), after returning from his sick leave and now senior military advisor to the CDS, has NOT made any comment or stood up for his people. It was during his watch that the covert activity was taking place to steal the deferred pay and he was the Serving Personnel's manager on this issue!

ACTION TO BE TAKEN

We have a couple months in which to fight for our savings. All retirees, survivors and Serving personnel are urged to write their Members of Parliament, the Senators and local media and make them aware of the magnitude of the theft, who are being affected and the undemocratic manner in which this complex Bill was hurriedly manipulated through Parliament, and the attempt to rush the Senators!

The main issues are that NO further attempts be made to produce a Pension (Superannuation) Reform Bill without full and meaningful consultation with ALL STAKE HOLDERS and, not just the bureaucrats (civilian and generals), and friendly parties.

The surpluses are to stay where they are until we all have a say and approve the distribution.

It is about time that the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act and the Account became a separate entity, completely divorced from the Public Service Superannuation Act and the whims of inept Treasury Board Presidents and his/her domineering staff.

Any proposed Pension Investment Board must be just that, a Board completely separate from any influence by TB bureaucrats! This Board to be exclusively controlled by the participating stake holders, both the contributors and the recipients. The Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) would be a good system to adopt. Massé's proposal continues the stranglehold that the bureaucrats have on our savings and also wants that hold to be exempt from our prying eyes, by not having the Board's activities subject to the Access to Information Act! And we thought that we lived in a democracy! Whose money is it anyway?

What is so galling is that Massé continues to maintain that the surpluses belong to the "taxpayers" yet has brought in this Bill to legalize his actions. If he is so sure that the money is the government's to steal, then why this Bill?

Addresses:

Members of Parliament:

(name) MP,

House of Commons,

OTTAWA, ON. K1A 0A6

Senators:

The Hon Senator (name),

The Senate,

OTTAWA, ON. K1A 0A4

Copies of letters should be sent to the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Defence. A few thousand letters might suggest to Mr Chrétien that he is not as popular as his "spin" doctors claim he is!

In the following pages are the tabulations of the votes; one for the final vote by your Members of Parliament and the other by the Senate on referring the Bill back to the Committee.

MERCHANT NAVY

Another broken promise and abrogation of responsibility.

Earlier this year some Merchant Navy veterans started a Hunger Strike on Parliament Hill, struggling to get appropriate recognition as bona fide veterans and compensation as veterans under the Veterans Affairs Act.

After much media attention, which embarrassed the government, the hunger strikers were promised action on their requests by the Minister of Veterans Affairs.

The veterans then returned to their homes fully anticipating justice at last. Little did they realise the falseness of political promises. Recently, the Parliamentary Sub Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs held Hearings on the plight of the MN Veterans. Many veteran groups and individuals made presentations on their behalf. During the Hearing one Member of Parliament even shed (crocodile) tears while listening to the horror stories. Then she voted not to give the Veterans anything.

It was reported that the Chairman of the SCONDVA, Pat O'Brien, stated that NOT one veteran approved giving the MN veterans any compensation and so the Committee voted to give the MN Veterans "not one cent"! Much to the annoyance of Nepean-Carlton voters their MP, Dave Pratt, who is on the Committee, managed to be away on a swan to the D-Day Battlefields when the vote was called. His replacement, the MP for Burlington, Paddy Torsney, who, it was reported, did the crying, took his place and, as stated, voted against any compensation.

The MN Veterans have vowed to be back and again go on their hunger strike. Do the Members of Parliament want another death on their hands?

The Committee recommended NO COMPENSATION. The Minister of Veterans Affairs can, if he so chooses, ignore the recommendation and demand that his Cabinet colleagues give the MN Veterans the compensation and recognition requested and deserve.

That is a doubtful outcome, when one sees just how much respect this government has for Canada's veterans and Serving personnel!

MORE UNSATISFACTORY NEWS

MARRIAGE AFTER AGE 60

The Human Right Commission is trying to wash its hands of the sexual discrimination against women who marry a Canadian Forces Retiree after he has reached the age of 60.

