Sure.
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.
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.
4:25 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
The member releasing should and must have that medical file, and it's not for a family doctor. It's for what the doctor's going through now: she has a condition and now she has to prove it. Now she has proof where she was—
4:25 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
The UER should also be included so that VAC and the VRAB know where that member served, what they were exposed to, and the conditions they worked in.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
Yes, but as you say, you now have a condition. If you had had your file from day one, it would probably be easier for you to prove your point.
4:25 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
Yes. I'm not sure I'm going to go through the hassle, but—
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
No, no, but the point is that you should have it from day one.
4:25 p.m.
Director, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research
I did. I gave it to my family doctor and she still retains it. I think that's all there.
4:25 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
I wanted to talk a bit to Wounded Warriors.
You mentioned the requirement for skills and so on in order to transition. We recently announced some changes in terms of putting various types of veterans at the head of the line for public service hiring and so on. There's $76,000 in a retraining allowance that was announced about five months ago, and now we've extended the period for them to qualify to be at the front of the line to five years. Do you see that in a positive light in terms of we have some resources now for the guy to get retrained and we've given him more time to get retrained, so there's a better chance that he will find that transition successful?
4:30 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
Oh, we certainly don't see it as a negative thing. It's a step in the right direction.
But you have to realize what happens particularly when a veteran is being released who had planned on a long career. Because of their service or something that happens, now they're medically released. They're not exactly thrilled with the employment of the Government of Canada, and then the transition plan of the Government of Canada in these announcements.
I mean, it's all well and good, and it's well intentioned, I think, to want to employ them and get them well employed. But you're going to ask them to come back and be employed with the Government of Canada, who they've already had a little bit of a problem with.
Even on the skills transition, take a 23-year-old infantryman who's trained to drive a LAV and shoot a machine gun. Even when you have those skills transitions, early identification is important. Then it's getting the skills necessary to transform and to transition into a job that has meaning for them. You can talk about the front of the line, and the hiring, and those kinds of things, but they won't be hired if they don't have the skills.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
That's why they get $76,000, to learn those skills, to train for those skills. That's the whole point of the program.
4:30 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
Yes. So the transition, and early identification....
What happens with a lot of guys, especially guys who are struggling with medical issues, and especially if they're mental health issues, is that they're delaying their decisions. Their SISIP is ticking. The clock is ticking. They haven't quite got to the point where they are....
We need to find a way to intervene earlier and more effectively with these individuals so that they can transition to meaningful employment, which will bring in a whole host of better feelings about themselves, taking care of their families, and a whole bunch of health issues that are related to that.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Laurie Hawn Conservative Edmonton Centre, AB
These are all part of a much bigger situation, but these are all positive steps.
4:30 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
Laurie, we're quite a bit past your time, so we have to move on; sorry about that.
We'll now go to Mr. Lizon, please, for six minutes.
March 25th, 2014 / 4:30 p.m.
Conservative
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
I would like to welcome all the witnesses and thank them for coming here.
To all the veterans who are present, as usual, thank you for your service.
Before I ask my question, I have a general comment just continuing on from what Mr. Hayes said.
Mr. Cundell, I understand your strong views. However, I chose to be on this committee. I wasn't assigned the committee. The reason I chose it is this. I wasn't born in this country. I grew up in Poland. My grandfather fought in the First World War. I remember him; he was missing his right arm. I had a lot of relatives who fought in the Second World War. I grew up in an environment that respected veterans, and I think that continues here.
We conducted a study of the charter. That was ordered by the minister, or the minister asked us to review the charter.
I understand your opinions. You have very strong opinions. But you are one of the voices. We had witnesses here, and they don't necessary have exactly the same opinion as yours.
As well, before the summer last year we did conduct a study to compare the benefits of veterans in different countries. I can tell you, and probably you know this, that we are doing pretty good. Of course we can and we should improve. Therefore, on the charter I think there's a way to improve it, but I don't think anybody's opinion should be taken at face value and implemented right away. That's why we're having the discussion and the meetings. This will be reported to the cabinet in good faith.
And you know, you talk about respect; I'm old enough to say that it works both ways. It always works both ways.
As for the website, you know very well that on any forum where people don't have to provide their names, the things they write can sometimes be just so disrespectful. It's only because they don't have to provide their names, or they would probably never write those comments.
Sometimes people write very good negative comments, just to get a change, but to write something that is absolutely out of this world.... Sometimes people use this and abuse the privilege of the fact that they don't have to give their names.
That's my general comment.
4:35 p.m.
Publisher, VeteranVoice.info
Have you gone to VeteranVoice? Have you checked—