Evidence of meeting #4 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 person.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
I understand, but you talked about honesty earlier, when you answered the question. Military personnel need to be honest. You have experience in this area and people speak to you confidentially.
Does your rank enable you to tell the senior command in the Canadian armed forces that there needs to be more monitoring given the suicide rate in the Canadian Forces?
Bloc
Robert Vincent Bloc Shefford, QC
Thank you.
Mr. Bouchard, if I have correctly understood how the benefit system works, personnel who are injured in a theatre of operations are initially entitled to a lump sum payment and then 75% of their earnings for an indeterminate period. Even though they are entitled to rehabilitation services, in the event they do not find employment following rehabilitation, they will always receive 75% of their earnings.
You said that there were at least 20 companies—I do not remember the exact number—that employed people who had been injured in order to facilitate their reintegration into civilian life. According to a document I read, between 12 and 20 people have been placed as part of their reintegration.
Even where former members of the Canadian Forces receive 75% of their earnings for 10, 15 or 20 years, they still are entitled to a higher income, since they would have advanced to a higher rank with time if they had not been injured. So there would have been regular increases in their earnings, in addition to the cost of living increase.
What is done to help people reintegrate into civilian life when they no longer have those benefits?
President, Service Income Security Insurance Plan (SISIP), Department of National Defence
You raised several points. First, it was the disability award, which is a lump sum payment. These people will come to see us when they are released from the Canadian Forces. Anyone who has not been released from the Canadian Forces cannot receive benefits.
For a person who has been released, the amount is 75%. The amount is indexed to the cost of living. This does not take into account any promotions that a person might have earned.
President, Service Income Security Insurance Plan (SISIP), Department of National Defence
No. As far as we are concerned, it is strictly 75% indexed to the cost of living. Someone who has remained in the Canadian Forces can be released upon retirement with the rank of master warrant officer or chief warrant officer. Naturally, we do not consider how the person's rank changed. We begin with an amount of money. This is how that person will evolve.
When a person comes to see us, naturally, the first thing to do is to find out whether they are able to readapt to a new profession. Therefore, the person will have a program of study to enable them to return to the job market, but with a well-paid job that really is well paid. We do not expect a person to return to the job market to go to work at McDonald's. At least, they need a job that will allow them to keep up a good standard of living.
Despite all the programs that we have implemented, it is still more attractive for a person to go back to the labour market instead of remaining tied to a program of benefits that only provides 75% of the wages at the moment of release from the forces. There are very clear advantages in wanting to go back to the labour market. With all that we are doing, most of these people do not want to remain tied to these benefits for a period of more than two years. The vast majority want to go back to the labour market. There are incentives: training, educational programs that we provide for them and the possibility of going back to university or college. There are various programs that allow them to keep up a good standard of living once their benefits are exhausted.
President, Service Income Security Insurance Plan (SISIP), Department of National Defence
It depends. They get paid 75% of their wages. For a sergeant, a captain or a major it can amount to $5,000 or $6,000 a month. It's based on 75% of the wages the person was earning at the time of their release.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Thank you very much, Monsieur Bouchard.
I'd like to say on behalf of the committee a very heartfelt thank you for the service you give to our veterans. I'll also take the liberty of saying an even greater thank you to Brigadier-General Kettle and Colonel Blais for what Mr. Stoffer pointed out. Of course, I can't discuss the details because they were in camera, but we had two extremely emotional meetings in the 39th Parliament, with those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, about their concerns, and you've addressed the vast majority of them. So I'd like to give you a hearty thank you very much for your service.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative David Sweet
Committee members, the clerk tried but was unable to get witnesses for the next meeting. So unless there's some other business that you want to deal with, our next meeting will be next Tuesday.
The meeting is adjourned.