Evidence of meeting #15 for Veterans Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was street.
A recording is available from Parliament.
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
There are financial counsellors available now. The reason I'm sitting here is that we have people on the street, so obviously the connection between the financial adviser and the person on the street isn't working, for whatever reason.
To go back to the question, I would suggest that anybody who ends up on the street has already used up their lump sum or they wouldn't be on the street. Somewhere in the middle something has to be done, because it's all interrelated.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
This is not to argue with you, but you mentioned that for one of your individuals the lump sum payment worked. That was the very first statement you made. You have said something rather different now—that if they were on the street, then obviously they have used up their lump sum payment. Again, you referenced in your initial statements an individual for whom the lump sum payment worked very well. Was that individual initially on the street?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
No. That individual used up his lump sum, and he actually ended up in a productive lifestyle.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Okay.
This is a question on your committee's or your organization's relationship with Veterans Affairs Canada. Is it a partnership, is it a relationship that works, or do you have recommendation for how that relationship can be improved?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
To understand our relationship with any other government agency or non-government agency, it's best to understand what it is that we do. We integrate all the resources available, whether from VAC, DND, the Legion, or social services. We integrate all of that together to get the person in. We don't have a formal partnership with Veterans Affairs.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Whether or not it's a formal partnership, you obviously have a relationship with Veterans Affairs Canada. Do you have any issues with it? Is the relationship working, or are there recommendations that we as a committee can bring forward to assist you in your relationship with Veterans Affairs Canada?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
Our relationship is working. When we approach Veterans Affairs, they bend over backwards to give us the help we need, and we haven't had an occurrence up to now with our clients that I'm aware of in which that relationship was a problem.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Specifically concerning the process you use to identify veterans in need, I'm assuming that you have relationships with other service organizations, municipal services, first responders. We're trying to make improvements here, so can those types of relationships be more fluent? Again, are there recommendations that this committee can make to improve circumstances so that you are able to deliver a more efficient service?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
VETS Canada is 100% volunteer-driven. There are no expense accounts, there are no salaries, and we rely solely on the generosity of Canadian citizens for our funding. We can only help those vets that we have the funding for. We are in constant fundraising mode. We are constantly looking for money because the task load that we face is growing exponentially as we move across the country.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Do you have any way of putting a dollar value on the voluntary service you receive? That can be done; there is a cost.
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
We are currently tracking the hours that our volunteers spend with the organization. I can't give you that answer right now, though.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Have you ever sought government assistance financially?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
No.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Is there an intention to do so? Would it help you? Would it alleviate some of the challenges to you, if you had government funding?
National Executive Director, National Executive Board of Directors, Veterans Emergency Transition Services
VETS Canada will take money from anybody. Whoever wants to give us money, we'll take it. That's the best way I can answer that.
Conservative
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Cousineau, you may or may not be aware that this committee did an extensive review of VRAB. We came out with a really good report with a number of very strong recommendations, some of which mirrored yours earlier, quite frankly. So we agree with some of your recommendations.
Have you had an opportunity to review the recommendations that came out from this committee with respect to VRAB?
Captain (Retired), As an Individual
No, I have not had the recommendations; I would like to have them. If you would like me to review that report and give you my input, I would certainly welcome that particular opportunity.
I need to share with you very quickly. At the Federal Court in the Manuge settlement, there were more than 200 disabled veterans in the room. I can tell you the percentage of those who appeared before VRAB multiple times. It was 100%. Something is wrong with that system.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Yes, sir. I will be very quick.
I certainly don't want to correct my colleague Mr. Hayes, but he said that we as a committee did an extensive report on VRAB, which we did. But let me confirm to the witnesses that there was a dissenting report on the VRAB. Our recommendations for the VRAB were not unanimous. I just wanted to put that on the record.
Conservative
NDP
Sylvain Chicoine NDP Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for having come here today. Most of all, I want to thank them for the good service they have provided to their country.
I normally ask my questions all together, so as to give the witnesses the as much speaking time as possible, and so that they can share their point of view with us. However, I think it is important to come back to the statement made by the parliamentary secretary of the Minister of International Trade, Mr. O'Toole, last Tuesday, concerning lump sums. He seemed to say that the lump sums should not be increased given that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers other services, such as transition services.
I am going to read what Mr. O'Toole said and I would like to make some comments. Afterwards I would like to hear your comments on this matter.
So, Mr. O'Toole said this, last week:
The government is looking at the lump sum right now, and is that appropriate, does that address it.
Here he is talking about compensation for pain and suffering.
The comparison to civil courts leaves out the fact that veterans will receive education and training assistance, the veterans' independence program supports within their own home, often, depending on their status [...] long term lifetime assistance with home-based modification needs, health... None of those are available in a civil court context [...]
