The Government of Canada approves a grandfather clause in hardship and risks

From: National Defence

News Release

April 19, 2017 – Ottawa – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

The Government of Canada approved on April 11, 2017, the Minister of National Defense’s request to grandfather the hardship and risk levels for the locations of Arifjan and Ali Al Salem in Kuwait for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members currently deployed on Operation IMPACT.

Last year, the Departmental Hardship and Risk Committee (DHRC), responsible for assessing hardship and risk on our deployed operations, determined that the levels were lower for Arifjan and Ali Al Salem as a result of a lower risk to CAF members.

As a result of the Government’s decision to approve the Minister of National Defence’s request, all CAF members who were in those regions when the decisions were made to reduce hardship and risk levels will not see their levels drop for the duration of their deployment.

With respect to our personnel in Kuwait, those in Ali Al Salem will have their tax-exempt status extended until August 16, 2017 and those in Arifjan will have their tax-exempt status extended until December 18, 2016 and not September 1, 2016. 

The review of the overall policy, as requested by the Minister of National Defence to the Chief of the Defence Staff is still underway.

Quotes

“Our government is committed to making sure our women and men in uniform have all the right benefits, and I am happy to see that those who were deployed on Operation IMPACT when the decision was made to reduce the hardship and risk levels will now enjoy the benefits they had when they started their deployment. We will continue to review the overall policy towards better respecting and reflecting the hard work and sacrifices of Canadian Armed Forces personnel on behalf of Canadians.”

-Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister

Quick Facts

  • The Departmental Hardship and Risk Committee, in establishing Hardship and Risk levels, endeavors to assign levels that accurately reflect the actual conditions and risks that personnel are exposed to in a specific geographic location and on a specific operation.

  • Canadian Armed Forces members deployed as part of Operation IMPACT are entitled to Hardship and Risk allowances in recognition of the conditions and risks associated with specific locations.

  • The Hardship and Risk levels for all operations are continuously reviewed and reflects a rating or level supported by analysis and advice from subject-matter experts, including the force employer, medical and intelligence advisors.

  • The Canadian Armed Forces continues to look at how best to appropriately compensate its personnel for the outstanding work they do on operations and this includes reviewing internal procedures on addressing hardship and risk conditions.

Contacts

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
Toll-Free: 1-866-377-0811
Email: mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

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