Good afternoon, Mr. Sylvestre and Mr. Renaud.
I am standing in today for my colleague Guy André, who could not be here because of the weather. Nevertheless, you should know that I have been keeping a fairly close watch on this file since my father is, himself, a veteran.
You raised an important point, regarding the eligibility criteria for these benefits. It is always a complex process to determine the nature of the after-effects and the level of severity at which a member is considered to have a disability. The disability can also be psychological, but it seems that type of injury is being overlooked.
You are quite right to be outraged by what the minister is offering. After reading the bill and following the debate in the House of Commons, I would say it is aimed at reintegration. And that is not a bad thing. We need to help young veterans who are able to re-enter the workforce quickly, or somewhat quickly, and give them the tools they need to do so. Needless to say, that will be difficult to achieve for those who are more seriously injured but not enough to be considered 100% disabled.
As you know, we are at the eleventh hour here, because the bill is being passed this afternoon. The Bloc Québécois was anxious to have you appear before the committee to discuss the overall implications of the new measures.
I want to ask you something about the bill. You are aware that we cannot put forward any amendments today as it would require more money. We would need a royal recommendation for that, and we do not have the power to make that kind of amendment. So even though an amendment was moved today, it will not go through, and the bill will pass. It is seen as a step in the right direction, even though it will not solve the whole issue of the pressure being put on parents, spouses and family members. We know it will not really solve anything.
Your testimony today is important because it will enter into the record of the committee and give the minister reason to continue examining the issue. We pushed for action. But the minister would never have come as far as he has. Do you remember initially when he said the new charter was great? I had to have 6,000 people sign a petition to get him to change his mind, and others pressed him as well. And today, we are seeing that there has been a slight shift.
I would like you to speak to the disability criteria again.
You are absolutely right when you say that a 22-year-old will not go very far with $50,000 or $100,000. The parents are the ones who will have to bear the financial burden.