Veterans Affairs Committee on May 31st, 2007

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

It's very excellent testimony. We're very impressed with your work. But we're political people, and just as a side note, I made one recommendation before.

Clearly, your passion is for all veterans. We know you had to focus on the Second World War and Korea. But the term of your council, “gerontological”, means different things to different people, and at some point you may want to reflect that you're serving all veterans and the name of that council doesn't really reflect that. I may be splitting hairs, but I'm very impressed with the work you've done to this point and I think your name should reflect that you serve all veterans. So take that with a grain of salt.

We're very proud of the work you've been doing. Thank you.

[Dr. Dorothy Pringle]

Thank you very much. I really appreciate that feedback.

If we are going to serve all veterans, we need some additional people on the council, because we need people who have expertise in health and services for younger people, who would reflect the age group of the Canadian Forces veterans. In our committee, the expertise really is on people who are in the older age group.

[Roger Valley, Liberal, Kenora, ON]

Thank you, Doctor.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

At this stage, Dr. Pringle, I think we have exhausted or come to the end of our questions. Thank you very much for your presentation today.

[Dr. Dorothy Pringle]

Thank you very much. I have appreciated this opportunity.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

We have a couple of things we can deal with. One, as I mentioned, is a visit to the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Centre for the Support of Injured and Retired Members and Their Families here in Ottawa. It looks as though we can set that up for June 7 during the meeting time. If the committee would enjoy this, I think it would be useful.

Mr. Stoffer gives a thumbs up to that.

Would people be generally receptive to seeing that? Okay, fair enough. We'll look towards setting that up.

Just before I recognize Monsieur Perron, I also want to say that it would be nice for us to be able to get to the recommendations on our post-traumatic stress disorder study if we have time today.

Go ahead, Monsieur Perron.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Chairman, I have some serious concerns this morning.

Some friends confided in good faith to me that headhunters were currently searching for potential candidates to fill the position of veterans' ombudsman. The process is quite advanced and candidates have already been found. Just to confirm what I am saying, one of the prospective candidates is a certain Mr. Leduc.

Something else is also troubling me, namely the fact that Mr. Victor Marchand, the Chair of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, is involved with this initiative.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

Monsieur Perron, some other committee members are raising this point. Due to the legal issues with regard to employment contracts and stuff like that, we may want to go in camera to discuss this issue, because it could have implications with regard to the process. If you'll bear with us, I think we should probably go in camera for any discussion on individuals with regard to that position.

[Proceedings continue in camera]