Shall the title carry?
Evidence of meeting #31 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 priority.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #31 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 priority.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
The bill is agreed to on division.
Shall I report the bill, as amended, to the House?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
We've finished with the bill. It will be reported as it stands.
Thank you very much.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
I wanted to talk more about the bill. I know it's passed, but I have a couple of questions.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
Okay. We have a couple of hands.
I'm going to go to Mr. Gill first, and then Mr. Stoffer.
Conservative
Parm Gill Conservative Brampton—Springdale, ON
I have good news that I want to share with the committee. The Prime Minister today announced some changes in the senior ranks of the public service. Retired General Walter Natynczyk, currently president of the Canadian Space Agency, becomes deputy minister of Veterans Affairs, effective November 3, 2014.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
You're not allowed to show emotion, but thank you for that update.
Okay, you were looking for that job, and you were disappointed, right?
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
Having said that, maybe we'll get an opportunity to invite General Natynczyk to the committee just for a brief hello.
On this bill, now that it's going through, we had discussions earlier about the RCMP not obviously being included in this bill. We know the Royal Canadian Legion is supportive. Of course, we always have one or two concerns. One of them is the RCMP being included in something of this nature. If an RCMP officer gets killed in the line of duty, their spouse would be entitled to public service employment opportunities, etc. I ask the commission if that could be looked at and that the government include the RCMP in something that our military men and women would be entitled to.
Thank you.
Director, Program Policy and Outreach, Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs Canada administers benefits and services on behalf of the RCMP. However the RCMP would make any decisions on changes in benefits and services, or in this case, changes to priority hiring entitlement, so I cannot speak to that. That question would have to be posed to the RCMP.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
I just wanted to make a comment about the appointment of General Natynczyk.
Some of the feelings that I've heard at this table over the last year reflect, it seems to me, a disconnect for our servicemen and our veterans between the time that they're servicemen and the time that they become veterans.
The fact that General Natynczyk has an intimate knowledge of the Department of National Defence and that now he'll be the deputy minister of veterans affairs should be good news for all our veterans because it will make it more seamless, unless he decides to live in Charlottetown.
NDP
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS
We should write a letter to the previous deputy minister, thanking her for her service.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
I've got a couple of things I just want to raise briefly.
If it's not appropriate that's fine, but you will notice that one of our witnesses who came before us, Jody Mitic, was just successfully elected as a councillor.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
I was the first guy to congratulate him. I went to his campaign office to congratulate him.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
I'm not surprised about that. I'm wondering if you would like a letter to go from the committee congratulating him.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Conservative Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Mr. Chairman, could it be drafted so that I am co-signer? I'm his MP.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Greg Kerr
If it is the will of the committee, I can ask the committee members to all sign the letter if you'd like. We can do that.
Yours can be up near the top.