Accordingly, the file on this matter has now been closed!
Recent responses to requests for justice have been denied, using one of two excuses.
Excuse one: The Supreme Court of Canada has REFUSED to Hear the complaint. That is FALSE! The Court would not Hear the case claiming a heavy case load. We are not too sure that it was not due to the pressure brought to bear and the stalling tactics of government lawyers. It took a long, long time for our request to even be processed by the Clerk!
Excuse two: The Human Rights Commission claims that it is precluded from dealing with complaints if such complaints are part of pension plans created prior to 1978. This too is a cop-out! The Canadian Forces Superannuation Act was re-written in 1982 by Pension Reform Bill C-55! It is a new Act!
The hidden reason the very Commission established to deal with discrimination complaints such as the one regarding age and sex for marriages after age 60 and the CFS Act cannot be fathomed. What have we military done to the government and this Commission to warrant such mistreatment?
We must have the "matter" reopened! If by chance the issue was providing survivors' benefits for same sex couples, the Commission would be jumping through hoops to ensure that the "discrimination" was abolished. Yet heterosexual relationships are characterized as "gold diggers" issues and "death bed romances" and ignored!
What is wrong with this picture?

We must all continue complaining to the Commissioner until justice is done. One has to wonder if the Commissioner even sees the correspondence as all mail seems to be signed by clerks or assistants to...!

BRIEFS
to THE SENATE COMMITTEE on BANKING, TRADE
and COMMERCE
Armed Forces Pensioners'/Annuitants' Association Inc. of Canada

Brief on Bill C-78 to Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce.
9 June 1999
Honourable Senators of the Committee, on behalf of the members of the Armed Forces Pensioners'/Annuitants' Association Inc. of Canada whose membership consists of Canadian Forces Retirees, their survivors and some members of the Canadian Forces who are still Serving, I thank you for inviting me to speak on their behalf on Bill C-78.
I do hope that this is not an exercise in futility and that this Presentation will receive careful consideration when making your recommendations when you return this flawed Bill back to Parliament.
The Process for Bill C-78 is Undemocratic:
Fifty-five years ago, Canadian Troops landed in France to fight for the restoration of Democracy in Europe! Ten years ago, an attempt to install a Democratic rule in China was stifled by tanks and gunfire! On 25 May 1999 the Government of Canada effectively killed the Democratic process in Canada by passing Bill C-78, by the indiscriminate use of Closure. This comprehensive omnibus Bill was introduced on 15 April 1999 and after two Readings, with limited debate, was sent to a Committee for clause by clause study and employing restricted intervention, was returned to Parliament. On 25 May 1999, again restricting debate, the Bill was Passed! It is impossible that a complex Bill of over 200 pages in length could conceivably have had careful study.
Here we are tonight, more or less having the funeral Visitation, for the final burial of Democracy probably tomorrow, if you decide on approving the retroactive confiscation of our deferred pay, which, under Common Law, belongs to us, the employees and not the employer. We, who Served our country fearlessly, for poor or inadequate pay, were of the belief that our superannuation was second to none. Our belief, illusion and trust, in our government will be destroyed, if this Bill is passed.
To the best of our knowledge and information, this Bill was created without any consultation with the stakeholders — the current contributors, or the retirees. In spite of the Treasury Board President's repeated claims that this Bill had the approval of the public servants and a large retiree association there has been no evidence to support that claim. As a matter of fact, before you tonight is the evidence that virtually all stakeholders are against the provisions of Bill C-78. One very interesting feature of this Bill is that, unlike previous Pension Reform Bills (for example Bill C-55 of 1992), the Senate and Federal Judges are excluded from the confiscation of their "pension surpluses"!
The surpluses are in Superannuation Accounts, paid into by those of us, while Serving our country Honourably in uniform, and those who are today continuing to Serve. We do not receive a gratis pension but a Superannuation.
Bill C-78 Unfairly Confiscates the Surpluses:
The $30 billion is, in our opinion, the sole property of the 625,000 employee contributors, past and present. The confiscation works out to about $47,000.00 per person. However, the military are the biggest losers. Of the $30 billion, $12 billion is being removed from their Canadian Forces Superannuation Account (CFS Account) which turns out to be $77,000.00 per person. One point six (1.6) times that of the others. Why are those who fought and bled, are fighting and bleeding and, in the not too distant future will be doing so again in Kosovo being treated so shabbily by the very government they Serve(d) so Honourably.
While our underpaid and poorly equipped troops are being dispatched to a War Zone, their government is confiscating their retirement savings (deferred pay). In the meantime, back home, some of their dependents are using the facilities of Food Banks in Winnipeg, Camp Shilo and Comox and probably Edmonton!
In the past when we requested some modifications to the CFS Act such as: an increase to the survivor's benefit to that provided for survivors of Members of Parliament; A survivors' benefit for those who marry after reaching age 60; compensation for those who sustained financial losses with the imposition of the "Six and Five" legislation; the commencement of indexation immediately upon release or retirement from the Canadian Armed Forces - the response has always been: NO MONEY. Suddenly there are funds to provide for survivors' benefits for homosexual relationships yet our Canadian women, who marry a Canadian Forces Retiree who is over the age of 60, are classified as "Gold Diggers" involved in "Death Bed Romances" by the very department that is engaged in this illegal confiscation of our retirement savings!
Although the CFS Act is, by law, the responsibility of the Minister of National Defence the minister abrogated his responsibility and has allowed the Treasury Board President access to his troops retirement accounts. Furthermore, not one peep has been heard from one of the 70 generals! As a further abrogation of responsibility those who remain in the Canadian Armed Forces may be expected to start contributing an extra 0.4% annually to the CFS Account in order to be able to sustain their full superannuation upon release/retirement. Yet the surplus of $12 billion is being stolen from them and us.
Armed Forces personnel are not being treated fairly as compared to members of private pension plans or provincial government plans. Most employees are being given a greater control over surpluses to use for matters such as benefit improvements, employee contribution holidays or to provide as a cushion against future economic downturns. As well, these employees have access to a great deal of information about their pension plans whereas military personnel employees do not. A classic example is this Bill. Although a message called CANFORGEN was circulated to all commands, the information, although directed by the CANFORGEN, was NOT circulated to all personnel, so our respondents have informed us.
Finally, employees are being given greater control over their pension plans through joint management boards. It is not fair for Armed Forces Superannuates and Active Service Members to be treated less favourably.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This Bill should not be returned to Parliament until a full and detailed study is made of the Bill with the stakeholders, and the provisions of the Canada Pension Benefits Standards Act be met, that is, no surpluses may be refunded to the employer unless agreed to by a two thirds majority of contributors.
Amendments should include:
A. Compensation for the 6 and 5 losses
B. Immediate indexation upon release or retirement
C. Increase the survivors' benefits to at least 60%
D. Eliminate the age discrimination on marriages and provide a survivor's benefit
All of the above would still leave a huge surplus which, after consultation, might be shared with the employer.
Thank you for your attention.
SERVIVIMUS PATRIÆ NOSTRÆ

