Evidence of meeting #17 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 military.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
I'm going to have to ask you to be very succinct, please, because we used half his time up for the question.
March 25th, 2014 / 4:05 p.m.
Chris Linford National Ambassador, Wounded Warriors Canada
I think there are some issues definitely with transition programs, especially for young veterans who are injured. Some of them are still getting their brains wrapped around the fact that their lives are profoundly changed.
There is an issue with stigma. Everybody knows the big word “stigma”. Veterans are stigmatized, especially on mental health issues, not just within the military environment, but across Canadian culture in general. If we could address some of those issues, I think it would help a great deal in allowing veterans to feel comfortable enough to come forward for transition training.
There are some shortfalls in that as well. As everyone knows, there are some agencies out there right now that try to provide some transition training, but I think overall they have been only marginally successful in a very limited fashion. I think some more work needs to be done there. I would say the vast majority of work needs to be done on de-stigmatizing the kinds of injuries that prevent veterans from stepping forward to ask for help.
4:05 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
In the military, the military members are cared for by the military; families are not. Families are at the mercy of provincial health care systems. When people are released from the military, they go out into the provincial system as well. You called it vastly inferior. I'll leave that to you to discuss with the provincial premiers.
I do think that the military medical service is—
4:05 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
Okay.
Specifically, the problem is that once you are released from the military, if you have not suffered an injury, you're not a client of Veterans Affairs. We estimate that there are about 750,000 veterans in Canada. Veterans Affairs has about 130,000 clients. There is a vast array of veterans that we know nothing about, people we would never identify as veterans and who may never come forward that way.
When I got a family doctor when I released from the military, she didn't ask me if I was a veteran. I guess I don't look like a typical veteran. We would have no way of identifying that; or I should say, we had no way of identifying that. I've worked with a research team diligently so that we finally will be able to identify it in the Ontario health database, and we'll start analysis soon. That, I think, will make everything change. We really have absolutely no way of knowing, because nobody keeps track of veterans once they're out unless they have been injured.
Quite honestly, if you do go back.... I recently received a not great diagnosis, went into Veterans Affairs, and the doctor said, “That wasn't because of your service. See you later.”
4:10 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
Welcome to VRAB.
The opening statement in the Pension Act was a social covenant. If it was good enough for the Pension Act, why isn't it good enough for the new Veterans Charter? Of course it belongs in the new Veterans Charter.
We joined the military because we believed in our country; we believed in our democracy and in our way of living. Look at this way: you broke 'em; you bought 'em. Okay? The problem is you broke 'em, and now you're selling 'em off and throwing 'em out. They get a pat on the head, a lump sum, and a “see you later”.
VAC does not keep track of suicide rates. VAC doesn't keep track of the non-members.
An injury is diagnosed and she has to fight.
It's controversial. You do have a social covenant with us. We did your job. We went where you wanted us to go. We're not asking for the world. We're asking for respect, and we're not getting it right now. That's why you have the Equitas lawsuit right now.
To sum it up, you broke us; you bought us. Don't abandon us. Put it in the new Veterans Charter. There is a social covenant.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
Thank you very much.
We now go to Mr. Hayes, please, for six minutes.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
These questions are going to be directed to you, Ron.
I actually took your advice and went on to your website and did a somewhat comprehensive review of the website.
First, I went to your information section, and I looked at the new Veterans Charter. That section goes to the Veterans Charter of 2006, which is fine, but what I was looking for is the flow of how I would get to the area that spoke to some of the new enhancements that were made, i.e., I was looking specifically for the $75,800 that was recently put in towards university education and retraining. I had difficulty finding that.
I'm wondering how you ensure your information is current and relevant. Was I just missing that, or was that information not available?
4:10 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
Can I make one comment just to start?
When I did the review of the new Veterans Charter—I'm a veteran with a Ph.D.—
4:10 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
—and it's very difficult to read through. That's just a comment. I found it difficult to figure out.
4:10 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
Further, we update our website as VAC updates theirs. Did you search VAC for that info?
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
No. You heard my question. I can't say whether I did or I didn't.
4:10 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
What I'm saying is we can only update what is provided for us. The Veterans Affairs website, it's a FUBAR, okay? It's a cluster. We can only update as fast and as best as what we can get.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
—not just on the new Veterans Charter. There is information about numerous things.
In terms of your threads, I looked at some of the discussion topics.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
I mean on your website. You had a section on discussion topics. One of the thread titles was “Frustrated? Fed up with the system? Have an opinion about political parties? This is the place to 'voice' your opinions.” I accept that.
I was looking for an area that might have a thread titled “There's currently a study being undertaken by the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs on the Veterans Charter. We would like to have your feedback on what you would like to see included.” I didn't really see that.
How do you choose your thread topics? Who determines what your thread of discussion is going to be?
4:10 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
I do. I go by the e-mails that are sent to me. They ask me questions, and I try to get them the information as best as I can. I pick up the phone. I don't care who I have to phone. That's how we create the threads, and we're always changing that. We overhauled our website since our service provider was charging us too much money for our periodicals. We're just three veterans funding it.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Fair enough. In terms of your moderators, I looked at some of the threads, and I saw a “bigrex”, and a “little rock”, and a “Rags”, and there were probably a few others. How are your moderators chosen? Do you do a background check?
4:15 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
Everybody's a moderator. I'm the overall decider. There are three rules of CSAT: do not attack a vet; watch your language; and don't make threats against anyone. I have banned members for threats, for language, and for anarchy statements, let's say. I decide who is on and off. When you join, you're a moderator.
