National Defence Committee on April 1st, 2014

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Thank you very much, Colonel.

Time has expired.

Mr. Harris, you have five minutes.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Thank you, Chair.

I have a specific question about peer support. I believe at Algonquin College there's a program available for social support workers as opposed to social workers. It's a two-year program. A number of individuals from Petawawa have done it.

I know you have volunteers in peer support. Has consideration been given to hiring some of these people to help in providing family and peer support to the families at bases even though they don't have full degrees so they can provide that service as employees?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Again, if they are interested in joining OSISS as volunteers, we would be more than happy to have them. As job opportunities become open in the OSISS program, if they meet the core competencies we would be happy to consider them for employment.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

But you haven't considered using that program as a means to having the kinds of supports that families might need.

[Col Gerry Blais]

We are open to looking at all various programs. But at the moment, for peer support, we find that the training model we have is very well established, it's constantly reviewed, and is very pertinent.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

On a broader question, Colonel, medical services in the military are provided by the military and that's the primary health services for individuals who are serving members. I take it that medical services are provided to members regardless of whether they're male or female, equally, and secondly, whether or not the matter being treated arises out of service or not.

Is that the general rule?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Yes, while you are a member of the armed forces, you get medical treatment from A to Z, no matter if it's cancer or any other form of illness or injury, whether it happens at work or at home.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

On a policy level, is that intended to apply to prosthetics as well?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Yes, it does.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

I have one further question and I'm raising it because it has come up.

You mentioned that it's whether or not a particular event arises out of service, and you used an example of playing basketball at your house on a Saturday night as a serving officer living at home.

Would you consider sexual assault or rape in the barracks, where a person is essentially required to live.... Would that be considered to be arising out of or related to service?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Again, I'd have to know the specifics.

But as a general premise, if it were demonstrated that occurred, the very strong likelihood is that it would be service related.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Okay. One final question. And I may not even use my five minutes, unusually Mr. Chair.

Ms. Murray raised the issue of people being asked to sign documents about speaking to the public or media. I'm assuming it's not possible, but I'd like you to confirm it. You're not aware of any circumstances where an individual would be asked to sign a document not to talk about their circumstances as a condition of receiving either financial support or medical treatment?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Under no circumstances.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

That would be the answer that I would fully expect to receive.

Okay, I will investigate this further.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Thank you, Mr. Harris.

Mr. Bezan, five minutes please.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Colonel Blais, for joining with us again and providing your expertise.

I just wanted to get a better handle on some of the staffing and crystal-balling of what might be needed for the OSISS program. So currently you're saying there are 120 some trained volunteers. How many paid staff do we have in the OSISS program?

[Col Gerry Blais]

We currently have 45 positions in DND and 10 positions in Veterans Affairs, for a total of 55.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

And how many of those people would be reservists? Would you make use of reservists through OSISS?

[Col Gerry Blais]

No, we do not. We make use of them as volunteers.

But insofar as staff are concerned, all of the staff are public servants.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Public servants.

Not military, armed forces, or reservists.

[Col Gerry Blais]

No.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Okay good. I just wanted to know that.

Although if somebody is a public servant and also happens to be in the reserves that wouldn't be accounted for.

So as we now know, there seems to be an increase in the number of people making use of the OSISS program; they're in the JPSU, or just serving members, or as part of Veterans Affairs. Forty thousand brave men and women have served this country in Afghanistan.

Has there been any thought put into what the future might look like? You currently say 2,000 people right now are in the program. How many do you expect down the road?

[Col Gerry Blais]

We are measuring trends. There has been an increase in the use of OSISS services to the tune of about 20% over the last year or so. So we are monitoring very closely to see if that continues to rise at that tempo and if so we are also starting to strategize as to whether more staff are required.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Okay, so it's an increase of staff and increase in volunteers?

[Col Gerry Blais]

Yes.