EW Halayko
E.W. Halayko P Eng, CD
National Chairman
1 (519) 471-9232

Extract

"Brief on the Opposition to Bill C-78"

Presented to the Senate's Standing Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce

by: Brian Westbrook CD, Major (Ret’d)

email: Brian_Westbrook@UManitoba.CA

Regional Director (Manitoba),AFP/AAC

Senators, I would like to open my remarks by thanking you for the opportunity to speak against Bill C-78.

This is a very serious matter before you today. It influences the lives of 97,773 military pensioners, 19,942 of whom are widows and orphans. It also affects 60,000 plus CF members.

Bill C-78 is unfair to the retired military members, their survivors and those currently serving.

Essentially the Bill unilaterally takes away the surpluses and moves them into the Government’s General Revenue Account. This act is eroding Armed Forces Pension Plan. It also removes the Government’s Statute of Canada obligation to pay full interest charges due to the CF pension. As of April 1, 1997 the Treasury Board unilaterally decided to no longer pay interest on what it considered to be the "excess" amount. This is contrary to law. The Government reneged on its IOU.

There would probably be quite a legal battle if this were a private pension plan and the employer declared any surpluses as totally his or her own. "Bill S-3 that was passed by the House laid out specific rules for taking out a surplus from a plan if there was such a surplus. There had to be a vote by the membership. A 50% vote by members was required to remove the money under certain circumstances. In other circumstances it required a two-thirds majority of the members before the employer was allowed to take the money out."

The Government passed legislation which precludes employers in the private sector from claiming pension fund surpluses as its own." Certainly the CF Superannuation Act is not a private pension plan. However, I suggest that morally the government should follow the spirit of Bill S-3 and follow its own rules.

