Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for the opportunity to talk to you today about the extraordinary work of the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research.
Prior to joining CIMVHR, I worked as a clinician, and then served as the national director of research at Veterans Affairs Canada. I've been a two-time Fulbright scholar, and I have proudly dedicated my entire career to advancing the well-being of Canada's veterans.
Since 2012, the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, also know as CIMVHR, has filled the void in Canada's military, veteran, and family health research by creating an innovative, independent, arm's-length academic research institute. We've built a thriving national academic research capacity that bridges across the academy, government, industry and philanthropy. Furthermore, CIMVHR has a long list of accomplishments and impacts.
A key to our success is a close and collaborative relationship with the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Armed Forces, and Veterans Affairs Canada. Since 2014, we have received core funding from Health Canada to develop new knowledge translation strategies and products. However, this non-renewable Health Canada contribution is set to end in one year.
Since its inception at Queen's University and the Royal Military College, our organization has grown in leaps and bounds. Our network now includes 43 universities across Canada, up to 1,700 researchers, seven fellows, 10 global affiliates, six government advisers, three philanthropic supporters and four industry partners.
We exist because we serve a population with its own particular health risks, experience and needs. Research has demonstrated that Canadian Armed Forces veterans experience two to five times the prevalence of chronic mental and physical health conditions, including PTSD and chronic pain. Furthermore, suicide among veterans is higher when compared to the general population. Keep in mind that veterans are also changing. Today's veterans can be young, in their twenties. Younger male veterans are much more likely to report a difficult transition to civilian life, and they are at almost 2.5 times greater risk of suicide.
Moving forward, we also see increased numbers in equity-seeking groups, both in the military personnel and in veterans, particularly women and indigenous peoples.
There were 43,000 military personnel who served in a decade-long operation in Afghanistan. One in five of those who served in Afghanistan and other missions will suffer from mental health issues. CIMVHR's aim is to improve these statistics. We will work collaboratively to create the best evidence-based practices.
Thanks to the work of CIMVHR researchers, we know that the care of military personnel will require a commitment across the entire life course. In fact, veterans come forward 50 years or more after military service to seek care for health conditions attributable to military service.
We also know that transition from military service to civilian life is a challenge for most, but it is a high risk for others. Military and veterans' families are also an integral component to their overall well-being. This highly skilled and resilient population has its own unique challenges, including lack of access to critical services and chronic spousal underemployment. CIMVHR must continue to advance work to support this unique population.
Our military personnel make a unique commitment to Canada. They agree to what we refer to as “an unlimited liability”. That means they're ready to sacrifice their lives for Canada. As a country, we must stand beside them. We must deliver programs and policies based on the best evidence possible, and that means bringing the best and brightest researchers to the table to help address these challenges. Our military members and their families have earned this.
Through Canada's defence policy, the government has committed to a total health and wellness strategy, which takes a people-centred approach. CIMVHR will ensure that Canada's best researchers will support this transformative defence policy.
We are also in partnership with industry as a leader in identifying the ITB, the industrial and technological benefits program, as a promising opportunity to advance military and veteran health research. We are doing work in that area, on projects using that program.
However, we recommend that the government consider strengthening the alignment between the new defence policy, which is people-centred, and the industrial credits program, which tends to be more hardware-centred in terms of the programs that it operates. We're seeking a stronger alignment across the new defence policy and the industrial and technological benefits program.
In closing, military personnel face a full spectrum of military operations, from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to peacekeeping and combat. It is imperative that Canada maintain a permanent arm's-length research capacity to safeguard the well-being of this unique population.
With the government's support, CIMVHR researchers will continue to have an impact on Canada's socio-economic landscape while improving the health and well-being of Canadian military members.
Thank you very much for this opportunity to be here today. I look forward to answering questions.
There were two asks here: to replace the Health Canada contribution arrangement, which is non-renewable, with a $25-million contribution over 10 years, and to focus on a realignment of the industrial and technological benefits program with the new defence policy.
Thank you.