Dear Mr Hague:
It is with great interest that I have read in both the British and the Canadian Press of your visit to Canada to sign an Embassy Sharing Agreement with the Canadian Foreign Minister, John Baird.
I really hope that the resolution of the frozen British pension issue forms part of any ancillary discussions you might have with Mr Baird.
You must realize that the 158,000 frozen British pensioners in Canada were surprised to see you refer to David Cameron’s statement that Canada and the United Kingdom as ‘two nations, but under one Queen and united by one set of values’.
We feel very strongly that while Canada is a champion of justice for its pensioners, those values currently are definitely not reciprocated by the United Kingdom. In fact, the shameful treatment of frozen British pensioners by the British Government costs the Canadian economy some $380 million every year.
We sincerely hope that in this, her Majesty the Queen’s Jubilee Year some consideration to the resolution of this long standing injustice.
Kind regards,
Sheila Telford
CABP Joint Chair