OTTAWA — Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is promising that sick and injured soldiers will be allowed to stay in the military until their pensions and veterans' benefits are in place.
The commitment comes as part of the Trudeau government's new defence policy, which the Liberals unveiled last week.
It is also a direct response to complaints from numerous ill and injured military personnel who say they were essentially cut loose from the Armed Forces too fast and left to fend for themselves.
That includes having to wait months for their pension cheques to start and struggles to access the benefits and services owed them by Veterans Affairs Canada.
Military ombudsman Gary Walbourne has been calling for more than a year for the military to hold onto injured personnel until their benefits and support are lined up.
He says he wants to see the details of the Liberal government's new plan before giving his seal of approval.
