The interests of veterans and their families will be not only the first thing on the agenda of Canada’s first Veterans Ombudsman, but “the only thing,” said Colonel Patrick Stogran at the Oct. 15 announcement of his appointment to the post.

Emphasizing his role will be one of collaboration and communication, “I’m here to listen,” the seasoned soldier told the crowd of about 100 veterans and their families invited to hear the announcement by Veterans Affairs Minister Gregory Thompson.

Stogran’s long military career began as a rifle platoon commander with the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Victoria shortly after graduating from Royal Roads Military College in 1980. He was mentioned-in-dispatches in 1994 for courage under fire while serving in Bosnia. He assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, in September 2000, which was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 where it launched the first combat air assault mission in the history of the Canadian Army.

This service “gave me a little insight into the lives of vets,” he said, insight broadened by the experience of his own family while he himself was serving overseas.

“I think here we have somebody who understands the system, somebody who has been there and seen it, somebody who’s lived with it,” said the Legion’s Honorary Grand President Charles Belzile.

“We’re very happy with the choice,” said Dominion Command Service Bureau Director Pierre Allard. Stogran had served on Legion committees prior to his appointment.

“We would all benefit” if the ombudsman’s office first tackled the systemic problems in the disability benefit process, said Allard, including recompensation for veterans whose disability insurance payments were clawed back (or ‘offset’) from subsequent disability pensions.

Allard believes the office should also look at the “groups that feel they may have been left aside,” like modern veterans fighting for recognition of Gulf War Syndrome.

“We’d like to see a legislative mandate,” for the office, said Allard. “It would guarantee less interference in freedom of investigation and reporting, and more established right to gain access to what an ombudsman needs to do the job.” Allard favours the Australian model, where individual ombudsman portfolios operate under a central ombudsman’s office, which has a legislated mandate with guaranteed rights and powers of investigation and reporting.

Canada’s new Veterans Ombudsman will suggest ways to resolve issues and address complaints related to Veterans Affairs programs and services and review systemic matters related to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board. He will report annually to Parliament through the minister of Veterans Affairs and may publish other reports.

Belzile thinks the ombudsman’s office will begin dealing with individual problems, like elderly veterans and spouses battling for benefits as well as discharged soldiers who are without
medical benefits between the time they leave the Forces and become a Veterans Affairs client. But from these cases the systemic problems will emerge. For example, if there are repeated individual complaints about the Veterans Independence Program, “he would be expected to study the whole program and see if it still serves the purpose it was intended to serve,” said Belzile.

“All sorts of needs have to be addressed,” Stogran said, surrounded by veterans eager to meet him after the announcement. Although he refused to be more specific at the time, it was clear he’ll face looming political battles on the home front with the same dexterity as a field command. “I’m not going to hesitate to call a spade a shovel.”

That was welcome news for veterans in attendance.

“I’m sure he’ll do a good job,” says Jack Scott, who noted he’d seen Stogran in interviews aired from Afghanistan and was impressed upon seeing him in person.

Stogran is “someone who understands how government works, and sometimes how government does not work,” said Thompson. “Someone who understands what fairness and respect for the individual is all about.”

Stogran’s appointment came eight months after the federal government announced it was creating the office.

“This is the result of your hard work and advice,” Thompson said to the gathered veterans. “Though some of you have wondered for many years if this day would ever come…and some would argue it’s been too long coming.”

Veteran Wilf Conner said, “It’s a good step forward, even though it’s a little overdue. But I’m glad it’s here now.”

The federal budget earmarked $20 million per year for the ombudsman’s office and gave it a mandate to be effective, said Thompson. “The ombudsman will hold governments accountable.”

The Veterans Ombudsman office was announced by the federal government in April 2007 to help individual veterans, identify systemic problems, raise awareness of veterans’ concerns and needs and uphold the Veterans Bill of Rights.

Veterans with war service, serving members of the regular and reserve Canadian Forces, serving and former members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their spouses,
families and caregivers can turn to the ombudsman for help and information.

Stogran retired as associate director general of science and technology
operations at Defence Research and Development Canada to take up his new post on Remembrance Day.

It’s an honour, he says, second only to serving with troops in Afghanistan and Bosnia.