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e-3441 (Veterans' affairs)

E-petition
Initiated by Kevin Sewell from Belleville, Ontario

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Minister of Veterans Affairs

Whereas:
  • The 1901 Militia Pensions Act contained a clause, known as the ‘gold-digger clause’ that disallowed pensions to survivors of veterans who married after the age of 60;
  • Spouses of veterans, including common-law partners, who marry after the age of 60 are not entitled to the automatic survivor pensions under the Canadians Forces Superannuation Act;
  • The National Council of Veterans' Associations, the RCMP Veterans Association, and the Armed Forces Pensioner’s/Annuitants’ Association of Canada have advocated for the elimination of the “marriage after 60” clause;
  • The Prime Minister’s 2015 and 2017 mandate letters to his Minister of Veterans Affairs directed the elimination of the “marriage after 60” clause;
  • The “Veterans Survivors Fund” in the 2019 Budget has not been successfully rolled out to survivors of Veterans;
  • The Lifespan of Canadians is much longer now than in the early 20th century;
  • We should not punish Veterans for finding love after the age of 60; and
  • Veterans are choosing to live in poverty now, halving their pension, in order to give their survivor a portion of their pension after their death;
We, the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Minister of Veterans Affairs to immediately act to eliminate the “marriage after 60” clause and ensure that the spouse, or common-law partner, of a Veteran who married after age 60 automatically receives the superannuation benefit.
Open for signature
May 19, 2021, at 9:23 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
August 17, 2021, at 9:23 a.m. (EDT)
Photo - Rachel Blaney
North Island—Powell River
New Democratic Party Caucus
British Columbia