Evidence of meeting #11 for Veterans Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was recommendations.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Guy André Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
Would it be possible for you, as is the case in the public service or in other jobs, to continue to pay into the insurance plan when you retire or as an injured veteran, to be able to get the drugs?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Do you want me to answer that?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Okay. If a member of the Canadian Forces retires after so many years, when he reaches a Canadian Forces pension, then his medication is covered by the same plan that you would have, the public service health care plan. However, if he doesn't reach that time, if, say, he is wounded in Afghanistan, he is only pensioned for the disability related to his wounds, he's only given medication that's paid for--
Bloc
Guy André Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
It can't be continued without the insurance plan. So that needs to be fixed.
NDP
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Thank you very much, and thank you both for being here today. Thank you, of course, for your service to our country.
This--
NDP
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
I have a question for Dr. MacKinnon, but Mr. Maguire also, if you'd like to answer...
I've been distressed about a number of things that have been said here today, but let me ask about the high-care needs. When you talk about beds being contracted, and sometimes being three, four, or many more hours away from your family, is there an answer to that? Is there a solution that you would put forward? And what would that solution be?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Keep them as they are. The veterans hospitals are already running. What a veterans hospital is now--take Camp Hill veterans hospital in Halifax--is a building that is actually owned by the province, but VAC pays for the care of the veterans in the hospital. They also own 10 beds in another hospital in another town. They own 10 beds in another one, and this is all across Canada. Every province has a set-up where Veterans Affairs have contracted so many beds.
They get special care. They get veterans care. There are veterans wings where things are... They get the special care for the amputees, for the head traumas, for the PTSD, for the other veterans problems. They also get to be with their own people, other veterans. Socially, it's a wonderful and rewarding situation for them. This is gone.
NDP
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
In rural Canada, even if those beds are contracted, they may still be some distance away from rural communities. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but would one of the solutions possibly be that the beds are contracted where they need to be contracted?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Absolutely.
NDP
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Not necessarily at veterans hospitals, but contracted close to home.
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Close to home.
As an Individual
Correct me if I'm wrong, but do they not go on a waiting list, like Pat? Then as one comes closer to his home, they will move him to that position?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
Well, yes.
Bill is talking about Major Paterson. He's in the regular social system in Nova Scotia right now. He's been denied by the veterans hospital because he is not a post-Korean War veteran. He does not have the right to a veterans long-term care facility. So he is now like any other person who has an illness that puts them into a long-term care facility. Usually, you see elderly people in these long-term care facilities, like our parents and so on. He is with all the rest of them, and he is on a waiting list, yes. The first place that came up was three hours away. He will stay there until they find another facility for him, but he may not get another facility near his home. He may be dead before that happens. It could take years. Actually, now that he's placed in a home, he goes back down to the bottom of the list. That's the provincial system. But since he's a veteran and he responds well to anything related to the military, even though he has dementia, we feel he deserves to be in a veterans bed somewhere in the province, preferably close to his home.
NDP
John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
When you put that argument forward, what's the reaction of VAC?
Medical Doctor, Royal United Services Institute of Nova Scotia
He's been denied. We submitted the application, his wife submitted the application, and it has been denied.
As an Individual
We've used some pretty powerful people, not to put pressure on them but to try to enlighten them about the conditions, and he was still denied.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you, Mr. Rafferty.
I would just seek some unanimous consent that we'll go a few minutes over time to allow the government party to have their time.