Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 3rd, 2011

[Terence Whitty]

I think a lot of them are being honoured. I'll be seeing some of them over the weekend. The word I get from these young fellows and gals is that they're getting a little embarrassed.

If I were going to honour their service, I think I'd look at the individuals. Yes, they went into a dangerous situation and they put their lives on the line over there; they could have been hit by a rocket at any moment in time. I think that's a big, big thing for Canada, but I think everything we're doing right now is sufficient. I don't think we can do more.

I think that later on—20 years from now—we should not forget them. Somebody should put a message on Outlook 20 years from today to have another look at them, because other issues may start popping up when they're in the 40 to years age bracket.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Thank you, Mr. Whitty.

We'll go to Mr. Casey.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you.

Mr. Whitty, I very much appreciated your presentation and the straightforward manner in which you delivered it.

I want to go back to the answer you just gave when you indicated that some of our modern-day veterans are embarrassed. What do you mean by that? Are we fawning too much over them, is that it?

[Terence Whitty]

Yes. They have a sense of service, and surprisingly even some of the people who did very heroic things don't see themselves as heroes. They're just ordinary Canadians, in the same way that ordinary Canadians took Vimy Ridge. It's the same case with the two Chenier brothers from Buckingham. They don't see themselves as heroes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

This is a huge organization. Your literature indicates you are 200,000-strong. How are you funded?

[Terence Whitty]

DND provides funding to the Canadian Forces for delivery of the program. It's about $198 million per year. I get a grant of about $400,000 to run my office.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

This is through the Department of National Defence, not Veterans Affairs.

[Terence Whitty]

Correct; it's through DND.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

As you know, there's a move across government departments—I presume DND is not exempt—to find savings. It's a strategic operating review, where 5% and 10% plans have been submitted. Has your organization had to participate in that process?

[Terence Whitty]

I'm on the periphery of that. My office has a grant agreement that's going to go on until about 2016, so there's a commitment from the federal government to preserve that funding. However, from what I can understand, and from being in some of the meetings, the Canadian Forces folks are a little worried that their funding may be cut back. They're also aware that through the vice chief's office—we report to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff—there's a tremendous effort going on to preserve the program across Canada as is, without cutting any funding.

They realize how important the cadet movement has become in 1,100 communities across the country. It's a big deal.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

You have a funding agreement to 2016.

[Terence Whitty]

I believe it's 2016.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

What does that cover?

[Terence Whitty]

It covers my operating budget—$380,000 direct from the department and a top-up from the Director of Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers of another $40,000, in round figures. That's a discretionary top-up.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

My final question is this. You have the ear of several members of the government and a dozen parliamentarians here. I think universally we all have a high regard for your organization and what you do. What else can we do?

[Terence Whitty]

You can add support to anything you hear about the cadet movements in Canada. We had a strong lobbying push that ended about two years ago, after going on for about five years, to obtain funding for our branches. I'm the only office in the country that gets any funding, but the real work is done in Quebec and Ontario and Saskatchewan. We have branch offices in those provinces, and they're not funded. They have to do their work through donated funds.

It's very difficult in this day and age to accomplish that, especially in the north. We have three branches in the north. The travel costs are horrendous. They're trying to communicate with the leaders of these cadet programs across the north by e-mail or telephone.

You can't build relationships by e-mail. You have to get out and meet people and shake hands, and they don't have the funds to do that.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, sir.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

Mr. Storseth.

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

I want to thank you for coming. We had great witnesses here today. I found your testimony to be particularly enlightening as we talk about youth. That's so important as we talk about commemoration, understanding, and making sure that we pass on that knowledge.

You talked about the story of the Japanese weapon, and that strikes home with me. I had a World War II veteran in my home community that I used to prepare the cenotaph with before November 11 every year. From him I heard stories and traditions to pass on to children. I think it's important what you're talking about. It should encompass all of us; we should try to pass on these traditions and remain aware of them, particularly as parliamentarians.

At the Legion's official website, I note that traditionally the poppy is worn during the remembrance period from the last Friday in October to the end of November 11. That's something that many people don't realize. The poppy is to be worn on the left breast closest to the heart. When wearing standard Legion dress, the lapel poppy is worn on the left lapel immediately above the Legion lapel badge, so that it's always above any other badges or symbols.

Many people ask whether they can attach a poppy to clothing with another type of pin. It is the position of the Legion that the poppy is a sacred symbol of remembrance and should not be defaced in any way. No other pin, therefore, should be used to attach it to clothing.

It's interesting to know that. Even in our own committee, as they look around to make sure they're doing it right...and I notice Mr. Casey is defacing his poppy as we speak.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

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

It's important to note that the understanding needs to be there for everybody so that we can pass it on. I was wondering if you could talk a little bit about how we can ensure that the cadets are able to pass on the knowledge and the traditions of their units and our veterans. The next generation isn't going to have the veterans of World War I, World War II, and Korea to pass on the traditions.

How do you see that?

[Terence Whitty]

You have to make it personal. One of the ways that this might be explained--the tradition of the poppy--is that in the soil of Flanders, when bodies became buried in the middle of the battles, when shells would blow earth up into the air, people could tell where a body was because poppies would come up. The decomposing flesh worked with the soil and the chalk in that area. This is why the soldiers adopted it.

When you point that out to teenagers in those terms, they make the connection between a poppy and what it really means.

Remembrance has to be personal. What can we do for our veterans? We can listen. Just be there. Show up at an event, buy a veteran a Pepsi, and just stand there.

[An hon. member]

With rum in it, maybe.

[The Chair, Conservative, Greg Kerr]

[Inaudible--Editor]...with a mixer. I know where you're coming from.

[Terence Whitty]

Okay, then, a Coke.

Just listen to what they want to say. Everyone here at this table is considered a VIP by a veteran. Many of the veterans will be tongue-tied. But just wait and it will come out.

I learned the history of my regiment by playing golf with the old veterans and giving them two martinis; then they began to talk. Otherwise, I would never have known what had happened.