Calgary eyed for homeless veterans program

Canada's veterans ombudsman is looking at Calgary for a pilot project to connect homeless veterans with the services they need to get off the streets.

Retired colonel Pat Stogran, who was named ombudsman in November, is touring homeless shelters across the country on a fact-finding mission for a program called Leave Nobody Behind that he has started.

'A person who's suffering at home from a psychological injury is as seriously wounded as somebody bleeding on the battlefield.' —Pat Stogran, veterans ombudsman

Stogran wants veterans to know about federal programs that can help them with everything from financial assistance to peer support and counselling.

"A person who's suffering at home from a psychological injury is as seriously wounded as somebody bleeding on the battlefield, and we don't leave the people on the battlefield there to bleed," he said on Monday.

The Calgary Drop-In Centre is keen to help launch the pilot project which will co-ordinate services between homeless shelters and Veterans Affairs.

"What we haven't had is the close connection with Veterans Affairs and with the legion to identify some of the programs that are there for them," said Louise Gallagher, the center's public relations manager.

"So this gave us an opportunity to talk about building that relationship between the ombudsman's office and our clients, so that we can get some training to understand what the programs are that they offer and pass that knowledge on to our clients so they know where to link in."

Gallagher said about a dozen veterans sleep in the Calgary shelter every night.

The ombudsman said if the test project is successful, it will be extended across the country.

George Bittman, a veteran who runs the Calgary Poppy Fund, likes the plan but said many former soldiers have problems with basic needs like food and rent, while also wading through bureaucratic issues.

"If they're not entitled to a veteran's pension, there's little the ombudsman can do," Bittman said.