Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 5th, 2009

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

It would be the people who deal with superannuation and the departmental staff who deal with the pension issue.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

It's not Veterans Affairs staff people you're talking about.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

It would be Veterans Affairs if that's required. I'll talk with the clerk, if necessary, to define it exactly. It should be departmental staff. They've raised issues, and I think we have to be fair to them and make sure that we're all comfortable with what they've told us by asking more questions of our Veterans Affairs staff.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

No, Mr. Chair. I want to be very clear that this is not a Veterans Affairs staff issue.

Mrs. Sgro, you know the difference. If you want to bring the appropriate staff in, which could be Defence, Finance, and so on, that's fine. But once again, you put it over to Veterans Affairs. This is not a Veterans Affairs issue.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Then it's DND staff. I said that it should be the appropriate staff to deal with these issues. So it's DND staff, Finance staff, or Treasury Board. The appropriate people would come to answer some questions. I'm not defining who they have to be.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Is there any other debate? Right now we have agreement that the next meeting will be business. I know that. But do we have a consensus on the witnesses coming to the next meeting?

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Let the motion be dealt with.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

That's fair enough. We'll have witnesses from the department at the next meeting. Also at the next meeting the bill will be completely dealt with and sent back to the House. Whatever way we do it, we're going to dispose of it.

Go ahead, Mr. McColeman.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

I don't know whether we should be going in camera, Mr. Chair. Please correct me, if necessary.

I'd like to ask Mrs. Sgro what kind of information you are looking for from the staff ? As he said, it's not a Veterans Affairs staff issue. It's people outside the bailiwick of this committee we're going to bring in to discuss this issue further. Many of us have reservations about this committee dealing with this issue, because it's not a Veterans Affairs issue, on the business side of it. My senses tell me that you want more of a business explanation. Am I reading you right on that? I would like that too, by the way, in some ways. It gets a little bit muddled, because we're going to have people from Defence or people from maybe Finance or wherever in the government. I just want to know the direction we're heading.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Certainly it could be people from DND and Finance. I want to know what's happening today, November 5, 2009. I've heard some things. I want the questions about what's happening today to go forward. It has to be DND and Finance.

What happens to that block of individuals we keep hearing about who feel shortchanged? I would ask DND and Finance to come before the committee. I recognize the difficulty, because we're veterans and we deal with it “post”. But I'd like to hear from those who deal with it “prior to”, so that when we move it into the House, we know things have changed in a substantial way for the future.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brant, ON]

Mr. Chair, could I ask you or maybe the parliamentary secretary for clarification?

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Just a moment, Mr. Kerr is on the speakers list, and he might address that.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

I think we're comfortable, Mr. Chair, with the intent, now that it's been clarified. You were on a slightly different road when you started this. I think it's appropriate, and I would leave it to the chair and the clerk to bring back the appropriate staff to answer the questions raised here today. If that's agreed, then certainly our side would agree with that.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

As I understand it, it's a question on the logistics of the pension as well as on what they're informed of. Is that correct?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

The disability, the difference.... I'm still struggling with that.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

They are two separate issues.

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

They seem like two separate issues.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Do we have a handle on that?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Chair, I think this is the ideal opportunity. We're dealing with it. Let's all make sure that we have a good understanding of it. If there are things that can be done, we'll do them. If we can't, we can't, but let's at least make sure that we all fully understand.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Are we agreeing that the chair and the clerk will choose the witnesses?

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Does that include EI and the financial issue as well?

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Whatever the general question is, I think it's fair. We had a lady here the other day who was talking about EI.

[Scott Andrews, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

I understand, my apology.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

We'll make sure there are plenty of people here--

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

And we'll deal with the motion.