To make matters worse, I suggest the haste on which this Bill has been passed is reprehensible. Following 2nd Reading in the House the Bill was referred to a Standing Committee. About eight hours of debate on a highly technical 200-page bill that amends 8 Acts and then closure. (This Bill has had closure 4 times.) The schedule allowed a week for the committee to read, review and consider 231 clauses and innumerable sub-clauses all couched in complex legal language. A week to consider a Bill which directly affects so many retired, survivors and serving CF members. A week allowed for very few presenters and stakeholders to present their views. Capt. (Ret’d) E.W. Halayko PEng CD, National Chairman of the Armed Forces Pensioners'/Annuitants' Association Inc. of Canada was not asked to present. This should be of grave concern to all Canadian that must contribute to either a public or private sector pension plan. This should be a concern to all Canadians who believe in fair play.

Common sense suggests the Senate should ask "What is the hurry?" This problem did not suddenly appear overnight. Considering the impact, cannot we be more thoughtful?

The Bill troubles many parliamentarians. This is demonstrated by the 3rd Reading votes: Yeas 137, Nays 118, Paired 16. As well a lot of Canadians are concerned. Capt. Halayko appeared on the Peter Warren’s National Radio Talk Show. He was allocated 10 minutes. He spoke for 45 because of the number of questions and comments phoned in. Being a former member I am sure many hundreds in the CF would also express their view if they were not muzzled. It is not true – as the Government maintains that– Canadians are complacent about this matter. I also have a genuine problem with removing the funds from public accountability. As stated on 25th May, "Bill C-78 will be removed from the auditor general's oversight and no longer subject to access to information legislation. In brief, Bill C-78 proposes to remove the funds from public accountability." I suggest there should be openness and transparency.

Let's be clear on the amount we are dealing with here. What is the surplus? "the Canadian Armed Forces $12.9 billion."

Yes, the Government also contributes. "For 1999 the distribution is approximately 70% employer and 30% employee."

However, "If we look back further, we realize that, from 1924 to 1998, the government's contribution to the employees' fund only amounted to 48% of the total. It wants to make off with 100% of the surplus, and that is what is particularly scandalous. Having contributed 48% for 74 years, it decided to make off with, help itself to, siphon off 100% of the surplus. It is an utter disgrace."

Rather than "siphon off 100% of the surplus," there are other – and I suggest, much better ways of handling this surplus contributed by these soldiers — taxpayers all. For example, why not:

Increase the survivor’s benefit from 50 percent.

Give the most junior ranks a contribution holiday.

Remove the discrimination regarding the denial of a survivor’s benefit to any CF Retiree who marries after reaching the age of 60.

Explore ways to invite the Canadian Merchant Navy Veterans – classed as the 4th arm of the Services – to be more inclusive.

Senators, the word "Billions" is bandied about throughout all debates over this Bill. Most cannot picture such a huge number. I know I cannot. But I can understand a retiree’s average income is $9,400. I can understand that the survivor benefits are only 50% — or $4,700.

We can all understand these numbers.

Another number I can understand is a QR&O number dealing with pay. As of 21 May 99, the entry-level Canadian soldier, earns $1,906 monthly. For a 38-hour work week this is $11.42 per hour. This is not a lot of money. This is particularly so when one considers the commitment to duty we insist these young soldiers must have. Today, Canada is in the process of dispatching soldiers to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. I can well imagine what is going through their minds when they think of how the Government shows its appreciation by removing their pension surplus. In my research for this Brief, I phoned the CFB Winnipeg Military Family Resource Centre to find out if they do referrals to Winnipeg Harvest, a large Winnipeg food bank I was told there was no reason to do so since there is a food bank at CFB Winnipeg. I got the same response from CFB Shilo. I was too embarrassed to ask if they were well used. That is not the point. What is the point is the need for a food bank on a CFB to begin with.

The young soldier and his or her family would be well served with a contribution holiday from paying into their CFS Account.

Morale has been a recognized problem for years by those both inside and outside of the CF. Removing the pension surplus will do nothing to improve it.

Let me conclude by saying the following:

On the DND web site I visited the Canadian Peacekeepers Roll of Honour. It would do all Canadians good to visit this site from time to time and reflect on its meaning. There are 105 Canadian names on this Roll. Looking through the Roll, one name stuck. Sapper G. Desmarais, 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, Stabilization Force Yugoslavia. He died on 25 September 1998. One can only wonder what he would think had he known what his Government was doing.

