Evidence of meeting #172 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 military.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
Thank you.
I'm going to go to Mr. Perry.
Mr. Perry, you were saying you can't go on work rehab while you're on education. Can you expand on that? I'm not 100% clear on....
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
Part of the requirements to apply for the ETB is that you can't be on voc rehab or the rehab program with Veterans Affairs. You have to take yourself off it, and it takes approximately four months to be approved for the ETB, from what I'm told.
I have to take myself off right now, even though I still have one year left of my voc rehab benefit. I would have to take myself off that. The money I would gain is $20,000, but the money I would lose is $9,600, so it's not that much of a gain. Even though I just finished college, I still have to pay for university.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Majid Jowhari Liberal Richmond Hill, ON
While you're on voc rehab, you will not be able to go to college and get a degree?
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
Just college. I'm able to attend only college, not university.
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
The two hands aren't talking to each other. The army has set up everything with SISIP, and Veterans Affairs deals with ETB. There are two different departments, two different sets of rules.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Alexandra Mendes Liberal Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC
We don't have the difference between college and university—
4:45 p.m.
As an Individual
But part of the rules is that you have to finish what you start, so there is the two-year time limit.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Tom Lukiwski
Thank you very much.
Mr. Deltell, you have five minutes, please.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
Gentlemen, welcome to your House of Commons. Again, thank you so much for what you have done and are still doing for our country and our principles that you fight for.
First of all, I would like to go to Mr. Simmons, from Hamilton.
Mr. Simmons, you did say that you crossed over the door of the army in Canada in 1961. Am I correct?
4:45 p.m.
Ed Simmons
That was the first day that I entered the military. It's when I started. When I left the military in 1966, that's when I approached the federal government and Veterans Affairs and asked for assistance. I asked if I could get a job with the federal government.
As I stated in my letter, I do have anxiety when it comes to forms. I've done pole climbing, jumping on and off moving tanks, you name it. I've done that without fear and I have no issue at all with it. However, when I approached the federal government, I was just dismissed. Again, when I asked Veterans Affairs for help, I was told, “Go away, don't bother us, you weren't here long enough.”
The damage to my feet and lower legs has been an issue ever since. It wasn't until about 20 years ago that Veterans Affairs allowed me to put in a claim. I have a large filing cabinet full of rejections, paperwork, changes in this, changes in that, files and forms, you name it. Dealing with the federal government, Veterans Affairs and other sectors, has been nothing but a nightmare for me—and it shouldn't be.
I believe people that have been through the military would better understand what's going on. They would have a better focus. They have been trained extremely well and they know how to deal with people and how to goal orient. The commands were always, “You will” and then the command. It wasn't, “Okay, fill out this form, fill out that form, take your time, and we'll get back to you in a year.” It was to be done now, but dealing with the federal government, it's the opposite effect.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
We're talking about such a great journey. You're talking about 50 years of fight from your side. How did you deal with that?
4:50 p.m.
Ed Simmons
I've had to hide my problems with my feet, because working with Westinghouse and then Camco General Electric appliances, we were required to wear safety boots and any modifications to them rendered them no longer suitable, so any modifications I had to do myself and pretend it never happened.
I managed but as time went on, it got more difficult. Now I'm having a great deal of difficulty getting around at all, and still fighting with Veterans Affairs and its forms. Even when I agreed to be part of this conference, the first thing that happened was that forms came at me. That's a weakness I have.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Simmons, thank you so much for your testimony. I deeply appreciate it. We see how tough it is and we are so grateful. Thank you.
4:50 p.m.
Ed Simmons
Thank you.
4:50 p.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Thank you very much, Chair.
Mr. Harrison, I'd like to start with you. I live in the Cowichan Valley, so it's really nice to see that map of Vancouver Island behind you. It makes me feel close to home.
I found your testimony to be something that we really needed to hear, the fact that you're still going through your medical. You've outlined the skills you have as a regimental sergeant major and the fact that you've interfaced with colonels, generals, and yet, you're still struggling.
Can you please illustrate, for this committee, some of the skills you had to be employed on a day-to-day basis in that position? We really need to hear that, and that's a hole we definitely need to address.
4:50 p.m.
As an Individual
Absolutely. Certainly, there was resource management—anything from deploying records, transportation, supply needs, suicide intervention. You're on there 24-7 with your BlackBerry. You're at the hospital or at the jail dealing with your troops.
There was conflict resolution, but not only to do with troops. Generals and colonels are also human beings with emotions and you're trying to talk them down off the ledge here and there. There is lots of liaison with different levels of government: municipal, provincial and federal or other countries.
There are, as we call them, dog and pony shows. Out of nowhere, city X wants to see the whole battalion. Just organizing that, doing the road route, the planning, the fuel and the safety behind that, doing a live fire with your troops, the safety briefs....
You're watching. You're accountable for absolutely everything. There is harassment and lots of conflict management and resolution. You use a lot of critical thinking skills on your feet, coming up with the best solution, based on your experience and common sense. It does get frustrating, but—
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
With your demonstrable, practical experience in organizing the resources of a vast organization, people, being on your BlackBerry 24-7...even with that skill set, you're hearing, as you said, crickets chirping when finding out where you're progressing.