Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you, Ms. Bastien and Mr. Cormier, for being here. It's good to see you again.
I have a number of questions. I want to begin by saying I appreciate very much the good work that you do. My questions, however, relate to policies.
I know you're bound by policies, but I have some profound concerns with the policies that are currently in place. I want to go back to the issue of earnings loss. It says, “most eligible Veterans now have a minimum income of $40,000 per year” up to age 65.
The problem is that depending on their working history and the fact that OAS and GIS is simply not adequate, there will be those who have less income at a time in their lives when they need more assistance. This concerns me very much, plus the fact that the government has now changed the eligibility to 67 years of age commencing in 2023. That will have profound effects on people.
My second question has to do with the long-term care beds. I'm very concerned. I've had veterans approach me and tell me that they need a long-term care bed. There are empty beds at Parkwood and they can't get in because of this technicality about the mandate. In one case involving a 33-year veteran, doctors said very clearly that the veteran's spinal deterioration was most likely because of his service, and yet that testimony or that doctor's opinion was dismissed. There was nothing available in a nursing home in a community bed. He does have a bed, but he has to pay for it. He has to pay for it as if he never served his country. That concerns me very much.
The third question has to do with the funeral and burial services. Some years ago, the cut-off in regard to assets was $24,000. That was reduced by the Liberals. It's now just over $12,000 in terms of the cut-off for this funeral and burial service, which means that 67% of veterans will not qualify. It seems to me that $12,000 is rather a pittance when you look at the cost of things today. I just arranged for a funeral for a family member and the cost was well over $10,000. It's significant, and it's difficult. In terms of that, I'm wondering why the cut-off is so low.
The fourth question is in regard to travel costs. You indicated that for health-related travel the veteran can be reimbursed. What happens if they can't afford it in the first place? It seems to me that there could be veterans who need to travel for health care, and they can't provide the money up front.
I have many more questions, but my time is limited. The brochure in regard to hire a veteran says that many Canadian businesses have stepped forward with a commitment. A commitment is one thing. We hear all kinds of words all over the place. I'm wondering to what degree this commitment has materialized. I'm thinking particularly of the Royal Bank, which is third on the list. We know that they made an attempt to actually fire workers in order to hire temporary foreign workers in their place. Are these companies truly stepping forward? Do you have any numbers in regard to the reality of the commitment?