Needless to say, the pension surplus should go for the purpose it was designed for — pension purposes.

I believe Government’s job is to protect the people they serve. They should not scheme and do the opposite.

(The full Brief as presented to the Senate Committee can be requested from AFP/AAC.)

APPOINTMENTS

The following two members have graciously accepted positions in the AFP/AAC. Since the start of the Bill C-78 Crisis both have worked very hard and diligently on behalf of the CF Retirees including attending Meetings in Ottawa at their own expense and time.

Major BW (Brian) Westbrook CD,

Regional Director (Manitoba)

AFP/AAC

84 Meighan Av

PORTAGE la PRAIRIE, MB. R1N 3S4

1 (204) 239-6391

e-mail: bwest@portage.net

LtCol CN (Chuck) McCabe OMM CD

Liaison Officer (Federal Government)

AFP/AAC,

110 Grey Stone Dr

CARP, ON. K0A 1L0

1 (613) 831-8146

e-mail: cnmccabe@compmore.net

HELP and ASSISTANCE

Since the initial notice of the government's theft of our surpluses with CANFORGEN published in the last Edition of the NEWSLETTER and the subsequent sneaky introduction of Bill C-78 many members with e-mail facilities have done yeoman work on our behalf. They daily dispatched. letters to MPs and later to the Senators. Included were Letters to Editors (of which very few were ever published).

Without the help of these members the task of your Executive would have been almost impossible. If and when we successfully convince the politicians that their actions are wrong, and Bill C-78 is allowed to die it, will be because of the combined efforts of all those who helped. Media interest is also mandatory. Politicians are only concerned with themselves and their public image. If we will now all help those who have already given much time and effort to the cause, we can win!

Thank you all who have helped so far!

Ed Halayko

HAVE YOU PAID YOUR 1999 DUES YET???
Pay AFP/AAC at:
AFP/AAC,
PO Box-28029
LONDON, ON N6H 5E1
Only $15.00 per year

Final Vote on Bill C-78 on Tuesday 25 May 1999
Parliament
YEAS

Adams
Alcock
Anderson
Assad
Augustine
Axworthy (Winnipeg South Centre)
Baker
Bakopanos
Barnes
Beaumier
Bélair
Bélanger
Bellemare
Bennett
Bertrand
Bevilacqua
Blondin - Andrew
Bonwick
Boudria
Bradshaw
Brown
Bryden
Bulte
Byrne
Caccia
Cannis
Caplan
Carroll
Catterall
Cauchon
Chamberlain
Chan
Charbonneau
Chrétien (Saint - Maurice)
Clouthier
Coderre
Collenette
Comuzzi
Copps
Cullen
DeVillers
Dhaliwal
Dion
Discepola
Dromisky
Drouin
Duhamel
Easter
Eggleton
Finestone
Finlay
Folco
Fontana
Fry
Gagliano
Gallaway
Godfrey
Gray (Windsor West)
Grose
Guarnieri
Harb
Harvard
Ianno
Jackson
Jennings
Jordan
Karetak - Lindell
Keyes
Kilger (Stormont – Dundas – Charlottenburgh)
Kilgour (Edmonton Southeast)
Knutson
Kraft Sloan
Lastewka
Lavigne
Lee
Leung
Limoges (Windsor – St. Clair)
Longfield
MacAulay
Mahoney
Malhi
Maloney
Manley
Marchi
Martin (LaSalle – Émard)
Massé
McCormick
McGuire
McKay (Scarborough East)
McLellan (Edmonton West)
McWhinney
Mifflin
Milliken
Mills (Broadview – Greenwood)
Minna
Mitchell
Murray
Myers
Nault
Normand
Nunziata
O'Brien (Labrador)
Pagtakhan
Paradis
Parrish
Patry
Peterson
Pettigrew
Phinney
Pickard (Chatham – Kent Essex)
Pillitteri
Proud
Provenzano
Redman
Reed
Richardson
Robillard
Rock
Saada
Scott (Fredericton)
Sekora
Serré
Shepherd
Speller
St. Denis
Stewart (Brant)
Stewart (Northumberland)
St - Julien
Szabo
Telegdi
Thibeault
Torsney
Valeri
Vanclief
Whelan
Wilfert
Wood – 137

