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.
Director, Military Family Services
Are you referring to the engagement of the local chain of command with the military family resource centre?
Director, Military Family Services
I think you'll have some excellent examples of extraordinarily collaborative relationships locally amongst all three. I'll just allow them to respond, because that's out of my lane.
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
All I can say is that it's not across the board. In Halifax we have probably one of the most incredible relationships with our chain of command. We have a tremendous military leadership there. Unfortunately for some of my colleagues across the country, their chain of command....
I don't know; I don't know if it's a “I know what your problem is, I can fix it, I can tell you how to fix everything”--the military mindset. I don't know if it's the difference between the military and the civilian culture. It's very much personality-driven, from what I've seen, so I think some more relationship building would help. Unfortunately it's very much personality-driven.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
I have to apologize, but we'll have to come back to you. There will be time for another slot if we keep to the schedule here. We'll give you an opportunity to ask that question again.
Go ahead, Mr. Bachand.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
I think you'll need your translation device. I'll be talking in French.
I want to congratulate you and thank you for coming here today. Before I go any further, I have a question for either the Chair or the clerk.
I do not understand why a representative of the Centre de ressources du Québec was not invited to testify. Has anyone from Valcartier or Bagotville been invited? People in Quebec often see things in a different light. Since Canada is a country that includes two recognized nations, it would have been interesting to hear the viewpoint of the Quebec nation.
Would you agree with me, Mr. Blaney?
Do you know if they were invited?
The Clerk of the Committee Mr. Samy Agha
They weren't invited. They weren't suggested by the committee.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
Yes, these suggestions for witnesses came from the committee members. So we're having a steering committee meeting—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Rick Casson
We're going to have a steering committee meeting when we get back on the 29th, and you can bring it up at that time.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Ms. Thompson, you stated that all programs were reviewed in 2002-2003. What are the four or five most important programs? What types of programs do family resource centres offer to military families?
Director, Military Family Services
The programs of the military family resource centre are really broken down into four broad categories, each linked to the specific exigencies of the military family lifestyle. One of the core components, for example, is family separation and reunion. The array of services within that category would be outreach, pre-post, and during deployment support services.
The other primary component is support to parents, children, and youth, recognizing that there are specific issues around capacity when we place our special brand of hardship on them.
The third category--there's a range of services under each of these--is personal development and community integration. This is intended to address all of those issues that result from us bouncing our families from community to community, and to help them settle into those communities, second language services, welcome information, education, career development, etc.
The final is prevention support and intervention. This allows the military family resource centres the funded mandate to provide primary preventative work to the families they serve.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Could you get that information to us, namely the four categories of programs you spoke of and the various programs offered? We would appreciate it very much if you could send that information to the clerk. It would help us to get an overall picture of the situation.
You say you have that information handy? Could you make some copies for us?
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Ms. Thompson, can you tell us whether DND provides all of the funding for the family resource centres?
Director, Military Family Services
The core funding comes from DND, my office. We fund what we characterize as mandated services. In addition, the MFRC will receive some funding locally from their base commander. As well, because they're not-for-profit organizations as well as, in the main, charitable organizations, they secure funding from the local provincial authorities as well as from fundraising.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Do funding levels really differ from one centre to another, from Petawawa to Halifax, or Gagetown, for instance? To what can we attribute this variation? Is troop strength a factor?
Director, Military Family Services
It's a number of factors. Currently the funding model is based on a very vigorous funding review annually. The factors that we look at are, indeed, the number of families within the local community that the MFRC provides support to. In addition, the operational tempo will dictate a level of funding. The particular isolation of that community and their access to other provincial resources will dictate that level of funding.
So it's a host of variables that we revisit on an annual basis.
Bloc
Claude Bachand Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Generally speaking, would you say that family resource centres are underfunded?
Executive Director, Military Family Resource Centre, Halifax and Region
In 2006-07, only 55% of my overall budget was from the military family services. I had a $220,000 shortfall this year in my funding application.
