Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 24th, 2009

[Ronald Griffis]

If I may, you've mentioned several times that you had a number of witnesses attend and then, if I understood you correctly, things never happened--reports go on the shelf and they're forgotten about. You now have an opportunity to start to correct the difficulties, the gaps that have been perceived.

The members of the New Veterans Charter Advisory Group included veterans, academics, professionals, and they've made suggestions. Maybe not all of the suggestions are going to work, but by the same token, these suggestions are there. You now have an opportunity to say to Veterans Affairs Canada, “Here is the money. Please do it, and please do it yesterday--not today, not tomorrow, please do it yesterday.” They're capable. Veterans Affairs is capable of doing that, so you have the opportunity.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you, Mr. Griffis and Monsieur Asselin.

We now move on to the Conservative Party for five minutes. Mr. Kerr.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I'm going to start by taking incredible exception to that terrible misrepresentation provided by the Bloc member. What you heard was disgraceful, and I'm glad Mr. Griffis responded a little bit by saying it's an opportunity.

If you're going to talk about the fact that there are investigations and nothing's done, it's an absolute criticism of all the professionals, all the veterans, and all the volunteer groups like yours. I think Mr. Asselin was way out of line by making the comments he made. I'm hoping it's only because he's a visitor to this committee and he hasn't gone through the types of things we've all gone through.

To suggest that nothing happens, that nobody responds to the issues and works hard, is an absolute disgrace. It's an absolute disgrace to make those comments. I want to make sure that's very clear in the record. I'm saying it very gently, of course; I don't want to get into anything personal.

The point, as I understand it, is we are dealing today with an ongoing problem or series of problems we have to work together on. It's not a time to provide dramatics and all kinds of off-the-wall weird comments about what may or may not or should be done in investigations and so on. It's time for us, as a group of people who care about these veterans, to get together and ask, “What can we do as a group?”

I want to tell you something on the point just made by the Bloc member. This side takes great exception. We want to work with you and move forward. We don't want to create a dramatic situation where we want to condemn people out there who are trying to get the job done. I don't expect you to respond to this; I simply want to go on record as saying I'm very disappointed and very surprised. I want to point out that this is not the general feeling of the members of this committee.

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

[Inaudible--Editor]

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

You've had your say.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Is that it, Mr. Kerr?

Mr. Lobb has three minutes left.

[Greg Kerr, Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Good luck with that next time.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm not sure if the member from the Bloc just fell off the turnip truck or what he did, but I've been on this committee for close to a year, and we've had numerous witnesses come before us and we've studied the veterans' benefits compared to other G-7 and G-8 countries, and I think what we found is Canada is among the leaders.

Mr. Asselin is new to the committee today, and maybe is unaware of all the things that are going on. We travelled to Prince Edward Island in the spring. We heard testimony from veterans. We heard testimony from within the department. At our last meeting we heard testimony from the advisory group and asked them specifically what their relationship is like with the department. It's excellent. Okay? Excellent.

You had your little session, now I'm going to have mine.

This is exactly what the department does. It works well with its people.

It's unfortunate you brought your partisan comments to the committee today, because this is not typical of the way this committee works. I would suggest the next time you come to the committee, you talk to Mr. André or Mr. Gaudet.

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

On a point of order, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

You have a point of order, Mr. André.

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Just a point of order.

I believe Mr. Asselin was interacting with the witnesses. Mr. Lobb should keep working with the witnesses and not get involved in keeping score, in my opinion. Mr. Chair, I hope that you will be able to impose a little more discipline so that we can turn our attention to the people who have travelled here, out of respect for the witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

I understand that, Mr. André, and as in the past--in fact, just in our last meeting--once I allow one member to do what they like, I must allow another member, and I don't see anything that's different from the discourse that we heard earlier.

So Mr. Lobb, continue.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a point.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Madam Sgro.

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

I think Mr. Kerr attempted to set the record straight on the feelings of your side. We do have witnesses. Mr. Lobb has made his point. So why don't we just try to move on and try to get some answers from the great panel that we have. Maybe we'll deal with some additional frustrations, if you want, at the end of our committee, rather than wasting our people's time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Thank you, Madam Sgro.

Mr. Lobb, continue. You have a minute and a half.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Thanks very much.

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Is his time not up, Mr. Chair?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

He said he has a minute and a half.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

It's a minute and a half.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Perhaps next time Mr. André would like to suggest to his colleague that when he's talking to the committee or talking to the witnesses, he not refer to political parties and look directly at me, which he did a number of times, direct eye contact. Thank you very much.

My question is for the actual witnesses here today. Could you tell me who pays the premium? We talked about how it's taxable. In my business experience, we recommended to all of our staff members that they pay the premium so that it wouldn't be taxable. That's the idea. Is this something you're familiar with? Do you know the details of it?

[Lorne McCartney]

I don't believe that the military people pay into SISIP for this coverage, for operational problems that accrue from being out of theatre and doing their job, for that matter. But I could be wrong there. I don't remember getting into who pays it. The problem with SISIP is it's capping a lot of things and restricting the ability to do what the Department of Veterans Affairs wants to do.

[Ronald Griffis]

The forces used to pay 85% and the person paid 15%. That was changed recently, and the forces pay 100%, I believe, to the best of my knowledge at this time.

[The Chair, Conservative, David Sweet]

Mr. Lobb, just so you know, that expired the first five minutes. This is the unique time, because of the numbers--the Conservative Party has two. So you have another five minutes. I just wanted to make sure that you're aware that you're in the second spot, whether you want to continue...or Mr. Kerr.

[Ben Lobb, Conservative, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Okay.

Mr. Griffis, you mentioned communication, and I know Mr. Kerr touched on this as well. I just wondered if we could go back to this. I know we had the advisory group in last time, and you mentioned that you're a member of the advisory group. The communication, I understand, is pretty good between the advisory group and the department. I'm just wondering...and this is a thought I had with members from the legion in my area as well as some veterans. It is difficult to get to every veteran. If there's one thing I've experienced it's that a lot of our veterans are like some of the farmers in my area. I don't know if I would say they're stubborn, but they're very proud. They have a really tough time wanting to accept these benefits. I'm just wondering if you have a suggestion on how to break down some of those walls.