DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia— Veterans who gathered to hear Tom Mulcair speak at an NDP rally Monday said Conservative Leader Stephen Harper couldn’t pay veterans to attend his events.

In fact, a number of veterans at the Dartmouth legion said they used to vote Conservative – but now that’s a thing of the past.

Doug Roberts, who served in the Canadian Navy for 11 years said he voted Conservative but “things changed when Stephen Harper managed to get a majority,” adding that Harper’s “ignored our injured.”

“Stephen Harper couldn’t get a crowd of veterans here like this for a lot of their money,” said Roberts.

Roberts said he’s impressed with Mulcair’s plan for veterans. The NDP leader promised to invest $454 million over four years which would provide treatment for veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. The money would also go toward improving long-term care services, and the NDP promises to re-open the nine veterans affairs offices that were closed by the Conservative government.

Gerry White, who started his career in the RCMP before joining the navy as an officer was surprised to find himself at an NDP rally.

“This room is full of retired mounted policemen – RCMP and military officers – I was both. If you had have told me ten years ago there would be a room full of mounted policemen and military officers at an NDP rally, I would have laughed at ya,” said White.

“We’re not voting for a party we’re voting for a man with integrity. Harper has no integrity whatsoever – Mr. Trudeau’s a good fella but he doesn’t have the sense of priorities,” he continued.

But not all of the credit can be awarded to Mulcair, according to White, most of the supporters who attended the rally were there because of NDP candidate for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, and veterans affairs critic, Peter Stoffer.

“We’ll support Tom Mulcair and we’ll support Robert Chisholm, but we’re here because of Peter Stoffer,” said White.

John Russelle, who was a maintenance chief on a sea king helicopter and who served in over 28 countries including the Gulf War – said he would like to see the nine veterans affairs offices re-opened.

Russelle noted that because there are no offices in Cape Breton – those residents have to travel all the way to Halifax for help.

“I used the offices as much as I could because I like them to know when I’m hurting,” he said.

“If we don’t band together we’ll get nothing – we’re screwed from Harper and ten years of his rule. Prior to that is the Liberal government which started the New Veterans Charter—they’re the guilty ones from the start,” he said.

Russelle said when he was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder – which he didn’t know he had – he was living in a van near Lawrencetown beach.

“Next thing I know my 26 year career’s over, my 26 year marriage is over, my two kids don’t talk to me and I’m living in a van in Lawrencetown on the beach,” he said.

Russelle was discharged in 2004 and so he receives a monthly pension under the Old Veterans Charter – unlike the controversial New Veterans Charter, which awards veterans with a lump sum in accordance to their injury. But Russelle said the money doesn’t help with mental health and that’s why he’s excited about Mulcair’s plan.

“Take a young guy with PTSD – how does he pick up the phone to fight with these people?” said Russelle of the bureaucratic nature of Service Canada.

Mulcair didn’t say whether an NDP government would return to a monthly pension – he suggested Stoffer – who was the critic of veterans affairs, would play a key role in the veterans file if elected to government.