Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you both for your service. My thanks also to the front-line staff across the country. They do a great job, within the legislation, helping many veterans and their families.
It's rather sad when the director general of the program and service policy division has to say that some veterans don't apply for benefits.
I have a case in point. Mr. Dan Brownlow, a fairly wealthy individual, undertook a court case last year. Before the court case he was denied hearing aids. He just received his hearing aids the other day from VAC. He is quite a wealthy fellow, and he greatly appreciated it. But Captain Earl Wagner applied for the VIP program after his wife died, because he physically can't do the work any more. He was denied VIP because he makes too much money. You're going to have to explain why one person who is extremely well off gets hearing aid assistance from VAC while another person just barely over the limit is denied VIP.
You're right, the VIP program is a fantastic program for those who get it. But many people I deal with, including widows of veterans, are denied this service. That's a matter I'd like you to explain.
Another concern is coming up, and this is something that no one is responsible for because all parties supported the veterans charter. We heard from the previous government, and the current government, that it is a living document. If changes need to happen, they can be discussed and put in place. One of the big concerns is giving someone who is suffering from PTSD a payment in one lump sum. We're hearing stories from across the country about this money disappearing in a year, and there's no other program to help them. Are there discussions within your level about whether these lump-sum awards are advisable? Perhaps they should get a pension benefit instead, so that they can have something for the rest of their natural lives. Emotionally and mentally, many of them simply can't handle $100,000 all at once.
Here's another concern we're getting in Nova Scotia. When a veteran goes into Camp Hill hospital, the spouse is left all alone, and the spouse is not allowed in the Camp Hill hospital because DVA will cover only the costs of the veteran. So in the final months of these people's lives, they find themselves separated from their spouses. The minister told us they're working with the province to find provincial facilities where spouses can be together, which I think is a good idea. Can you tell me how this is working across the country? Is it part of your health care review? In the final stages of their lives, these spouses, especially the elderly ones in their nineties, should have an opportunity to remain together.
I have more questions, but I'll come back to you.