NAYS
Members
Abbott
Ablonczy
Alarie
Anders
Asselin
Bachand (Richmond – Arthabaska)
Bachand (Saint - Jean)
Bailey
Bellehumeur
Benoit
Bergeron
Bernier (Bonaventure – Gaspé – Îles - de - la - Madeleine – Pabok)
Bigras
Blaikie
Breitkreuz (Yellowhead)
Brien
Brison
Cadman
Calder
Cardin
Casey
Casson
Chatters
Chrétien (Frontenac – Mégantic)
Crête
Cummins
Dalphond - Guiral
Davies
Debien
Desjarlais
Desrochers
Dockrill
Dubé (Lévis - et - Chutes - de - la - Chaudière)
Dubé (Madawaska – Restigouche)
Dumas
Duncan
Earle
Epp
Fournier
Gagnon
Gauthier
Gilmour
Girard - Bujold
Godin (Acadie – Bathurst)
Godin (Châteauguay)
Goldring
Grewal
Grey (Edmonton North)
Guay
Guimond
Hanger
Harris
Hart
Harvey
Herron
Hill (Macleod)
Hill (Prince George – Peace River)
Hilstrom
Hoeppner
Hubbard
Jaffer
Johnston
Jones
Kenney (Calgary Southeast)
Kerpan
Konrad
Laliberte
Lalonde
Lebel
Lefebvre
Lill
Loubier
Lowther
Lunn
MacKay (Pictou – Antigonish – Guysborough)
Manning
Marchand
Mark
Martin (Esquimalt – Juan de Fuca)
Matthews
Mayfield
McDonough
McNally
McTeague
Ménard
Mercier
Meredith
Morrison
Muise
Nystrom
Pankiw
Penson
Picard (Drummond)
Plamondon
Power
Proctor
Ramsay
Riis
Ritz
Robinson
Rocheleau
Sauvageau
Schmidt
Scott (Skeena)
Solberg
Steckle
St - Hilaire
Stoffer
Strahl
Tremblay (Lac - Saint - Jean)
Ur
Vautour
Vellacott
Wappel
Wasylycia - Leis
Wayne
White (North Vancouver)
Williams – 118

PAIRED

Members

	Assadourian	Canuel	de Savoye
Duceppe	Goodale	Graham	Iftody
Karygiannis	Laurin	Marceau	Marleau
Perron	Pratt	Tremblay (Rimouski – Mitis)	Turp
Volpe — 16

Tally
Party
No Show for 3^rd Vote
Reform
10 out of 59
Bloc
8 out of 44
NDP
7 out of 21
PC
8 out of 91
TOTAL
33

We now know who are friends are!
NOTE: Paul Martin DID NOT VOTE. So in the next election, trying to become Prime Minister, he will be able to say that he was against the Bill and he will be believed!! There is some swamp land for sale in Florida suitable for housing! Any Buyers?

Subject: SENATE VOTE C-78 - 17 June 1999
Public Sector Pension Investment Board Bill
Third Reading-Motion in Amendment Adopted
On the Order:
On the motion of the Honourable Senator Kirby, seconded by the Honourable Senator Butts, for the third reading of Bill C-78, to establish the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, to amend the Public Service Superannuation Act, the Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act, the Defence Services Pension Continuation Act, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Pension Continuation Act, the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act and the Canada Post Corporation Act and to make a consequential amendment to another Act;
And on the motion in amendment of the Honourable Senator Stratton, seconded by the Honourable Senator Lynch-Staunton, that the bill be not now read the third time but that it be referred back to the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce so that the committee may monitor discussions between Treasury Board and affected unions over matters contained in the letter of the President of the Treasury Board referred to in the report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce on Bill C-78; and
That the committee report back to the Senate no later than September 7, 1999.
Motion in amendment adopted on the following division:
YEAS
THE HONOURABLE SENATORS

Andreychuk PC	Angus PC	Atkins PC	Balfour PC
Beaudoin PC	Berntson PC	Bolduc PC	Buchanan PC
Cochrane PC	Cohen PC	Comeau PC	DeWare PC
Di Nino PC	Doody PC	Eyton PC	Forrestall PC
Ghitter PC	Grimard PC	Gustafson PC	Johnson PC
Kelleher PC	Keon PC	Kinsella PC	Lavoie-Roux PC
Lawson Ind	LeBreton PC	Lynch-Staunton PC	Meighen PC
Murray PC Nolin PC	Oliver PC	Pitfield Ind	Rivest PC
Robertson PC	Roche Lib	Rossiter PC	Simard PC
Spivak PC	St. Germain PC	Stratton PC	Tkachuk PC 41

