Evidence of meeting #22 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 families.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre
In Petawawa our budget is about $2.2 million to $2.3 million. We received about $923,000 through the MFSP.
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
For Gagetown, our overall budget is about $1.5 million and we have about $756,000 from DND. The rest is realized through user fees, fundraising, and our local command support.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
That is interesting. Regarding reservists, Ms. Corey, I would just like to say that an excellent report was produced by the woman who is replacing the ombudsman. I hope you have had a chance to read it. It identifies some major problems. The committee will certainly be looking into this report.
You also talked about a territorial divide between DND and Veterans Affairs. As it so happens, the federal government and the provinces are also waging a war of sorts over jurisdiction. As far as I know, the federal government assumes responsibility for a soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. However, if his situation causes major problems for his family, the latter does not necessarily receive the help it needs. In such cases, the family must rely on the provincial system.
Do you think we should recommend that from now on, DND should assume responsibility for soldiers and also for their families?
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
I think it has to be a multi-organizational responsibility that involves DND. I believe VAC has a role to play, especially for our veterans' families. And certainly the military family resource centre has a role to play. I think it has to be a multi-organizational responsibility.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
I was more interested in hearing your views as to whether sole responsibility for ill soldiers and their families should be left to DND or to the provinces, so that decisions are ultimately made by only one level of government.
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
As I said in my presentation, I think our provincial services, at this point, are very much saturated with civilian people. I think that would oversaturate them.
I made the philosophical statement that military families, I believe, deserve exceptional service. I believe that with my whole heart, because I believe they have sacrificed the same as our Canadian Forces members have. What I'm saying is that I believe they deserve exceptional services, whether that be through Veterans Affairs Canada or through National Defence.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Thank you.
Ms. Black would normally take this spot. She apologizes, but she had another commitment. We'll move on--
Conservative
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you to the panel for being here. It's highly interesting to have the family feedback.
My question will be mainly about post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome.
There are two issues you raised in your presentation. You were talking about the referral. It seems to be something you have recognized as a problem, I think. If the military itself doesn't acknowledge that there's a problem, the family cannot be supported. I would like you to expand on this issue.
Another issue I'd like to hear about is geographical access to services when you are not near a base. The other issue is reservists, which was covered a little bit. Maybe you could give me some basic knowledge on how referral works and how it could work so that the family could have support. I guess it's when you don't acknowledge that there's a problem that it's toughest for the family.
Executive Director, Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre
When we speak about the military member having to identify it as a priority for him that his family receive information or receive support, what I'm referring to is that often there will be a host of issues that have been raised and identified. And if the military member is in denial or is not able to actually focus on the issues external to himself, that's when the family can sometimes fall through the cracks. Presently there is no mechanism in place to engage other resources.
For example, with a straight referral through a consent form to release information so that this information could come over to the military family resource centre or to another professional organization, they could in fact be engaged at that time. Often families will sort of wander a bit until they are able to access the military family resource centre.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Are you telling me that if the military doesn't acknowledge or identify someone as having some problem, the family has no support? Is that what you're telling me?
Executive Director, Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre
I'm not telling you that wholeheartedly; it's just that DND does not have authority over families. It's very much a partnership approach whereby the information is given to the military so that the outreach capacity can in fact occur.
Did you want to add anything to that?
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
In my presentation I talked specifically about the operational stress injury clinics. Currently we have six that have been set up across Canada. They in particular will see the family only if they have a diagnosis or a referral from the Canadian Forces.
What I'm saying is that for specific things, especially operational stress injuries, that are very much connected to direct military service, the families need to be served. They deserve to be served, without thinking about the member. If they want to go there on their own without referral forms, without navigating through several systems, they should be served.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
So this would be one of your main recommendations, that the family, whenever they--
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
Absolutely. There's no question that when a family goes to an operational stress injury clinic, regardless of the situation with the member, they deserve to be served.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Then the specialist can evaluate whether they need support or not, and to what extent.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
Because now they say that since the military has not acknowledged it, they cannot serve you.
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
Correct. There's some eligibility requirements in order for them to be served.
That's not to say that they won't be served, but only if they meet those eligibility requirements, which, when you're a family working with someone with an operational stress injury, the last thing you want to do is navigate through another system.
Conservative
Steven Blaney Conservative Lévis—Bellechasse, QC
You mentioned that those mental specialists could be linked to the services you are offering. How is it working now, and how would you see it working?
Executive Director, Gagetown Military Family Resource Centre
Certainly there are relationships built between operational stress injury clinics and the MFRCs. But something that my colleague Theresa and I have been working on at the army bases are these transitional support units or casualty support units, with the concept in mind that it's very exciting for families because there's a recognized need for supports for the families themselves. So I absolutely see that this would be ideal.