Evidence of meeting #7 for Veterans Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was services.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Michael Ferguson  Auditor General of Canada, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Dawn Campbell  Director, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Joe Martire  Principal, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Jean-Rodrigue Paré  Committee Researcher
Cyd Courchesne  Director General of Health Professionals and National Medical Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs
David Ross  National Manager and Clinical Coordinator, Network of Operational Stress Injury Clinics, Québec Regional Office, Department of Veterans Affairs
Michel Doiron  Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

1 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

Michel Doiron

I don't want to presuppose the outcome of the pilot. However, we do know, as it has been proven, that when you involve the family in any treatment, whether it is mental health or anything else, it's more beneficial for the individual. But we'll have to see how the pilot goes.

We have implemented the pilot. The MFRCs are open. There hasn't been a national announcement around it, but there have been local announcements that they're ongoing. We have funded them and are partnering with the CAF to have them running. That is going along, and I am meeting with some of the MFRC managers or directors individually in the near future to ask how it's going, because I'm concerned about whether they're getting the traffic they should be getting.

1 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Where are the pilots? Could you tell us?

1 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

Michel Doiron

I don't remember off the top of my head. I probably have it here somewhere, but I can send that to you.

1 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

How many are there?

1 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

Michel Doiron

There are seven.

1 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Seven, and you can send me the locations?

1 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

Michel Doiron

Yes, we can provide that to you. I have it here somewhere, but I just don't remember.

1 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

I'd also be interested in the level of funding, because I've been to many military family events where they're doing a bake sale or a walkathon in order to provide support for those families, very important support. So I would like to know how much the funding is.

I want to get back to one last thing. It has to do with the recommendation by the Auditor General regarding medical records and making sure there's an effective transfer of medical records. One of the recommendations from the June 2014 report was that when CAF personnel are released, they should have an ID card of all the medical records that pertain to them, so they can use these records whenever they need to in their lives. As Dr. Courchesne indicated, 75% of those going to OSI clinics are there after a considerable length of time.

Is this something you are pursuing? That recommendation is important, I think.

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis

We are down to about five seconds on that answer.

1 p.m.

Assistant Deputy Minister, Service Delivery Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis

Thank you. We'll wrap this up.

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, I'd like to thank all three of you for taking time out of your busy schedules today and for all the work you do for our great veterans.

I have a bit of information for the committee. Tuesday's meeting will be a steering subcommittee meeting. We'll get the location of that out to people.

I need a motion to adjourn. Your name is too hard to pronounce, so I'll go with Mr. Fraser.

1 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

1 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

So moved.

(Motion agreed to)

1 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis

Thank you.