Evidence of meeting #42 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 management.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Charlotte Stewart  Director General, Service Delivery and Program Management, Department of Veterans Affairs
Charlotte Bastien  Regional Director General, Ontario and Quebec Region, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs
Raymond Lalonde  Director General, Operational Stress Injuries National Network, Department of Veterans Affairs

September 26th, 2012 / 4:45 p.m.

Director General, Service Delivery and Program Management, Department of Veterans Affairs

Charlotte Stewart

When I say we didn't invent it, I believe it was originally launched in the United States, and being a good idea it spread across the border, which is great.

On a very practical level, it's opening up opportunities for hiring veterans, raising awareness within various sectors in the country around the skills and attributes that veterans carry. They represent an extremely well-trained and experienced workforce.

They come with training, and to have them able to bridge into an employment opportunity that.... You know, they can look at a website. They can have discussions through the Helmets to Hardhats program. They cannot only hopefully get a job, but also get the recognition that comes with that, in terms of the Canadian public sector, the private sector, and the union working together to identify that these are very valued employees who can find a place in Canadian industry.

It's not just on the employment side, although that's obviously a huge part of it, but there is a recognition factor as well.

4:45 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Zimmer Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC

I have one other question.

I'm from Prince George—Peace River, in northeastern B.C., and it's often a concern that Ottawa is an awful long way away from Fort St. John or Prince George. Speaking on behalf of our veterans, can they be assured that the service levels will be consistent across the country? Again, I've heard nothing but good about the department, and I concur with Mr. Lobb as well.

What do you have in place to make sure that happens?

4:45 p.m.

Director General, Service Delivery and Program Management, Department of Veterans Affairs

Charlotte Stewart

Our commitment is to serve veterans in the way they want to be served, in the most efficient way possible, throughout the country. As you've noted, and as has been noted, not every location can benefit from having a district office or a local integrated personnel support centre, so yes, we have to find other means.

How are we going to ensure that? First of all, we have expanded how we deliver service. We recently entered into a partnership with Service Canada, and through that organization we now have 600 points of service across the country where veterans can go in to get information, not just on a broad range of Government of Canada programs and services, but from trained front-line staff in Service Canada. They can be given information on benefits and services that Veterans Affairs Canada can offer to them. They can drop off their applications there. Their identity can be validated. They can get assistance with their applications. It's a very important part of expanding our service offering.

We're also working hard to improve our call centres. In addition to that, our “My VAC Account” is another means. Many veterans like to go online and check their application or change their address or apply for direct deposit. That's now available to them.

Direct face-to-face service is a commitment we have for case management, but there are other ways through the service model in which we're also improving our performance.

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr

Thank you very much.

We've finished our time. I want to thank our witnesses very much for the information they provided today. I think that concludes our business for today. Thank you.

The meeting is adjourned.