Veterans file lawsuit against federal government

(Update)

A veterans group says it will campaign against the federal Conservatives after lawyers argued injured veterans don’t deserve any more financial compensation than other people injured on the job.

Government lawyers have asked a B.C. judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by soldiers injured in Afghanistan who argue the controversial new veterans charter violates their constitutional rights. The veterans say the lump sum payments under the charter are substantially less than workers compensation payments. But Crown lawyers say the federal government has no legal responsibility to care for citizens, with the exception of natives. They also say Ottawa owes vets nothing more than what they have already received.