Good afternoon. How are you?
Evidence of meeting #8 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was program.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #8 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was program.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Ann Patterson Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Good afternoon. How are you?
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Very good. We have good video and it sounds like we have good audio now as well.
4:40 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Excellent.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you very much on behalf of the committee for taking the time today. I apologize that we were late engaging the call.
Ladies and gentlemen of the committee, Ann Patterson is the Acting Chief of Staff to the Undersecretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration.
Do you have an initial opening presentation for us, Ms. Patterson?
4:45 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
What I wanted to do was introduce myself to all of you and find out a little bit about how much of an overview you need. Some folks around here this morning, as we were talking about it in the undersecretary's morning meeting, indicated.... Dr. Cross mentioned that he may have met some of you previously, so I don't want to go into a real basic overview if many of you already have a sense of our organization and what we look like.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Most of the members of this committee are brand-new members.
How long would it take for you to do an overview?
4:45 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Let me just do this. I think we have about 45 minutes. I have a PowerPoint presentation that does go a little bit into how we're organized, what we look like, the budget, and some of our most important and key initiatives right now. I think that should do it. Then if there are some topics as we go through this--and I move along fairly quickly--that you want us to focus on, maybe we can arrange for another time where we could go through some of the key topics in a little bit more detail.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Ms. Patterson, is there any chance that you may be able to keep it to 20 minutes, and then every member could at least have one question for you?
4:45 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Well, I will tell you that we planned an hour. If you want me to do just an overview, yes, we can skip some slides and just move right along.
Let's do this. You stop me at any time. If there's something you want me to focus on, I can. Otherwise, I'll just go through the slides very quickly.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
That would be fine. If after the questions there is desire from the committee to have more detail, then we'll ask you at the end to arrange another meeting. Go ahead with your presentation, and then we'll have questions after.
4:45 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
That's not a problem.
4:50 p.m.
Acting Chief of Staff to the Under Secretary for Health, Veterans Health Administration, United States Department of Veterans Affairs
I can hear you. Let's get the PowerPoint up very quickly.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Unfortunately, it's the video connection.
While we're waiting, ladies and gentlemen, while the phone isn't ringing, I might be able to get this announcement through, with translation.
March 26 is a Thursday. It's the only time we're able to get the British Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. That's March 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m., because of the time change.
I just wanted to advise you of that. Of course, it's not a mandatory meeting in our schedule or anything, but it would be good if most of the members could make that. It was the only time we could get. Try to put that in your schedules and see if you can make it. That is March 26.
We'll have a meeting on March 25...no, excuse me, I'm wrong. On March 23 we'll be Washington. March 26 will be the British VA.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Mr. Chair, while we're waiting, can I thank Michel for the graph you put together here? This is very helpful, being able to compare the two. Thank you very much for the fast work you did pulling them together.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
You're probably aware that, prior to Christmas, Britain announced some changes to their Compensation Act. If we can get that, that would be very helpful.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
They give $1 million now in the event of it. They don't give a lump-sum payment on the death.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Not yet.
In the States they don't give a lump-sum payment. They give a certain amount every month.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Guy André Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
The 26th might work, Mr. Chair, but do we not have a meeting scheduled for March 25 as well?
