Veterans Affairs Committee on Dec. 1st, 2011
Evidence of meeting #15 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was veterans.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Brad White Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion
- Andrea Siew Director, Service Bureau, Royal Canadian Legion
- Tim Laidler Operations Coordinator, Veterans Transition Program, University of British Columbia
- Maureen Sinnott Director, Strategic and Enabling Initiatives, Department of Veterans Affairs
- Janice Burke Director, Mental Health, Department of Veterans Affairs
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
NDP
Peter Stoffer Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Just before we wrap up for today, I just want to advise the parliamentary secretary--and I'll be gentle to her, because she's new here--that a cheap shot like that is completely unacceptable here. There is one person here who worked--
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Greg Kerr
No, I'm already going to rule that's not a point of order. I know there's a disagreement. I know the PS backed off and got the question, understanding staff can't talk about political things.
10:15 a.m.
NDP
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Greg Kerr
What I want to do is finish the questioning.
Mr. Genest, if you could get right to your question fairly quickly, I'd appreciate it.
10:15 a.m.
NDP
Réjean Genest Shefford, QC
My question is for the representatives of the department.
When are you going to answer the people from the Legion and those in Mr. Laidler's program about their requests for support in connection with post-traumatic-stress syndrome? Will you do it next year, in five years, in 16 weeks? When will you let them know that you've heard them?
10:15 a.m.
Director, Mental Health, Department of Veterans Affairs
No, I actually commit to following up with the department on that issue.
10:15 a.m.
NDP
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
December 1st, 2011 / 10:15 a.m.
NDP
Réjean Genest Shefford, QC
Some information is conveyed to veterans concerning services for post-traumatic-stress cases, but how can members of the family of someone in the military -- there are both men and women in this field -- get in touch with you if they suspect that this person is suffering from psychological problems? Is there any publicity, any information about this?
10:15 a.m.
Operations Coordinator, Veterans Transition Program, University of British Columbia
Right now, because it has been a research project and they have been developing and evaluating it, we haven't been doing a lot of outreach. We are in that position now, so a lot of our funding will be going toward getting veterans in the communities and finding people to come into the program.
On the family members, people often come in because their spouses say they need to get some help because things aren't going right. So it is affecting the family, and that's how they are pushed into it many times.
We have a spousal component to our program, where spouses come in for a one-day session separately with a therapist. They sort of validate their common experiences. We've had both male and female spouses, including one from a same-sex marriage, where a man came in and was accepted by the other wives and girlfriends in the group.
10:15 a.m.
Conservative
10:15 a.m.
NDP
10:15 a.m.
Conservative