Progress Report on Recommendations: 1974 Valcartier Cadets Grenade Incident

Message from the Ombudsman | 19 June 2018

 

Today I release my report card that assesses the progress of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces on the recommendations made in my 2015 report titled An Investigation into the 1974 Valcartier Cadets Grenade Incident. While accepted by the Department, both recommendations remain only partially implemented.

More than 40 years after the incident, those individuals who were affected by the live grenade explosion have received public recognition from the Department of National Defence and can now access a compensation and benefits program that was put in place to rectify the unfairness noted at the time. I am encouraged by the fact that 94% of cadets and non-professional first responders identified by the program were contacted since the announcement of the Valcartier Grenade Incident program in 2017. Additionally, 92% of identified cadets and non-professional first responders involved in the incident received the Universal Benevolent Payment.

While encouraged by the progress made thus far, my Office has yet to be successful in obtaining information concerning the delays between the assessment of some individuals and the availability of their care plans. Furthermore, there remain 8 individuals and one estate that have yet to be located for the purposes of issuing the Universal Benevolent Payment established under the program. My office will continue to encourage the Department to do their utmost to reach out to all those affected and encourage participation and application to the Valcartier Grenade Incident Program prior to the March 2019 deadline.

If you would like to know more about the Valcartier Grenade Incident Program, or believe that you may be eligible, please click here or contact my office at 1-888-828-3626, through Live Chat, or using our Online Booking Tool. We are ready to help.

 

Gary Walbourne
Ombudsman