Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 26th, 2023

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Okay, so do we know which hour is which?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

The ministers will be last, from five until six.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Okay.

My only other comment would be that, obviously, the motion asked for two hours. I understand that when you're given a timeline, sometimes an hour is what ends up happening, but I don't think it's something we should just accept without some kind of indication that we have some disappointment that they aren't coming for the two hours requested.

I would ask that, on behalf of the committee, you write a letter to the two ministers, indicating our disappointment that they aren't fulfilling the two hours that was requested of them in the motion. I think it's important that we do that. We should make it clear that, as a committee, we expect the two hours, and that we're disappointed in that.

That's the minimum that I think we should do.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

That's perfect.

I will discuss that with the clerk and the analysts, but there is no way.... We can send a letter or something, but is it your final position to send a letter and invite them on Tuesday, or to cancel them on Tuesday?

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Well, it's Monsieur Desilets's motion, and I guess we'll see what his comments are.

My feeling is that if we accept them for the hour, we write a letter to express our disappointment that it isn't two hours. I think it's important that we make it clear that we expected two hours. If that's what we're going to do, we should make that clear.

I am, of course, comfortable with using the other hour wisely, if that's what we're going to do.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

That's perfect. That is clear enough.

I have Ms. Blaney, Mrs. Wagantall and Mr. May.

Ms. Blaney.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you.

My question is around who the witnesses would be for the women veterans study, because what I don't want is to have veterans here and feeling really rushed.

As you know, we've been doing two hours. There is space, if we need to take a break, so they have a more positive experience—even though it's very hard.

I'm curious whether we could know that, because I think that's really relevant. I'll wait to hear that, and then I may have other commentary.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

The clerk can answer that.

I think we have three witnesses.

[The Clerk of the Committee, Mr. Alexandre (Sacha) Vassiliev]

The first hour would be with three witnesses. One is a researcher, one is an historian and the other is chief executive officer and co-founder of the Veteran Emergency Transition Services.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Are they all women?

[The Clerk]

They are all women, yes.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

They're not veterans. None of them are veterans.

[The Clerk]

None of them have indicated that they are veterans.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you.

Go ahead, Mrs. Wagantall.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Thank you, Chair.

We had asked for two hours. I understand how busy it is for one to come, let alone two. In speaking with my colleague to my left here, I would suggest that we bring forward another motion to have them return at another time for another hour.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

You would have them come for another hour.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

For another hour; in other words, have them come twice to fill that commitment for the two hours.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

That is noted. Thank you.

Mr. May, go ahead, and then Mr. Casey.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Ms. Blaney asked my first question, but after hearing Ms. Wagantall's intervention, I'm very concerned that we are getting into a bit of mission creep with this motion. As we all know, we can invite the ministers. We were inviting two ministers here. To coordinate one schedule is challenging enough; to coordinate two, which they have, to be able to come together as per the motion...is I think what we need to accept. Obviously, it's the will of the committee to decide what they want to do, moving forward. I know that Monsieur Desilets has another addition to this. I will let him speak to his motion.

Pre-empting that a bit, I'm wondering if we could potentially ask the witnesses that he's asking for to be added to this conversation—if it's not so disruptive to the witnesses who have already been invited—and potentially combine those two to fill the time on Tuesday. I know how important it is that we continue with this study. I'm concerned that we'll be adding additional meetings on this issue and that it will delay our ability to get this study done.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay, but I have to tell you that two of the three witnesses for Tuesday are already booked.

[The Clerk]

Three of them are.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

All three are booked.

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

It was just a suggestion. I understand.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

That's good. That's perfect.

Go ahead, Mr. Casey.