Mr. Chair and members of the committee, while the family caregiver relief benefit is a modest step in the right direction, it doesn't adequately compensate a spouse, a family member, or a friend who has to give up potentially full-time employment to become a caregiver. At $7,238 the family caregiver relief benefit falls short of, for instance, the Canadian Armed Forces attendant care benefit, which actually provides $36,500. Providing a family caregiver with $7,238 does not adequately reflect the sacrifice inherent in someone abandoning their own career to become a full-time caregiver.
We have four amendments that would increase the family caregiver relief benefit to match the Canadian Armed Forces attendant care benefit under the compensation and benefit instructions, article 211.04, which pays up to $36,500 over any 365 cumulative days to spouses or family members of disabled veterans to compensate for lost income. It would equalize the treatment of caregiving, within the context of civilians, with those of Canadian Armed Forces personnel or veterans.