NDP calls for immediate changes to how veterans pay for long-term care

The NDP is calling on the federal government to immediately change the way it charges veterans for long-term care after CBC News reported that many veterans could be paying more than their fair share.

In question period on Wednesday, NDP MP Rachel Blaney asked whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would "immediately end this long-term care gouging."

CBC News uncovered a potential accounting error that may have caused caused tens of thousands of Canadian veterans to be overcharged for long-term care since at least 2005.

With some exceptions, veterans in Veterans Affairs' long-term care program are required to cover only the cost of their accommodation and meals. That cost is supposed to be set at a level equal to the lowest cost of room and board in the least expensive province.

CBC's analysis found that the government wasn't including the Northwest Territories in its calculations. Meals and accommodations for long-term care are cheaper in that territory — meaning individual veterans could be paying $260 per month more than they should be.

When CBC News questioned Veterans Affairs about the discrepancy, the department said it would launch an investigation but didn't immediately change the program.

"The minister of Veterans Affairs has asked her officials to investigate this matter further," Trudeau told the House of Commons on Wednesday. "We are committed to supporting our veterans. We have been since day one."

Defence Minister Bill Blair said he found news of the potential error "concerning."

"I think we clearly have got some work to do in order to respond to those findings," he said in a scrum with reporters on Wednesday. 

Two sources with ties to Veterans Affairs Canada told CBC News that the question of veterans being overcharged for long-term care had been flagged internally. Both sources said the department has known about this discrepancy "for years."

A group of lawyers has filed a proposed class action proceeding in Federal Court claiming the federal government made a mistake in calculating charges for long-term care.

Conservative Veterans Affairs critic Blake Richards said in a media statement that it "comes as no surprise that Trudeau continues to let our veterans down."

"Veterans deserve much better than crushing delays and the chaos of the Liberal government," he said in the statement.

He also said the high cost of living is a burden for veterans, many of whom are living on fixed incomes.