Evidence of meeting #12 for National Defence in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:05 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
Again, that is not within my purview. I look after the ill and injured. The universality of policy service question would have to be directed to the chief of military personnel.
12:05 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
This next question is directed at employment, I guess, or continued employment of individuals who are engaged in support services.
A reference to peer support comes up from time to time. Is this an occupation that could extend someone's service to be employed within the military? Could someone who had perhaps suffered from PTSD be engaged in peer support as an occupation within the JPSU?
12:05 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
We are in fact employing some military personnel who doctors have told us have recovered enough to work in a peer support role. Within the JPSU we are using them.
All of the people who are employed as public servants in the OSISS program are former serving members who suffered post-traumatic stress. It's one of the qualifications to hold that position. To be able to be retained in the forces, one must meet universality of service, so it would not become a permanent occupation within the military to be a peer support person.
12:05 p.m.
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
We did notice in our visit to Petawawa that some of the peer support workers were actually doing this on a volunteer basis as part of an ongoing program, and no doubt assisting in their own recovery by having something specific to contribute to their fellow serving members. But it occurs to me that this is obviously a valuable part of the recovery process for individuals.
You say it can't be done within the military because of the universality of service rule, but it could be a post-employment job.
12:05 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
Absolutely.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Peter Kent
Thank you very much, Mr. Harris.
I'd like to take the chair's prerogative to ask a follow-on question with regard to the one asked by Mr. Harris regarding the numbers.
Of the 1,291 personnel who have successfully returned to work, how many of them returned to the same trade and how many returned to other job situations?
12:05 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
Without having the statistics before me, Mr. Chair, I would say that at minimum, 95% would go to their actual trade. Much less frequently will people change military occupations.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Thank you, Chair.
Colonels, it's good to see you both today. I'm glad you can be with us.
It sounds like you have some good answers to some tough questions. This might be an odd question, but I want to understand this. Why is the perception out there amongst some Canadians—I met with a group of veterans last week—that the Canadian armed forces is pushing veterans who have mental difficulties out the door? Why do you think there's that perception?
Despite the programs and despite the level of support, there is that sense in some of the legions in my riding, and I read about it in the local press. What do you think is going on there?
12:05 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
As I mentioned earlier, one of the big issues is getting to treatment quickly. The quicker you can do that...and actually, to some of the perception, we have to convince people to get to care quickly. That's where groups such as this one, and the media and others, can be very helpful to us by stating the importance of it and by pressing forward the good programs that are out there to help people.
If you constantly hear the negative, if you read in the papers or hear it on the TV news that the armed forces is releasing everyone with PTSD, that will cause a reluctance in people to seek treatment. That's what we're trying to avoid. Getting the positive message out there as much as possible to fight the negative message would be a great boon to helping us solve that problem.
12:05 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Is that something that you've begun to do or that you're preparing to ramp up? I've seen that more in the press recently. I've seen it in the House of Commons. It's being repeated, I think, far and wide.
What about within the forces? Are you actively getting that message out? Sometimes I find that when it comes to connecting Canadians with some of the programs, it's just a question of the knowledge that's missing. What's being done to increase that awareness amongst personnel?
12:10 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
A very important development that happened recently within the health services is that they are preparing a video with a number of people who've suffered from operational stress injuries, people who volunteered to come forward and tell their stories to incite others to seek care. From a very quick request, they received more than 200 people who were willing to speak on camera, very, very quickly. We are using our own resources of people who have successfully completed treatment to go back out, tell their stories, and encourage others to seek it as well.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
John Williamson Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
In addition to the video, are you thinking along the lines of having these individuals perhaps visit bases and speak to the men and women in uniform to inform them about that? So that it's more than just a YouTube video, but something that's a little more....
12:10 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
Yes, absolutely. It's going to be a professional production.
On your other question, we have the joint speakers bureau. They go to all the leadership courses in the armed forces and to any professional development session that a commanding officer would ask them to. They will participate. It's a two-pronged approach. There's a clinician who speaks about mental health, but there is also, again, somebody who has walked the walk, who has suffered an operational stress injury and has come back. He speaks to his peers about his experience and where he's been. We are attacking it on that front as well.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
12:10 p.m.
Col Russell Mann
To underscore that, we're not just doing that with the military member population.
Yesterday, one of the most inspiring stories that was told to the 150 folks who are going through mental health training was the story of a corporal who has returned to full duty following both physical and moral injury and his use of the Soldier On program, of the injured soldier network, of the IPSC, and of the family liaison officer in helping his son re-establish a new normal and overcome fear and anxiety about what was happening to his father. It gave everybody a source of strength and energy, because that story hasn't been told, but they're hearing it first-hand, not in a video, as you say, but right there on the floor. They're able to ask follow-up questions and engage in dialogue following his presentation to better understand what it took.
The key message he delivered is exactly what Colonel Blais said: seek help early. The earlier you go, the more hope there is to come through this process successfully. There are people who care, who can be qualified and want to help, but if we don't access them, we can't get through the process.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
February 25th, 2014 / 12:10 p.m.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for their presentation and I thank them for being here with us once again. I would like to continue the discussion we began here during various interventions.
The Valcartier military base is in my riding. As we know, a lot of people are coming back from Afghanistan. A lot of soldiers have come to my office. They were released or had asked for a time out within the Armed Forces. Unfortunately, they were released against their will, following a release process that included a deadline they found too short.
Everyone knows that post-traumatic stress syndrome can require very long treatment. Even if you avail yourself of services quite early on, it is a very long process. It may involve among other things, medication, psychological consultations, or different types of therapy. The process is very long. In my opinion, that is one of the things that contributes to the perception the military have that they are going to be released if they seek help. Quite honestly, I must say that if one looks at the figures provided by the ombudsman, military personnel are correct to fear that.
Do you think that the deadlines in the current process for members who return from combat experience are sufficiently long? Does this really allow soldiers to get back on their feet? Do you think that the process that is in place could actually hinder the reintegration of certain soldiers?
12:10 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
Thank you for your question.
The short answer is the following: yes, I think that the length of the process is reasonable. Each case is studied on its own merits. A physician does not make a final pronouncement until the individual's condition is stable.
12:15 p.m.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
Certain timeframes still have to be respected. After a certain time, if the soldier is not considered fit, he or she will have to be released.
12:15 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
No, there are no set deadlines. Until the person is stable, treatment cannot progress. In certain cases, it lasts four or five years. For instance, some of the people who were injured in Afghanistan in 2006 will be released shortly. We had to wait until now for them to be sufficiently recovered.
12:15 p.m.
NDP
Élaine Michaud NDP Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC
And when was the decision regarding the date of their release taken, at what point in the four- or five-year process, for those people?
12:15 p.m.
Col Gerry Blais
For instance, in the case of a member who was in the armed forces in 2006 who is to be released soon, the decision will be made as quickly as possible. In fact, we give him at least six months after the notice of release. That is the strict minimum. However, if there are complex conditions, we strike a committee that prepares a transition plan, and the member participates in that.
12:15 p.m.
NDP