Letter to General J.H.Vance: Follow-up on July 2013 report entitled An Examination of Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake (4 Wing)

15 February 2016

 

General J.H. Vance, CMM, MSC, CD
Chief of the Defence Staff
Department of National Defence
National Defence Headquarters
Major General George R. Pearkes Building
13th Floor, South Tower
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K2

 

Dear General Vance:

In July 2013, my predecessor released a report entitled An Examination of Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake (4 Wing). In that report, the Office raised a number of concerns regarding the state of military life in Cold Lake, particularly the cost of living, the condition of housing, the impact of the Post Living Differential freeze and the ongoing challenge of access to specialized medical care. We made nine recommendations to the Canadian Armed Forces to improve the lives and welfare of those living in that location.

In your predecessor’s June 2013 response to our draft report, General Lawson indicated that there were several issues under discussion and requiring further examination, and that a “fulsome assessment” of the plan to address each of the nine recommendations would be forthcoming. On 4 November 2014 I inquired as to whether an official action plan had been established and requested an update to our recommendations (see attached).

Our constituents continue to express concern about these issues. I am once again requesting a formal update reflecting the current status on these recommendations.

Sincerely,

 

Gary Walbourne

Ombudsman