NAYS

THE HONOURABLE SENATORS

Adams Lib	Austin Lib	Bryden Lib	Butts Lib
Carstairs Lib	Chalifoux Lib	Cook Lib	Corbin Lib
De Bané Lib	Fairbairn Lib	Ferretti-Barth Lib	Fitzpatrick Lib
Fraser Lib	Gauthier Lib	Gill Lib	Graham Lib
Hays Lib	Hervieux-Payette Lib	Joyal Lib	Kirby Lib Chmn
Kroft Lib	Lewis Lib	Losier-Cool Lib	Mahovlich Lib
Maloney Lib	Mercier Lib	Milne Lib	Molgat Lib
Moore Lib	Pearson Lib	Pépin Lib	Poulin Lib
Robichaud (L'Acadie-Acadia) Lib	Robichaud(St-Louis-de-Kent ) Lib	Rompkey Lib	Ruck Lib
Stewart Lib	Taylor Lib 38

ABSTENTIONS
THE HONOURABLE SENATORS
Bacon Lib
Callbeck Lib
Carney PC
Cogger PC
Cools Lib
Grafstein Lib
Johnstone Lib
Kelly PC
Kenny Lib
Kolber Lib
Lucier Lib
Maheu Lib
Perrault Lib
Poy Lib
Prud'homme Ind
Roberge PC
Sparrow Lib
Stollery Lib
Watt Lib
Whelan Lib
Wilson Ind 21

21 of which 4 are PCs who are supposedly in Opposition but obviously agree to the theft! If it were not for the 15 Liberal Senators (and the two Independents) who abstained and the one Liberal with integrity who voted with the YEAS, the Bill would have passed. We all would have lost approximately $100,000.00 each, from our savings!
This was a close call and we must get after our MPs and try to get the Abstainers and Liberals to show some Honour towards the Military, the retirees and their survivors and the RCMP and CSIS.
We have until 7 September 1999 to instil some backbone in the Liberal Party "trained seals" on the Hill and convince the Senators that it is our money that the government intends to confiscate (steal).

LYRES AND THE FOG OF WAR
General Maurice Baril, Canada's top General, said on 28 May, and was quoted in a national newspaper, that he fears a "troop burnout", meaning by that term, he fears we don't have enough Canadian troops to contribute more to the Kosovo war - and we also don't have the replacements or reinforcements, especially when sickness and casualties begin to mount, and on top of that we don't have any more troops to be insinuated between warring factions elsewhere on the globe. We all know the problem. The Forces and the Militia have been hacked and chopped down ever since the Liberal Trudeau/Chrétien days, while at the same time the Armed Forces are being asked to take on more and more adventures abroad to make the Liberal politicians look like world statesmen and leaders in Global Morality.
On the same day, 28th May, in the Ottawa Citizen, Mr. Arthur Eggleton, our Defence Minister who probably never read a book on war, is quoted as saying: "our Forces are ready for a bigger role", meaning that he does not know the Chief of Staff fears a "burnout", or else he does not understand what is going on! I fear the latter.
Here we have a bunch of Government Neros playing the lyre while our Armed Forces burnout. (Roman Emperor Nero did not play the violin as Rome burned as the story goes, they did not have violins in those days. Nero played the lyre).
It seems as if Chrétien, Eggleton, and Axworthy have also been playing the lyre while our Armed Forces burn, or what is left of them burn after the ravaging. So who do we believe?
With India and Pakistan at daggers drawn, and a dozen other places on the planet where war is just below the surface, how are our political leaders with the lyre going to rush into all the moral quagmires that abound with no troops with equipment to order around?
In the human struggle for existence war is the natural state of man.
That is very clearly a fact. To face that fact the Government needs to implement the "Canadian Human Rights Tribunal" edict and enlist the 24% women for the combat units, to beef up the poor bloody infantry, the muddy tanks and belching guns it was told to.
Conscript the women! This will show the Chrétien Government upholds the lawyers of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal! Then of course the women will need equipment, but if they are "Peacekeepers" they will not need equipment or weapons. If they are not going to fight they won't need tanks and guns, will they? So what are our Armed Forces to do — go to War, or go to Peace in little pieces? The whole situation is crazy!
Now if you can sort out all this Peace, Rights, Morality and War nonsense you won't have to play the lyre, or play on words, as do our little Neros, you can speak the truth!
R.R. Dixon Major
AND
TIMELY WORDS OF ADVICE.
To:
Mr. Jean Chrétien , Prime Minister.
Mr. Lloyd Axworthy, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Arthur Eggleton. MND (War Minister).
"Never, never, never, believe any war will be smooth and easy, or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes he will encounter. The statesman who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events."
Sir Winston Churchill.

