Media Advisory - Veterans and advocates to demand better treatment from next government

VICTORIA, Aug. 21, 2015 /CNW/ - A group of Canadian veterans and advocates will gather in Victoria on August 25^th, to demand that federal election candidates re-open Veterans Affairs offices and restore funding to important veterans' services.

Veterans say they feel abandoned by the Conservative government since it closed nine Veterans Affairs offices across Canada in 2013 and 2014. This spring, the Public Service Alliance of Canada released a series of video testimonials documenting the impact of the office closures on the lives of veterans with complex medical needs.

• Watch the videos: veterans speak out about impact of office closures - http://bit.ly/vets-videos  
• Background: How the Canadian government is betraying veterans - http://bit.ly/vets-background

Robyn Young is 24 years old and served in the Royal Canadian Navy for eight years, until a brain tumour and an unnecessary surgery left her with permanent double vision, constant vertigo and nausea. She and her mother Pearl Osmond – also a veteran – recorded testimonials about how the closure of the Windsor office meant they had to drive six hours' return to London. They have since re-located to Victoria, where they are close to a Veterans Affairs office.

• Hear Robyn Young's story: http://bit.ly/vets-robyn

Robyn and Pearl will join Carl Gannon, the President of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees and Bob Jackson, Regional Executive Vice-President of PSAC-BC at a press conference on Tuesday, August 25^th in Victoria. Their goal is to press for a moratorium on cuts to Veterans Affairs and the re-opening of the nine offices.

WHAT:	Press conference featuring veterans and advocates
WHERE:	Cenotaph at the Legislature, corner of Belleville and Government St., Victoria
WHEN:	2PM, Tuesday August 25, 2015

For more information on PSAC's Vote to Stop the Cuts campaign, visit votetostopthecuts.ca

SOURCE Public Service Alliance of Canada

Video with caption: "Video: Robyn Young is a 24-year-old soldier who is recovering from a brain tumour. After the Veterans Affairs office in Windsor, Ontario closed her mother had to drive her to London to get her the help she needed. Robyn has since moved to Victoria to be closer to a VAC office.". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kenwGDFWOaU

To book media interviews: Patrick Bragg, 1-778-889-3486 or [email protected]