City council plans to have a discussion regarding the Last Post Fund for veterans with the federal and provincial representatives of the Merritt area sometime in the near future.
At the Nov. 26 regular council meeting, council voted unanimously to meet with member of Parliament for Okanagan-Coquihalla Dan Albas and Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart regarding the issue after Coun. Mike Goetz brought the motion forward.
Goetz told the Herald that under the current rules, only veterans from the Second World War and the Korean War receive funds for burial or a disability fund if injured.
“People who are serving today are not qualified for that, yet there’s enough money there,” Goetz said.
He said there’s enough money to cover all veterans for things such as burials through Last Post, rehabilitation and pensions, but not all veterans are being covered.
“There’s money there, it’s just we’ve got to make it known we’d like to see the people who deserve it get it,” Goetz said.
Goetz also said he plans to bring the issue to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities as a resolution as well to attract the attention of other municipalities.
He said council wants to know what the government’s plans are in regards to the Last Post Fund issue and voice their concern for veterans.
“We need to find out the answers to why the fund has so much money in it, but so little is being paid out,” Goetz told council.
The initiative is for the sake of awareness at this point, Goetz told the Herald.
Goetz also said the correct answers aren’t coming from Ottawa and if communities like Merritt start asking those questions, they will get answers.
“But if we don’t ask any questions, it’ll simply just vaporize and we’ll never know,” Goetz said.
The Last Post Fund is a federal fund that helps eligible veterans afford a dignified funeral, burial and headstone as well as supports other commemorative projects in Canada.
The Royal Canadian Legion has lobbied to have the fund made available to modern-day veterans.
