Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 4th, 2011

[Derek Sullivan]

You mentioned the Facebook pages. That is probably the most successful innovation we've had in the last while. Again, it's just under two years old. Next week it will be two years old. What we have there are thousands of Canadians expressing their own thoughts. They're posting to the Facebook pages every single day, all year round. Their friends see what they have been posting, and they've been becoming friends of the Facebook pages as well. That's really what it's about. It's encouraging Canadians or providing them a forum or a venue where they can say how they feel.

One of the most remarkable times of the year is when we put nothing new on Facebook, we don't post, but on Canada Day we receive thousands of posts of Canadians expressing their thanks to veterans for the freedom they're celebrating on Canada Day. That's really remarkable. The first Canada Day after that Facebook program existed, in 2010, we had in two days 12,000 new friends. We had done nothing; Canadians had done it themselves. That's successful.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you very much, Mr. Sullivan.

When you have the technology to put it on the Air Canada Centre, we all look forward to it.

Now over to Mr. Hsu for five minutes.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much for coming here today and telling us about your very innovative work. Congratulations on that.

I wanted to ask how the budget for the Canada Remembers program has changed over the last ten years. Can you give me a bit of history on the budget side?

[Derek Sullivan]

In the years 2004–05, which was the 60th anniversary cycle of the Second World War, we received some additional one-time funding to recognize the key 60th anniversaries of the Second World War, both in Canada and overseas. There were overseas events that took place with large numbers of Second World War veterans and events that we were able to support here in Canada as well, right across the country. That was one-time funding.

At the same time, our budget was increased by, as I recall, $6 million per year ongoing, which enabled us to undertake many of the new activities I talked about earlier. There was a reduction more recently. I can't give you the year, I'm sorry. It was two or three years ago and related to something that we were doing in any case. We were reducing the size of our delegations for overseas events. Our overseas events are related to commemorations of the First and Second World Wars, and the Korean War. Veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War as well are less able to participate in those delegations. The only reduction that I have had in this budget is related to the size of our overseas delegations.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Otherwise, the budget has been constant?

[Derek Sullivan]

Otherwise, it's been stable. In fact, there have been some increases to the grant that we provide to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to take care of the fluctuating exchange rates and also the increased costs in the 134 countries, I believe it is, in which there are Commonwealth war graves.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

This roughly $6 million increase--

[Derek Sullivan]

That was in 2004–05.

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

--five or six years ago has allowed you to do a lot of innovative things? Is that fair to say?

[Derek Sullivan]

It's certainly been a great help, yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Mr. Hsu, is that all the time you want to use of your allotment?

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Okay, thank you very much.

Now over to the Conservative side. Ms. Davidson.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Thanks very much, Mr. Chair.

Thanks very much for your presentation this morning. It was certainly very interesting.

I was really happy to hear you say that 98% of teachers are in approval of the kits you're sending out. That's great, because educating our young people is extremely important. We need to get that message out there. We need to start at a young age, and you're doing that. Also, using the social media is certainly getting our young people engaged.

There's been a lot of controversy in my riding, and I have a constituent who's been working for twenty-some years trying to have November 11 designated as a holiday. Do you have any comments on that? It used to be a school holiday in Ontario and now isn't. I know that there are pros and cons to that. Can you speak about what your experience has been with getting the message out?

[Derek Sullivan]

Yes, I can.

First of all, statutory holiday designation for November 11 is a provincial jurisdiction. I believe eight of the provinces have November 11 as a statutory holiday. One of the provinces has it as a statutory holiday but not in all circumstances. It sort of crosses the line.

In two provinces it is not a statutory holiday, so students are not off school and people are not off work. It is a holiday, however, for businesses and organizations that are federally regulated, in all provinces. It's an interesting one.

It's a challenge for provinces to make their decisions, because there are arguments that can be made on both sides of this one. On the one hand, it would be wonderful for all Canadians to have the opportunity to participate in remembrance activities, ceremonies, etc., in their communities and be off work. The same can be said for students. However, there is a strong counter-argument as well. In fact, the Royal Canadian Legion has come out in favour of it not being a statutory holiday. The reason they have stated is that they feel students should be at school and have the day dedicated to learning about remembrance.

So you can see that there are strong feelings, and I would suggest strong arguments, on both sides of the issue for reasons that, in each case, you can understand.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

As a disseminator, if you will, of the information and the teaching product, do you see any differences between the provinces that have it as a school holiday and those that don't?

[Derek Sullivan]

Not really. There has been a very strong response right across the country. The variations we have per capita are not very significant. I don't think I can attribute that to whether or not it's a statutory holiday in the province.

[Patricia Davidson, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

I wanted to ask you a question on your honours and awards. You said that you only look after the First and Second World War and Korean War medals, so not Bosnia, Afghanistan, and so on. Do you do the full spectrum of events and ceremonies? We, as politicians, attend commemorations of the Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic, Afghanistan and Korean War commemorations, and Bosnia in some cases. Are you involved with all of those from the event and ceremony end but not the recognition end?

[Derek Sullivan]

Absolutely. In fact, a major part of our efforts for quite a number of years has been encouraging and supporting the recognition of modern-day veterans. Our mandate covers the full gamut. The only exception to that is that the Department of National Defence has retained responsibility for medals for post-Korean War service in the Canadian armed forces. But in terms of commemoration, recognition, and remembrance, absolutely. A key part of the “I Am a Veteran” campaign is to ensure that Canadians are not just aware but are encouraged to acknowledge the service of all veterans, up to and including Afghanistan and other missions in Canada and overseas today.

If you look at the learning materials we provide to teachers and schools—we have some here for any of you who may not have seen them—you will see that they cover all eras, from the South African war up to and including Afghanistan. There is no question. We work with community organizations and their organization of events to ensure that modern-day veterans are taking their proper place as part of the group to whom tribute is being paid, rather than in the audience, if you will, paying tribute to those who went before them.

Sometimes that's a challenge, because some younger veterans don't see themselves as veterans. Part of our work as well is assisting them in seeing themselves in their rightful place as well.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you very much, Mr. Sullivan.

We'll now move to the NDP. Ms. Papillon.

[Annick Papillon, NDP, Québec, QC]

I don't have any questions for now, but Réjean Genest does.

[Réjean Genest, NDP, Shefford, QC]

Regarding cenotaphs, you said that any government contribution means that you cannot make a second contribution.

Does that include contributions from the Government of Quebec, municipalities or individuals?

[Derek Sullivan]

No. It is only in the section on federal programs. Only federal contributions are considered government contributions under the terms of this program.

[Réjean Genest, NDP, Shefford, QC]

Contributions are equivalent to what percentage of the actual cost of putting up a cenotaph?

[Derek Sullivan]

For projects that we can fund, we provide up to 50% of the cost of the cenotaph to a maximum of $50,000.

Does that answer your question?