Evidence of meeting #12 for National Defence in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was medical.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
I am drawing a parallel of sorts with the civilian sector where a person may be declared disabled as a result of a workplace accident. How does it work in the military?
LCol Gerry Blais
When a solider is injured, he remains a CF member. In the case of a member of the Reserve Force, we operate a program similar to the civilian program. For example, if a person is injured while in the service of the military, whether it be while exercising to stay in shape, repairing a vehicle or some other thing, the military continues to pay the member the same salary he was earning prior to being injured. The member is evaluated by a doctor every six months to determine whether or not the injury is healing. However, until such time as that member is ready to go back to work or to school —since many of our reservists are students— he is eligible for a rehabilitation program.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Obviously, with mental health problems, the hope is that the situation will resolve itself. However, if that does not happen, what then?
LCol Gerry Blais
Occasionally a Regular Force member may not be able to resume his regular duties. He will then have to resign from the Canadian military. However, before that happens, members receive help with submitting applications to VAC, which subsequently does an assessment. In fact, retiring members have access to a range of programs designed for them.
Members receive a lump sum for the injury sustained. Subsequently, they are eligible for other income protection programs.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Is there a connection between post-traumatic stress disorder and drug use?
LCol Gerry Blais
Yes.
I am not a doctor, so I can't speak with total certainty, but we do know that there is a link here. Comorbidity does exists, in the case of alcohol, drugs or other addictive behaviours.
NDP
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
Last, but not least.
Thank you very much. I have a couple of questions.
We're very focused at this committee, as I think the nation is, and as the Canadian Forces are, on the mission in Afghanistan. But obviously you do more than that, and you have more responsibilities than that. I'm wondering about the whole issue of post-traumatic stress disorder or occupational strain injuries in terms of the three different forces. Do you have data that show there may be different triggers depending on which force people are in, and does it manifest itself differently depending on whether it's the air force, the army, or the navy?
The other question I have is in terms of someone who's badly injured and needs to be brought home. For instance, if they're on one of the ships in the gulf and they can't be treated on the ship or anywhere near by, how does that process happen, and how is the family kept in the picture?
Col David Weger
The first question is one that really needs to be asked of our mental health professionals. I am completely outside of my realm in trying to address that particular question, as I'm sure is Colonel Blais.
Col David Weger
With respect to medical evacuation, it really depends on where the individual is undertaking operations. If they are injured in Kandahar or southern Afghanistan, there's a medical evacuation process to the U.S. military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany.
NDP
Col David Weger
That process could be very similar to somebody on one of the ships. They would be landed, probably by helicopter, to the most appropriate and closest medical facility.
Col David Weger
It could be one of the civilian hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. It could be in Qatar. It could conceivably be a hospital in Pakistan. Depending on the injury, it would be wherever the most appropriate type and level of care is available.
There's a process that kicks in from there, involving 1 Canadian Air Division in Winnipeg as well as the medical personnel, to arrange for the evacuation of the individual. If it's a minor injury they tend to be booked on commercial airlines, either with or without an escort. If it's something more serious that requires medical care while they're in flight, then for single individuals it tends to be the Canadian Forces Challenger aircraft. Occasionally we will lease air medical evacuation capabilities. They do exist in the commercial sector.
More specific examples are probably best addressed by the director of health services operations.
NDP
Dawn Black NDP New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC
If the injury was very serious, would a family member be taken to the person and then brought home with them?
Col David Weger
It's entirely dependent on the timelines involved. If the individual can be stabilized quickly, then they will be moved more quickly, and there's often little to be gained by moving next of kin. In Landstuhl we do it frequently, because there tends to be a longer recovery time in those particular air medical evacuations.
Unless it's a very serious injury where the individual may not make it back, as a rule we tend to wait for the individual to get back to Canada.
LCol Gerry Blais
If the medical officer recommends that a family member be with the individual, then we act on that recommendation immediately and send a family member.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Thank you, Ms. Black
Thank you, gentlemen. We appreciate your being here.
Committee, on Thursday we have the medical advisers to the chief of the air staff, chief of the land staff, and chief of the maritime staff. Hopefully they'll be able to answer some of the questions you have. Ms. Black, I believe you have a specific question on the navy.
Does somebody have a point before we adjourn the meeting?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Yes.
I'm very thankful for your contribution.
I think the most important thing, as a start, if I may say respectfully, is to get to know the disease itself and the condition of the situation. So I would suggest also not only to have people from DND, but I would like, as soon as possible, early in the process, to have some medical experts, maybe from outside, to provide us with a one-two punch. It's important also to see both sides of the coin. Of course we need to know what's going on in the department, but it's important at the same time.... If you remember the question I asked at the last meeting regarding bringing back some troops under medication, there are different schools of thought.
So it's important to take a look at this. I'm not saying it's right or wrong; we need to understand it, and it would be important to have some medical experts from outside, such as psychiatrists, to give us their side of the story.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
We've taken the witness list and the researcher and the clerk have tried to formulate with DND the panels that come and the timing. Do you think it's useful for the committee, in order for us to focus more and get on the track we want, to have a brief meeting to discuss that? Does anyone have a thought on that?
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
What I'm suggesting is, first of all, that we need to understand the disease and the conditions where they're living. Of course, what we are doing afterwards for the troops who are suffering is important, and we're providing some services. But I think we should do first things first, because most of the questions--and it's normal--were clinical.
So that's why it's important first to manage and understand what we're talking about at a certain level, because there are a lot of innuendoes, and then proceed to discuss what we are going to do to help them to surmount the problem.