Evidence of meeting #15 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was indigenous.

A video is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We will go back to Mr. Redekopp.

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

It seems as though having numbers is a difficult challenge for this government.

On March 10, the deputy minister of Veterans Affairs committed to providing the veterans affairs committee with an updated, written plan on how the department will resolve this backlog. This plan was to include timelines.

When will the veterans affairs committee be provided with this plan?

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Chair, I can assure my honourable colleague that of course the veterans affairs committee does vitally important work. I know how important this piece of information is for them.

My department is now working to make sure that the report itself reflects the reality we now face with the situation in the country. I can assure my honourable colleague—

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go to Mr. Redekopp.

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

Mr. Chair, I'm sure that the department had a draft plan prior to COVID-19, so I wonder if Mr. MacAulay can provide the committee with that plan right now, rather than wait.

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Chair, I can assure my honourable colleague that we are working diligently to make sure that this report is prepared, and prepared properly, for the committee. As I said before, I fully understand the importance of the committee and the great work it does—

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Mr. Redekopp.

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

Can the minister give us a timeline of when this report will be given to the committee?

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Chair, it's difficult to give a timeline. I want to make sure that the report itself reflects the reality of the situation to make sure that the committee—

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Mr. Redekopp.

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

The minister's mandate letter instructed Mr. MacAulay to implement a system of automatic approval for the most common disability applications. When will this system be implemented?

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Chair, of course this all ties in to the report that the veterans affairs committee is waiting for and to make sure that we're in place in order to make sure that the automatic approval can work and to make sure that veterans receive the proper—

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

We'll go back to Mr. Redekopp.

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK

If automatic approval is implemented, does the minister know how many applications this measure will remove from the backlog?

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Lawrence MacAulay Liberal Cardigan, PE

Mr. Chair, it will remove a number from the backlog, because quite simply, if you're skydiving out of a plane, you're going to have knee problems, and if you're a gunner, you're going to have ear problems. These things should be done automatically, and that's exactly what we're working on.

As I said before, other things are complicated. To make sure that the veteran receives the appropriate remuneration—

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota

Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for today.

The committee stands adjourned until tomorrow at noon.