Veterans Affairs Committee on Dec. 1st, 2011

[Tim Laidler]

We have a five-year strategic plan and our mandate is to offer it to anyone who wants it by the fifth year. So we are going to be growing. It's going to take five years to get to full capacity, but our intention.... We haven't had a wait list so far. We've usually had programs running under capacity, because a number of people will sign up and then when it comes to the day some tend to step back.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

How much funding do you need?

[Tim Laidler]

For the first two years, we need $975,000 for infrastructure costs, and each 10-day program costs about $60,000 to run.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Excellent. Thank you.

I want to ask you a couple of other questions about your experiences as a member of the CF returning from Afghanistan. Did you find the DVA case managers to be accessible?

[Tim Laidler]

As I'm still in the military, I fall under the purview of DND, so I didn't access any VAC services. DND was there. It was sparse.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Feel free not to answer any question if you feel it could compromise your career in any way.

My next question.... Well, I'll move on, because I don't want to put you in that position.

With regard to the dissemination of the programs and their accessibility to returning members, in your experience, do members know what is available out there and accessible to them?

[Tim Laidler]

In my experience, it's a two-front war: one is finding out about them, and then one is trying to get over going and asking for help.

That's where we just really need to reframe it as something away from the medical model. It obviously has to be based on the medical model and the evidence-based treatments. But coming in on the front end, we sell our program as an advanced communications course at UBC. Often they'll tell their families, “Oh, I'm going to a UBC program, I'm taking a class at UBC”, and that's how we get in there. We do not sell it as “You need help. Get this.” We say “Do you want to be better than you were before you went overseas? This program is going to set you above and beyond other people who haven't gone through this process”, and that's where we talk about post-traumatic growth and we sell it that way. So I think that's the way in.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

How knowledgeable were you about the Legion's plethora of programs, as a returning member?

[Tim Laidler]

It wasn't until I got into the transition program that I realized how significant the Legion's impact is. But again, right after coming out, I was 23, and I didn't want to know anything about anything. I was okay. I was good to go. I wanted to get back into school and get into a job.

I had the blinders on and I was charging straight ahead. It wasn't until a buddy of mine stood in my way and told me there's other stuff out there....

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

One of the things you mentioned quite often is a job: a good-paying job, a job you feel is worth the extensive training you have. I can tell you that in my home province there are oil and gas companies lined up all over the place trying to hire returning military men and women, specifically because of the training you have, the tremendous expertise and professionalism you bring.

I think it's important for us to try to tie the two together, because there's a great demand for the skill sets you have garnered.

I have a quick question for the Legion. How much have we embraced social media and other forms of communication to inform new members as they return about the great work the Legion does?

[Brad White]

That's a good question. Thank you.

We just had a budget meeting last weekend where I secured funding to hire a modern media person so we can move into that direction now. We haven't moved that way before. We're starting a bunch of different programs to do outreach right now, and it's going to be the next six months to a year before we get them up and running properly.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you very much, Mr. White.

Now Mr. Casey, for five.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Before I begin, whoever set the agenda has decided, again, that part of our meeting is going to be in camera. I want to put my standing request on the record once again that any time this committee goes in camera that it be as a result of a vote of the committee on a recorded division.

My first question is for Corporal Laidler. I heard you say to Mr. Storseth that right now it appears the demand for your program is being met. Did I hear you correctly?

[Tim Laidler]

That we are meeting the demand?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Yes.

[Tim Laidler]

No. We are meeting the front-line demand, but we haven't done our huge outreach push.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

So once your program becomes better known, the demand will increase.

[Tim Laidler]

Yes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

All right.

In terms of funding, right now your funding sources are what?

[Tim Laidler]

Funding is from the B.C. and Yukon Command of the Legion, and in kind, through the University of British Columbia.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Is the Government of Canada or Veterans Affairs Canada a funding partner in any way?

[Tim Laidler]

This summer the Dominion Command submitted a request to Veterans Affairs Canada to become an official service provider.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

How did that go?

[Tim Laidler]

I haven't heard back yet.

[Brad White]

And neither has the Legion.