N.S. veterans rally for benefit reforms

About 75 people rallied at Halifax's Grand Parade on Saturday, joining theVeterans National Day of Protest to push for improvements indisability compensation and pension benefits in the military.

Former soldiers, young and old, wore poppies andtheir medals as a heavy rain fell. A wreath was laid at the cenotaph and speakers presented a long list of complaints about both senior bureaucrats at Veterans Affairs Canada and members of the federal government.

Across the country, many veterans complained that the government's New Veterans Charter, which came into effect in 2006, gives less money to soldiers wounded in Afghanistan than older vets have been entitled to.

They want the Harper government to scrap its lump-sum payment policy in favour of the previous lifetime pain-and-suffering pension plan.

Marie Ead came to the protest to support her father,a Korean War veteran who also served in Cyprus. She held a sign that said, "We Remember Do You?"

Ead described her father's efforts to get benefits from Veterans Affairs as difficult. "Painful. Prolonged and painful. There's always a cutback coming around the corner," she said.

Others carried signs protesting the government's clawback of their pensions. David Atwell served in the military for more than 37 years.He qualified for disability benefits, but that reduced his pension and he expects to lose even more money soon.

"When I turn 65, I'll lose several hundred dollars more," he said.

Organizer Gary Zwicker said major changes are needed.

"The Government of Canada must order a royal commission to clean up Veterans Affairs," he said.

Veterans vowed to keep up the pressure until their concerns are dealt with.