Compensation | Battle continues for some affected by spraying

A1

By MICHAEL STAPLES
staples.michael@dailygleaner.com

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

4 Comment(s)

Rejection isn't something that Barb Gill or Bob Pardy is willing to accept.

Enlarge Photo

STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHOTO

DIARY RECORD: Barb gill is shown with her childhood diaries from 1963 to June 1966. She said the diaries show she was in the area affected by the spraying of Agent Orange.

The Fredericton woman and Moncton man are two of the more than 800 Canadians who haven't qualified for the federal government's Agent Orange compensation program.

But both have pledged to continue the fight because they feel it's something they deserve.

Gill, who's recovering from her second battle with liposarcoma, a malignant tumour condition, was on her grandfather's farm in Maugerville when Agent Orange was first tested at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in the mid-1960s.

Gill has had her application for the $20,000 ex gratia payment turned down three times.

"I haven't had the official word of being turned down the fourth time," she said. "I'll persevere. I am not done yet. I can't let it drain me emotionally, because if it does, that will affect my body."

The federal government announced a $95.6-million compensation package in 2007 for veterans and civilians affected by the U.S. military's spraying of Agent Orange at Gagetown.

To be eligible for the one-time, tax-free, ex gratia payment, individuals must have been diagnosed with a condition associated with Agent Orange, as determined by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine.

They include afflictions such as Hodgkin's disease, prostate cancer, lymphoma, respiratory cancers and Type 2 diabetes.

They also must have worked or trained at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, or lived in a community any part of which is within five kilometres of the base when Agent Orange was tested by the U.S. military in 1966 and 1967.

Gill, who also suffers from other illnesses, said her grandfather's farm fell within the five-kilometre boundary.

"It's hard to believe that something like this could have happened to us," Gill said. "It's almost unthinkable that there could have been so much poison and it could have affected my life so significantly."

Pardy, a 25-year veteran of the Forces, has also been told no.

"I was there," said Pardy. "I was there only in '66 - in July only."

Pardy, a retired sergeant, said he was posted to Germany at the time but came back to the Gagetown area for a month to get married - the same time the first spraying occurred.

"I sent all of this to Veterans Affairs, including a photocopy of my marriage certificate, showing I was in the area at the time."

Pardy, who has prostate cancer, diabetes and skin cancer, said he resided at a friend's house during the stay. The house fell within the five-kilometre requirement.

He said he also sent Veterans Affairs a document signed by a friend who backed up his story.

"Having given them all of this, they still deny it."

Pardy said his two stepsons - children at the time of the spraying - were both awarded the ex gratia payment with no hassle.

"I am losing my confidence, yes," Pardy said. "But I am not going to go down without a fight."

Pardy is also seeking a pension.

As of Jan. 12, 3,000 applications had been received by Veterans Affairs Canada for the ex gratia payment.

Of those who have applied, 1,959 applications have been approved and 1,938 cheques have been issued.