Dear editor, As a resident of the riding represented by MP John Duncan, I want to bring to his attention my concern with the unfair treatment of many of our disabled (including myself, Gulf war 1991) Canadian Forces and RCMP veterans — men and women who have sacrificed for you, me and all of Canada.The Government of Canada is clawing back payments meant to compensate Canadian Forces and RCMP veterans disabled due to their service for their pain and suffering.As a result, the most disabled veterans receive very little or no income assistance from their insurance plan (known as SISIP) once they are medically released, even though they have paid into the insurance plan for their entire careers.The Government of Canada has ended the clawback for veterans injured after April 2006, but veterans disabled before April 2006 continue to have their monthly income assistance clawed back. Over the remainder of his or her lifetime, the SISIP clawback will cost the most severely disabled veteran thousands of dollars every month.These disabled veterans should not be left behind. It is time to end this unfair clawback and to adequately compensate all disabled veterans for their sacrifice for Canada.I encourage you to visit www.LeaveNoVetBehind.com to learn more about the “real” SISIP clawback and the unfair treatment of our Canadian Forces and RCMP veterans, not the party line fantasy Mr. Duncan is told to toe. The website includes a page for candidates to pledge their support to end the SISIP clawback.Mr. Duncan, I know you are aware of this issue, seeing as the military and RCMP infrastructure in your riding is substantial. There are a lot of issues regarding retired military and RCMP members besides this one.The men and women returning from Afghanistan are going to need a mental support infrastructure, which doesn’t yet exist. I just ask Mr. Duncan to sit with Sen. Romeo Dallaire and become a champion for us. You can do great things. I have always taught my daughter in order to stand out, find a better way to do something, or be a champion at whatever you do. I’d like to offer Mr. Duncan the same in closing.I would much rather speak kindly and proudly about my MP instead of protesting him. I did a good job keeping this letter positive and personal.I would seriously like him to consider sitting down with me when he comes to Courtenay, and have a conversation about how much progress he’s made.We are hurting enough. Let’s give disabled vets someone to feel good about.Thank you kindly, Mr. Duncan. I look forward to future contacts with you. Perhaps you’ll be at your office this year during the veterans national day of protest Nov. 5 at 10 a.m.Alan Livsey,Courtenay

Comox Valley Record