It appears, from virtually all media reports that, once you embarked on war, (Even though you have not admitted it was war, but regarded it as a "moral crusade") that you had no policy. None whatever.
Now you are involved in war and proclaiming a hollow "victory", you are still the slaves of uncontrollable and unforeseeable events. You have led Canada into a tempest and our ship of state has no rudder, no captain on the bridge, and our engines are out of steam.
Why don't you, as some little animals do, leave the ship — all jump overboard? You all love the God of POWER too much, that's why. Is that also why you don't want your god out of the Constitution?
R.R. Dixon Major
WHAT'S 500 MEN?!
Did I not read quite recently in a newspaper that Canada had pledged 800 troops for the "maintaining"of Peace in Kosovo, a peace which has not as yet been restored?!! To boot, did I hear rightly that an additional 500 men were to be sent? Where are they going to find them, is another matter!
Our enlightened politicians who make those decisions obviously fail to realize that before peace can be maintained, it must be restored, which is far from the case in Kosovo. As for our senior military brass, I am fairly sure they advise against such brash un-thought-out decisions, but if and when they do, they must tread carefully lest they find themselves out of uniform.
Still, our UN commitments must be honoured. But I cannot help asking myself whether provisions were made, or at least envisioned, as to the number of troops supplied concurrently as well as in terms of years, how long such an agreement is to last without revision? Such ideas come to mind when I realize that our commitment with the UN has been going on for 35 years, i.e. since the crisis of Cyprus was born, in 1964!
Has anyone in Ottawa, in or out of uniform, ever asked themselves how many men can be supplied by a population of 30 million gross, over 35 years and at what gargantuan cost to the taxpayer???!!!
And what about the social fall-out? Let us take the Royal 22^nd Regiment for example (three infantry battalions of approximately 900 men each) where you will find dozens of soldiers who are on their 4^th and 5^th tour of duty abroad with the UN over the past 8-10 years. The repercussions are easily found: Broken Homes. They can no longer take these protracted separations when she is left to raise the family and also shoulder all responsibilities - the inevitable takes place: separations, divorces, children suffering, often farmed out to foster homes, etc. And yet, and with exception of the Korean War, what has been accomplished?
The UN like it's predecessor, the League of Nations, is little more than chimney building. It's troops face the "enemy" with their hands tied behind their backs, having strict orders to shoot only in self-defence and when they are absolutely sure their lives are in danger, sometimes they find out too late!!!
Getting back to Kosovo, the story is all but finished there! Very strong, justified feelings of anger, a real desire for revenge wells in the chests of returning refugees — there will doubtless be murders before UN troops there to maintain a peace not yet restored, can interfere. In fact, to restore peace, they will have to keep a nervous finger on the trigger of their weapons.
When will we stop feeding UN's bottomless pit? As for Canada, too much has been asked, from too few, for too long!
Col J.G. Poulin DSO CD

100^th ANNIVERSARY
ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS
In 2003, the Canadian Military Engineers, [formerly Royal Canadian Engineers celebrate their one hundredth anniversary.
Central Ontario branch of the Military Engineers' Association of Canada is interested in hearing from all former members of the Reserves, Regular Force and Cadets who served in the CME/RCE. Many events are currently being planned and we request you share your stories, photos and celebration ideas.
Contact: MAIL:
2003 Committee Central Ontario
c/o 2 Field Engineer Regiment
300 Carl Hall Road, Unit 1
TORONTO, ON. M3M 2Z5
FAX 1 [416] 635-4263
EMAIL:-sdunning@frontec.ca

Or chimo2fer@yahoo.com