Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 7th, 2012

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

In keeping with my comment with respect to some of the transition support we are pursuing with corporate Canada, I would submit to you that by virtue of the training, education, and professional development that Canadian Forces members from corporal on up acquire, attain, and practise on a regular basis, they would be well positioned to exercise leadership and decision-making and move out on a whole series of professional fronts, both in and outside the federal government. If that were something the government, either through HRSDC or elsewhere, was willing to pursue, we would certainly be at that table.

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

I've heard it come up a number of times. I've always thought it was a great idea and backed it every time I heard it. It's good to get your perspective.

Thank you. That's all I have to ask.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Do you want to share your time with Mr. Storseth?

[Rob Anders, Conservative, Calgary West, AB]

Sure.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Go ahead, Mr. Storseth.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair, and my thanks to Mr. Anders for being so gracious.

First I would like to comment on the last Operation Mobile in Libya. I wanted to say thanks for the excellent work you gentlemen did with the Canadian Forces in making sure the family outreach was there. It was amazing to see how much support the military provided to the spouses and the families on base. It helped them get through a trying time. I wanted to make sure I got a chance to say that.

Second, one of the things we often hear in places such as Cold Lake, where you rely on civilian medical doctors to offset the lack of military doctors, is that the bureaucracy is cumbersome when it comes to filling out forms and making sure they get through all the right processes and steps. Sometimes civilian doctors don't want to deal with this. Is there any way to outreach to civilian doctors so that they understand it better? Is there better education when it comes to that kind of thing, to make it easier on our guys currently serving?

[Brigadier-General Fred Bigelow, Director General, Personnel and Family Support Services, Department of National Defence]

Just to be clear, is the question whether it's easier for the families or easier for the guys?

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

I mean for the Canadian Forces members.

[BGen Fred Bigelow]

Most of the challenges we face have to do with the families who deal with the provincial medical authorities. Health care delivery is a challenge.

However, I need a little clarification. Quite frankly, having had a foot on both sides of the fence, I can tell you that it's a lot easier being a member of the Canadian Forces dealing with the health care system than it is being your average Canadian citizen dealing with a provincial system. I'm just a little confused about the question.

[Brian Storseth, Conservative, Westlock—St. Paul, AB]

In Cold Lake, the problem is caused by the lack of military doctors. It may be more of a Veterans Affairs issue, particularly with guys who are about to leave the forces and have to access all the right paperwork and stuff. The doctors are often somewhat hesitant in dealing with it—that's the feedback we get--and we definitely hear it a lot on the family side as well.

The parliamentary secretary talked about mental health and all of the clinics we have. I think the step we have taken is very important for rural members such as those serving in Cold Lake, because they don't have to travel for two hours to get their services, but is there any hope that in the future we'll be able to expand on that so that they'll have even more services?

One of the biggest problems with guys with PTSD in Cold Lake is that it's a three-hour drive to Edmonton. Often they're under a lot of stress when they go through their interview, so they stay overnight. Then they drive three hours back. As a result, there's a cost to them. There are issues when it comes to that. Is there any thought to addressing some of those issues?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

When I had an opportunity to visit some of the operational stress injury clinics, I was very happy to learn that a lot of work is being put into telemedicine. I was new to that. I was helpfully skeptical at first, but I have heard first-hand from some of the practitioners that telemedicine is a very effective way to be able to video conference on a secure site; in that way, people with certain mental health injuries or issues can get the help they need remotely, and people in some of the more remote or rural areas of the country don't have to travel, as you cited. I think that shows great promise moving forward. It certainly helps spread the wealth of expertise around.

With respect to the medical doctor issue, through the Canadian Forces Health Services, who also report to me, we have the ability to go through a private contractor to bring in medical professionals on an as-required basis.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you very much.

Mr. Anders, unfortunately the clock is going to show that you are way over time. Mr. Storseth was actually under time. We'll do our best to put a footnote and show why that happened.

We will go over to the NDP. The late Mr. Stoffer is here. I assume you would like at least one question before the day is over.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

No, I don't have a question. I actually have a statement.

Thank you, Admiral, and everyone who put that meeting together a while back at the Nortel building. I thought that was a beginning, a new way of moving forward on a variety of issues. I know Admiral Maddison's wife was there speaking very loudly on it. I wish you all good luck. There are going to be a lot of hurdles along the way, but I thank you very much for the opportunity to be there. That was very kind of you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Go ahead, Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I have a follow-up to my previous question with regard to employers and employment.

I know that the fit isn't always exactly right; sometimes people begin a job that doesn't quite work out. Do you have any information about the success rate of people leaving military service and moving into civilian or public service jobs?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

Could I just seek a clarification with you? Is your question related to those who are medically releasing, or just releasing in general?

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Releasing in general, I would say.

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

For releasing in general, we're not well positioned, because we don't really track them as they release. People who release voluntarily—and that could be upwards of 2,000 per year—are either at the end of their 35-year career or typically are releasing to seek employment elsewhere. I would operate on the assumption that they are either fully pensionable or seeking employment elsewhere. That would, I think, bode well for the success rate of those people who are voluntarily releasing.

People who are medically releasing are really where our focus is. We seek to assist them in a seamless transition to other pursuits if they are able to work, or failing that, to assist them through some of the vocational rehabilitation services we have through SISIP to help them get back on their feet and/or to transition them successfully to the care of Veterans Affairs, as they also seek to enable their continued employment.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

One of the things that has come up from time to time is the concern about homelessness among veterans. It's out there, but we don't really have a handle on it. Is this something you've looked at or that has come across your radar in terms of people leaving the military?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

I have had some cursory discussions with my co-chair of the VAC-DND steering committee, Mr. Keith Hillier. Dealing with the issue of homeless veterans is a particular focus of his within Veterans Affairs. That's primarily a Veterans Affairs concern. We're of course concerned about it, but we don't have a mandate to pursue it.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

I suppose, though, that the signs of stress must be there in terms of people who are going to experience difficulty reintegrating, or homelessness, or a sense of not being quite able to fit back into civilian life. Is it possible to focus in on that--in other words, to predict if we need to make a special effort on behalf of an individual?

[RAdm Andrew Smith]

The new policy we put in place just over a year ago, which we now call “complex transition”, really speaks to your point about identifying those people who have complex needs, whether they be medical, vocational, or psychosocial needs, in order to jump on that early to assist them and give them all the medical support, the social support, and the family support necessary to give them the confidence to go forward.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you very much.

Go ahead, Mr. Lobb, for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

My first question builds on what Ms. Mathyssen said. It's in regard to the tracking of unemployment rates among veterans or recently released members of the Canadian Forces. You commented that if they voluntarily leave, it isn't tracked, and there are a number of reasons why or why not.

Do you see value in Veterans Affairs or the Canadian Forces working together to track them, whether they're medically released or voluntarily leave, to see how long it takes them to get a job? Is there value there? Would you like to see a measurement like that in place so that you and Canadians would know if these things are working or not?