Royal Canadian Legion Branch #43 president Bruce Gabriel welcomed Monday the federal government's decision to replace controversial Julian Fantino with a new Veterans Affairs minister.
"I'm glad he's gone because he didn't care," Gabriel said.
That the new minister, Erin O'Toole, a southern Ontario MP, is a former member of the Royal Canadian Air Force, "is a good start," Gabriel said.
"At least we have someone in there now that at least, hopefully, has an understanding of where veterans are coming from," Gabriel said.
Gabriel is also hopeful a Veterans Affairs office will be reopened in Prince George. The federal government closed in 2012 citing inactivity, but Gabriel maintains it was busy enough to keep open.
The Service Canada office on Fourth Avenue downtown is now the contact point for veterans seeking help from the federal government, which Gabriel said is not good enough.
"We may never get an office back, I don't know, but we've got to get some better treatment for our veterans," Gabriel said.
Legion past president John Scott will speak to city council tonight about the closed office.
