It's a complete catch-22.
Evidence of meeting #17 for Veterans Affairs in the 39th 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.
Evidence of meeting #17 for Veterans Affairs in the 39th 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.
5:05 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
It's a complete catch-22.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Betty Hinton Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
In response to one of my colleagues earlier, you said you don't know when there's been an accident, so you're not able to contact the family, and the family is left not knowing. DND contacts families of soldiers who are harmed, do they not? That's the first question.
The second question is about the budget for your wonderful organization. You said it was something over $3 million per year. Could you give me an idea of how much of that $3 million or so goes to salaries? From listening to what you've been saying, some of your positions are voluntary and some are paid. I'd like to get a handle on the percentage.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
I would say about 85% is salary, and it's because of my day cares. I have 175-space day cares. This is something we're not mandated to provide, but because of the needs of the community, we've been forced to put it in place. So it's almost all towards salaries.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
At least, yes.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
Yes.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Betty Hinton Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
For that day care, do you get provincial funding?
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
Absolutely, we get some support.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Betty Hinton Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
What was the answer to the first question? Doesn't DND contact family members?
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
Of the injured? Yes, they do.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
But what happens is that after the event is over, the family may not have been told about all the resources that are available to them, and then the assisting officer goes away after a number of months and the family is sitting there. The ombudsman's report clearly suggested that the information should be passed on to the family, and that the MFRC should get all the information as well.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
Betty Hinton Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
You and I are in agreement. My only concern was that I understood you to say that no one contacts the families.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
Gosh, no! They do a great job there.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
You said your budget was $3.5 million and that you got $1.25 million from DND?
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
We get $1.18 million from the Director of Military Family Services, and I get about another $179,000 from the Maritime Forces Atlantic.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
David Sweet Conservative Ancaster—Dundas—Flamborough—Westdale, ON
You're underselling yourself, then. You mentioned that you got 55% of your budget funded. But that sounds more like only one-third.
5:10 p.m.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
I'm going on last year's numbers. I'm mixing up last year's numbers with this year's, because I just got my new funding. At the end of the audit last year, 55% of my funding came from the Director of Military Family Services.
5:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
I see our list of questioners is extinguished. Thank you, witnesses, for your appearance.
I'm going to talk about some other issues since we're here. I want to inform the committee members that we were scheduled to go to Petawawa and Valcartier under the last budget. We're coming up to a wrap of the budget at the end of March, and these trips will take place in April. Those budget requests came up again at the Liaison Committee and were approved, so we're still a go, which is a good thing.
I have some handouts with regard to Korea and whatnot.
