Last Post Fund
| Formation | 1909 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Arthur Hair |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Headquarters | Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
Official language | English, French |
Executive Director | Jean-Pierre Goyer |
| Affiliations | Veterans Affairs Canada |
Budget | $65 million (2013) |
| Mission | Ensure that no Veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, as well as a military gravestone, due to insufficient funds at time of death |
| Website |
lastpostfund |
The Last Post Fund Corporation (French: Fonds du Souvenir) commonly referred to as the Last Post Fund is a Canadian non-profit organization established with the mandate to ensure that no Canadian "Veteran is denied a dignified funeral and burial, as well as a military gravestone, due to insufficient funds at time of death." While not a government program, the Last Post Fund has been mandated to "deliver the program on behalf of Veterans Affairs Canada." Established in Montreal in 1909, the fund has grown from a private fundraising organization to a nationwide program supported by federal funds and private donation. The fund established the National Field of Honour in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, which it uses as a cemetery for Canadian veterans and is a National Historic Sites of Canada.
History
In 1908 two Montreal police officers found a homeless man (James Daly), who they took to the hospital. The man was presumed drunk, and they staff set him to "sleep it off". Arthur Hair the head orderly of the hospital went to check on the man and saw an envelope in his pocket which he recognized as honorable discharge papers from the British War Office. Daly had served with the British military for over 20 years. Two days later Daly died (he had hypothermia and malnutrition, not drunk), as his body was unclaimed it was to be donated to research (as per standard practice). Not satisfied with what would happen to the veteran, Hair raised money to give him a proper burial at Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery. The Last Post Fund was established in Montreal a year later with the mandate of "ensuring that no eligible Veteran is deprived of a dignified funeral and burial, and of a military grave marker, for a lack of financial resources at time of death". Initially the fund was financed through private donation, in 1921 it was incorporated and began receiving funds from the Government of Canada. Initially Catholic veterans were buried in Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery whilst Protestants were buried in Mount Royal Cemetery. As the two cemeteries filled the Quebec division of the Last Post Fund purchased land in Pointe-Claire, Quebec in 1929, which they developed into the National Field of Honour, established a year later.[1]
Eligibility
Following the death of a veteran, the Last Post Fund will provide money for funeral (up to $7,376)[2] if the expenses are such that they cannot be paid for by the estate or the veteran's surviving widow, this is calculated using a means test as established by Veterans Affairs Canada. To qualify the diseased must be either:[3]
- Served in the Canadian Armed Forces, or any of its previous iterations or those for the Dominion of Newfoundland
- A veteran of the Canadian Merchant Navy serving in either Second World War or the Korean War
- A veteran was not part of the Canadian Armed Forces, or those of the Dominion of Newfoundland who served with the Allied Forces during the Second World War or the Korean War and either:
- Has lived in Canada for at least 10 years
- Lived in Canada prior to enlisting in the armed forces and was living in Canada at time of death.
Veterans who meet the criteria of the means test are eligible for funding provided by the federal government. [4]
Budget and allocation
The Last Post Fund is financed through Veterans Affairs Canada and through private donation.[1] For 2012/2013 the Last Post Fund had a budget of $9.5 million, of which it spent $8.6 million. Between 2007 and 2012, 67% of applications for funding were denied. The 2013 Canadian federal budget increased the amount of money one would receive for funeral expenses, however the financial eligibility criteria (or means test) was not changed. In order to be eligible the veterans annual must be less than $12,005. With the number of World War II and Korean War veterans steadily decreasing, the fund will be spending less money annually, peeking in 2013. In order to meet the demand of low-income veterans who were not eligible under the federally mandated means test, the fund turned to private donation in 2010. The funds raised through private donation have been used to finance funerals and burials for 29 ineligible veterans (current as of 2013).[2] A 2012 report from the Veterans Affairs Ombudsman recommended "all modern-day veterans who are financially challenged at the time of death be made eligible for the federal government's program".[4]
References
- 1 2 "About the Last Post Fund". Last Post Fund. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- 1 2 Brewster, Murray (4 November 2013). "Veterans burial fund has more money, but access still restricted: budget office". Macleans. The Canadian Press. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- ↑ "Funeral and Burial Assistance". Veterans Affairs Canada Website. Veterans Affairs Canada. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
- 1 2 Cuppens, L.W.F. (10 November 2012). "All veterans deserve a dignified burial". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 29 November 2014.