Message #78

[Kenneth H. Young]

Asking the tough questions

Re: Agent Orange compensation


It's somewhat disconcerting that after almost four years of the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown story hitting the airwaves, reporters today are still misquoting, misdating and underestimating the events, the impact on the people and the toxic chemicals sprayed there.

Many reporters seem to be using the issue as an easy space filler which needs neither investigation nor accuracy.

Dates of the spraying, chemicals used, areas sprayed, spraying accidents, the government's inactions and number of possible victims, don't seem to matter as long as you quote some politician who knows even less about Gagetown than the reporter does.

In many cases, facts, which are well documented in the very same papers, are presenting incorrect information to the general public and being ignored.

Apparent facts found in the BGAFFP's task # 1 final report are that more than 7,000 regular military personnel were identified as being stationed at CFB Gagetown during summer training for the years 1966 and 1967 and that 358 civilians were identified as employed by CFB Gagetown during the years 1966 and 1967.

Eight hundred and six family members were identified who may have been associated with the regular military and civilian employees during 1966 and 1967 for a total of 8,164 - not counting one single civilian living within five kilometres of Gagetown in 1966 and 1967.

Some questions that reporters should be asking are: If the government's own BGAFFP reported 8,164 victims, not counting the civilians within the five kilometre limit, present during the summers of '66 and '67, why then was the ex-gratia package designed to compensate only 4,500 victims?

Were the people who died before Feb. 6, 2006 any less dead or any less affected by the chemicals used at CFB Gagetown and why won't Ottawa compensate these widows?

If everything was alright and aboveboard, as Ottawa would like us to believe, why is Ottawa now refusing to call for a full public and judicial inquiry?

Could the answer to all three questions be the same?

Ottawa knew full well that more than half of the Gagetown victims were already dead.

Mr. Thompson, as reported on April 1 in the Montreal Gazette said: "I've stated very clearly the dates will not change."

Just two days before on the 29th of March, it was reported in the Telegraph Journal that "Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson has said that the April 1 deadline for compensation isn't absolute and late applications will be considered."

In Ottawa, our MPs call this a flip-flop, while in the opinions of many less honourable, we would call it bold face lying.

I guess our only choice now is to figure out whether the newspapers are lying or whether the member flip-flopped, yet again, and mispoke to the newspapers.

The only question which remains is did Veterans Affairs Minister Greg Thompson mispeak to the Montreal Gazette or to the Telegraph Journal?

And, more importantly, are there any Canadians left who would believe him even if he told us?

If you are going to write about our story and our lives, please get your facts straight.

Cpl. Kenneth H. Young CD (ret)
Nanaimo, B.C.