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Canadian governments have been at war with disabled veterans for over one hundred years, and the war is not over yet.

The basic disagreement underlying this war is simple to explain, harder to understand and has been a political football since the First World War.

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The veterans claim that since their terms of service came with the understanding that anyone who puts on the Queen’s uniform is agreeing to “unlimited liability,” the government has a duty to care for them after their service has concluded. This latter idea is sometimes referred to as a social contract. In other words, soldiers know and understand that their duty may result in their death or horrible physical or mental wounds. They thus claim that the government, representing the Canadian people, owe them adequate compensation for their wounds.

Photo by Ed Kaiser/Postmedia

Recently retired Major Mark Campbell attempted to sue the federal government in the Supreme Court of Canada for additional compensation for the two legs he lost in the explosion of an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2008. The Supreme Court refused to hear his case but gave no reason why they would not.