News Release

September 9, 2009

Minister of Veterans Affairs Announces Appointment to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board

Ottawa — The Honourable Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs, today announced the appointment of a new member to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board.

Wilfred Arsenault, of Miscouche, P.E.I., has been appointed to the Board for a three-year term, effective January 4, 2010.

"Mr. Arsenault's appointment will help with our on-going efforts to create a strong, responsive and diverse Board," said Minister Thompson. "With his extensive business training, community involvement and public-sector experience, Mr. Arsenault brings a truly important range of talents to the Board. I am confident he will do very well serving our Veterans and other Canadians who rely on the Board for fair and just decisions."

The Veterans Review and Appeal Board handles the reviews and appeals of disability pension and award decisions for Veterans, Canadian Forces personnel, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and certain civilians and/or their dependants. It also deals with the final appeal on War Veterans Allowance decisions made by Veterans Affairs Canada.

Created in 1995, the Veterans Review and Appeal Board is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that reports directly to Parliament through the Minister of Veterans Affairs. There are now 27 full-time members on the Board.

Mr. Arsenault, a bilingual former member of the provincial legislature for the Evangeline- Miscouche District, is currently the Chief Entrepreneurship Officer with the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development PEI. Before entering provincial politics in 2000, he spent 13 years as General Manager of the Baie Acadienne Development Cooperation.

For more information, including a backgrounder on the appointment process for new members, visit the Board's Web site.

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