Evidence of meeting #4 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 husband.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:05 p.m.
As an Individual
I have a pension from the Canadian armed forces, but for Veterans Affairs, whatever the assignment, applications are sent to Montreal for evaluation. Then they are sent to Charlottetown, and that is where the decision is made. Then we get a veteran number, which is actually a card sent out to members for identification purposes. Next, the area counsellor comes to meet with the client to provide information. But nothing is available until a person gets their number.
12:05 p.m.
Bloc
Roger Gaudet Bloc Montcalm, QC
I learned something today. I thought that people who were pensioners from the forces were automatically veterans.
12:10 p.m.
Bloc
12:10 p.m.
As an Individual
In order to get a number, you need a case, an assignment. If Charlottetown decides that a person is entitled to the services provided to veterans, then the person gets a number.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
12:10 p.m.
Bloc
Gilles-A. Perron Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I would just like to clarify what is meant by a veteran. The government recognizes as veterans all those who fought in the Boer War, the First World War, and the Second World War. Since 2003, it also recognizes those who fought in the Korean war. All other members of the armed forces are not necessarily and automatically recognized as veterans. It is determined on a case-by-case basis. The governor in council decides whether an individual is a veteran. That is why it takes such a long time before a person becomes eligible as a veteran. There's no recognition.
Members of the forces returning from Afghanistan may have an opportunity to be considered veterans, because that is a theatre of operations, just as Korea was. Since people who fought in the Korean war are recognized as veterans, there will surely be automatic recognition for people who fought in Afghanistan. However, members of the military who went to Bosnia or who were peacekeepers are not officially Canadian veterans.
12:10 p.m.
As an Individual
My point may be somewhat akin to what Ms. Hinton was saying earlier. I spoke about it briefly as well. It has to do with the concept of service on the part of veterans.
My husband was sure that the Department of Veterans Affairs would provide services only to those who took part in the Second World War or who suffered physical injury—those who lost a leg or an arm. That is really what he thought.
There could be a marketing effort with veterans to make the services provided by the department better known. Something must also be done about the perception people have about the services available. What is a veteran? Who are these services for? They are not just for those who lost an arm or a leg in combat.
12:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rob Anders
Understood.
Now, just to get this on the record, Mr. Gaudet finished up at five minutes, twelve seconds, and then Mr. Perron was intervening with what one thought was potentially a point of order....
Anyway, he's a sneaky man. You have to watch him, is what I have to say. That's my statement.
Okay, now over to Mr. Cannan, for five minutes.
November 27th, 2007 / 12:10 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Jenifer and Claude, for being here today. I appreciate you sharing your personal story.
As colleagues had mentioned, you're in a very stressful situation. It brings a whole new meaning to your marriage—in sickness and in health. There's strength in that, as you mentioned. In many cases it can tear a relationship apart. In this case, I hope it continues to brings you closer together, you and your family.
I know from personal experience—with three daughters, one of them was just diagnosed with a mental illness, and it was very stressful on the family—that once you have the diagnosis, you can deal with some sort of direction. Obviously in July you got that direction, and you can work towards having a reasonable quality of life that I hope only improves with time.
I just wanted to follow up on the aspect of being a new member; as Mr. Gaudet had mentioned, he's new to the committee as well. My understanding is that this committee had heard from other witnesses, as Mr. Stoffer said, on the PTSD issue, and they have tabled the report, and our government is, I'm hoping, to have some positive changes in the new year.
With regard to the veterans independence program, have you had any involvement with helping other veterans or any involvement with the program at all?
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
Everything happens by word of mouth. People need help, particularly with filling in the forms and providing documents. The word of mouth is working well, and people are starting to get in touch with me to help them out.
You will appreciate that this puts me in a rather awkward position. Even though I think I have the skills required to help them, I am not an employee of the Department of Veterans Affairs. In light of the importance of these forms and documents, I do not want to jeopardize people's chances of getting assistance. So it is rather sensitive, but I do meet with such people on a volunteer basis.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
About how many people have you had an opportunity to work with?
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I come from a riding with quite a few seniors, and we're working with several veterans. One thing we're trying to do is allow people to stay in their homes as long as possible rather than forcing them into a long-term care home.
Out of those seven individuals, have you had the opportunity to allow people to have that option, to maintain their independence and stay within their own homes?
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Do you think giving individuals that option is important?
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
I hope we can.
Are there any other strengths or weaknesses of the veterans independence program that you could recommend?
12:15 p.m.
As an Individual
If I would meet with you again in a year, I might have many more things to tell you, but, at the moment, I do not have enough experience to comment on a process with which I am not that familiar.
However, I would say that in my opinion the current problems with the system do not necessarily lie in the financial assistance programs. There is emergency funding and some flexibility there. The problems are really in the area of supporting these people to help them access these programs. The other problem has to do with coordination among the various programs, based on the applicant's situation.
12:15 p.m.
Conservative
Ron Cannan Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
After you helped these individuals, was there some follow-up from the department? Have they been good at getting back?