Harper's Attack on Canadian Veterans is Now Down and Dirty

Stephen Harper held a press conference today. And he held it at the same time as Veterans Ombudsman Pat Stogran.

Stephen Harper is truly an evil little man.

Canada's outgoing ombudsman for veterans expressed his fury Tuesday over the federal government's treatment of servicemen and women and the thwarting of his work by an obstructive bureaucracy. Pat Stogran said at a news conference in Ottawa that he was not going to comment on the Conservative government's decision not to appoint him to a second term.

Stogran said that as ombudsman, he was "impeded by a bureacracy that was deliberately obstructive and deceptive," and that information given to bureaucrats isn't reaching the minister of veterans affairs. Stogran said he was speaking out in order to highlight how badly many veterans are treated and to ask Canadians to stand up for their "sons and daughters." He vowed to use his remaining three months as ombudsman to continue trying to get Canadians to take notice.

Harper is having new yellow ribbons made. "Support the troops. Disown the Veterans"

And the wonderful Kady O'Malley is on top of things as usual.

As previewed in Orders of the Day, soon to be former Veterans Ombudsman Pat Stogran makes what could be his farewell appearance at the National Press Theatre today -- and his pre-press conference tweets suggest that it could be well worth tuning in to hear his parting thoughts. Check back at 2pm for full liveblogging coverage of Stogran, and stick around for reaction from NDP defence critic Jack Harris.

Jack Harris is great. Such a caring and intelligent man.

And the Liberals are demanding that Stogran be re-instated.

The federal Liberals are demanding the government extend Stogran's term. Both the Liberals and Stogran have been critics of the New Veterans Charter, saying it needs to be re-worked. Still, Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn said that Stogran's anger may lay in the fact that his contract is not being renewed.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper also hinted as much while taking questions from reporters in Tuesday in Mississauga, Ont. "There are no positions for life," Harper said. "That's the way we do things."

What a smart-ass. He really just doesn't care.

We need to be mad about this. Write those letters to the editor. Our veterans deserve better than this.