Canadian POW*MIA Information Newsletter
1999 - Volume 0000 - Fourth Quarter
October, November, December 1999
Some Gave All - Some Still Give - Some Still Care
League Update 24 Aug. 99
War Woodcutters Seek Veterans Benefits
[CBC Front Page]
GANDER, Nfld. - The remaining members of the Newfoundland Forestry Unit
who served in the Second World War have become political pawns in another
military compensation battle. Sent overseas to cut wood for the war effort,
there are fewer than 500 of them left, and they want health and other veteran
benefits to help them in their old age.
The foresters weren't in uniform, but many of them ended up helping
defend England's shores when local soldiers were in short supply. After
the war they were never recognized as veterans. Still, they feel they're
entitled to the same health care and standard of living that veterans get.
"We don't want no compensation," forester Lloyd Thompson told CBS News.
"We don't want that at all. All we're asking for is proper recognition
to be able to take advantage of the program to assist the people who can't
help themselves."
Standing in the way of a solution to their complaint is a similar effort
by another group of veterans. The Merchant Marine is asking for compensation
for years of lost benefits. The federal government is lumping the foresters
into the Merchant Marine compensation bid. That swells the number of veterans
looking for money to more than 20,000 -- and presents the government with
a good argument for giving each person less than the groups are asking
for.
"The cabinet, when they look at this, will say, 'Well, 20,000 people
multiplied by whatever, is a lot of dollars.' And that has a tendency of
harming us at this point in time," Merchant Marine spokesperson Aurele
Ferlatte told CBC News.
Lloyd Thompson says the foresters never wanted to get involved in the
merchant marine controversy.
Now that they are, they're not hopeful they'll get what they want.
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