A group of angry Maritime veterans have launched an election campaign of their own, encouraging Canadians to vote ABC – Anything But Conservative – in the upcoming federal election.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper was followed by a chorus of ‘boos’ from protesters, including veterans, as he left a campaign stop in Fredericton Monday.
It was a similar scene in Nova Scotia, where veterans rallied for change and more support for returning soldiers.
“They send them over in harm’s way to Afghanistan, Africa, all these other places, and when they come back they have no more use for them,” says veteran Clarence Dawe.
While Harper met with veterans in New Brunswick, where he promised to boost the number of military reservists if re-elected, veteran Ron Clarke and his group launched the ‘Anybody But Conservative’ campaign in Sydney.
“What we want is for the public to take note that the Conservative government has treated the veterans like crap,” says Clarke.
His group plans to launch their own television ads, lawn signs, mailouts and a Facebook page.
“What we have now is a dictatorship. If you don’t follow the party line, you are thrown under the bus,” says veteran Mel Bermingham. “As we’ve seen in the past, numerous politicians have been thrown under the bus. Us veterans are not going to be thrown under the bus.”
The campaign is in part due to the closure of nine Veterans Affairs offices, including one in Sydney. Clarke says the closure is just one of many issues facing veterans as a result of the decisions by the current federal government.
“What’s important to vets is that we get a fair shake from the government. We’re not getting that,” he says. “We need to see the sacred obligation reinstated into the Veterans Charter.”
The federal government did offer support for veterans in May, when Veterans Affairs Minister Erin O’Toole announced the hiring of four new case managers to take care of Veterans Affairs in Sydney. But Clarke believes that’s just a campaign strategy.
“Why would you personally think he would offer us four case workers? Because there’s an election coming up. He wants to buy votes back from the vets. That’s not going to happen.”
Veterans say there will be rallies held across the country and Clarke plans on hitting the road to enforce their campaign, especially in areas where Veterans Affairs offices were closed.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kyle Moore
