Evidence of meeting #168 for Government Operations and Estimates in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was transition.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
An hon. member
It's a quorum call.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Is it just a quorum call? Fine. I'm sorry for the interruption.
Please, Madam Ratansi, go ahead.
4:45 p.m.
Nurse Practitioner Captain (Retired), As an Individual
What I was told as a medically released member is that you can apply to the public service, but you have to activate your profile, and once you activate your profile, you have only five years to be a priority hire.
4:45 p.m.
A voice
Two.
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A voice
Once you activate it.
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Nurse Practitioner Captain (Retired), As an Individual
That's different from what members are being told.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
4:45 p.m.
Nurse Practitioner Captain (Retired), As an Individual
Several months back, after I completed my education and passed my licence exam, I applied for a nurse practitioner position with Indigenous Affairs. I have experience working with first nations in Golden Lake and Killaloe, etc. I wasn't even looked at for an interview. I received an email saying, “You don't meet the qualifications,” but there was no explanation. As a veteran, and also as a qualified nurse practitioner who is bilingual and has worked with first nations, it makes me wonder how the selection process happens. It leaves a bit of a bitter taste in your mouth, because you don't know what you're supposed to do. Normally, in the military, if you're not selected for something, you're told why and what you need to improve for the next time.
With Indigenous Affairs, I had no response except, “Thank you for applying. Unfortunately, you don't meet the criteria”, but no explanation.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Yasmin Ratansi Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Nobody called you for an interview.
From your own experience, how did you transition from a very structured environment where everything was done for you to an environment where you did not know financial literacy, for example? How did you do that? What did you do? What are the struggles you went through?
4:45 p.m.
Nurse Practitioner Captain (Retired), As an Individual
I was in the primary reserve for 10 years. In the primary reserve many people are in school, have a civilian job or may be a homemaker. I always had one foot in the military and one foot out of the military.
I've always been involved with education. I was brought up believing that education is very important, that you need to keep all your doors open, so I was continuing my education. When I was transitioning out, I had a lot of injuries. I struggled with the military because I knew I needed to be assessed by the OSI clinic in Ottawa, and the warrior support centre in Petawawa would not forward my referral to the OSI clinic.
It was a battle. My MO, Dr. Davenport, referred me three times to the OSI clinic, and every time it got stalled at the warrior support centre in Petawawa. I had to go through a case manager on duty through VAC. She got me coordinated with the OSI clinic in Ottawa. They went through a back door to get me in.
There needs to be a more streamlined process for people who need to be referred to the OSI clinic. There needs to be more respect towards vets who are injured, because I will tell you that in Petawawa, you're treated as sick, lame, lazy and a malingerer. It is awful. I have been both staff and patient in that clinic in Petawawa, and there is no respect for injured members.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Yasmin Ratansi Liberal Don Valley East, ON
Ms. Boutilier, your husband was in the military. From your perspective, what was his pathway to transition and how did you cope with it?
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
I can sum it up pretty quickly.
He was injured in 2009 and he was kept in until 2014, when we were unnecessarily moved to Petawawa, because the tick in the box is to get the soldier back to their unit. My four kids and I moved back to Petawawa, bought a house, and on the first weekend we arrived, he said, “I can't do this job anymore.” Then we had to pay out of our own pocket to go back to the east coast so I could continue as a public servant.
From there, it was three years in a museum somewhere at a reserve base to get him to the stage of, “Okay, we'll get you to the 12-year mark so you'll get a full pension instead of a half pension because you have under 10 years.” From that point, he was given vocational rehab at a public service job. He couldn't do it. He couldn't do the physical part of it; he has injuries to his lower body. He couldn't handle public places, the public service transition, and there was no training. If we wanted to do something, it was optional, so on my part, I had to pick up the role.
When he finally got released in December 2014, that was it. There was no pay. The only way we got through Christmas with four kids, our mortgage and our bills, all our payments was with Debbie's group VETS. That was the transition. We waited three and a half months for money to hit the account.
Oh, yes, and then feed....
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
It's your game, ladies.
I'm glad someone brought up the five years. My understanding is that it takes five years to activate it, but once you activate it, you have two years. Correct me, anyone, if I'm wrong.
