Veterans Affairs committee  That's why we haven't made it a requirement. We don't talk about it except in a psycho-educational manner in our program, to say that they can be totally switched on, okay, high functioning in a career, and get some extra support if they need it with us. Many don't. You're right.

Veterans Affairs committee  Absolutely. When I returned, I went back to UBC and completed a masters in counselling psychology while doing all this. I've been able to create the Veterans Transition Network and raise this money.

Veterans Affairs committee  I know the Legion is definitely very concerned about that. We've talked about succession planning and making sure we get federally funded to relieve the burden from the Legions themselves. They have the organizational structure that sees the poppy fund not being able to be used f

Veterans Affairs committee  I think they made sense to meet the demand in World War II. I don't think they're making sense now. Just get rid of them, save the money on the positions, and find a different way to decide the compensation for veterans. That's why I've said perhaps the courts are the answer, but

Veterans Affairs committee  That's right. We have what's called a paraprofessional role. Graduates of the program are invited to come back and help their colleagues through. When I went through the program myself for the first time there was a veteran from the Bosnian era there who had been in the Medak Po

Veterans Affairs committee  I think this really comes down to the outreach, because most military people leave the forces and don't come back for services. I know many of them who have come through our program were people we found isolated in basements or withdrawn from the community. The only way we made c

Veterans Affairs committee  I'd definitely encourage you to start by going to the Royal Canadian Legion and speaking to one of the service officers. Filling out a one-page form allows them to be your advocate and to start getting you the benefits—

Veterans Affairs committee  I've signed a one-page form with the Legion and it worked out well. There's surprise among many of the veterans when they start getting their lump sum payments.

Veterans Affairs committee  If it's a permanent disability, there are definitely advantages to having a pension. If the person's able-bodied and in treatment and stabilized with some sort of mental health issue, I think a lump sum payment is a great idea if they're going to invest in going to school, starti

Veterans Affairs committee  Historically, in 1997 there was a lot of talk about post-traumatic stress disorder, so that's how they started the program, by evaluating whether this program was going to affect somebody's PTSD symptoms. Closely linked to that are the depression symptoms and their self-esteem ra

Veterans Affairs committee  As for the funding structure, we want to have 100 veterans go through our program in 2014. We've been expanding the program. It costs us $15,000 per veteran. Veterans Affairs will pay for any veteran who is their client, who meets a very inclusive criteria, I'd say, to come throu

Veterans Affairs committee  There was a study done by Dr. Tim Black, our clinical director, trying to define exactly that: what is transition. It comes from a socially constructed paradigm that successful transition is what an individual defines it by. Somebody may move from our program, not get a career,

Veterans Affairs committee  For the lump sum payment?

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, about that.

Veterans Affairs committee  It really is a key question that needs to be answered, and unfortunately, I don't have the perfect solution. It's split, as I said. Some veterans, like me, would love to take a lump sum and start a company. For some veterans who are also struggling, it's the worst thing for them