Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 7th, 2013

[Charlotte Bastien]

With regard to the records you're referring to, Library and Archives Canada was consulted and did approve the destruction of those documents, in accordance with the applicable criteria on preservation and time frames.

[Sylvain Chicoine, NDP, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

This summer, transition services underwent changes. Could you briefly explain what changed in terms of the amount awarded. I believe $75,000 is now the amount awarded to help veterans as far as training goes. Basically, I'd like you to tell us what changes were made to that this summer.

[Janice Burke]

Sure, I can take that question.

What has changed is that the regulations around vocational training, vocational rehabilitation, were very inflexible, very much had prescribed amounts for costs relating to each training item within the regulations. For example, for tuition, the maximum was $20,000. Things like special equipment had maximums of $300. They were very inflexible and there were often delays in trying to develop and implement vocational rehabilitation plans for veterans who were participating in the rehabilitation program, because they had to request exceptional decision-making to exceed the amounts.

Essentially, all the individual prescribed amounts were removed and instead a one program amount was put in place of $75,800. This provides much more flexibility in meeting the needs of the veterans vocational plan. For example, if they need to exceed tuition and the need is more than $20,000, and it's based on need in the plan, it will be extended. It really simplified the decision-making process.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Peter Stoffer]

Thank you, Ms. Burke. If there is more written information that you could present later, that would be great. I'm sorry to cut off your time, but we need to go to the next questioner. I'm sorry about that.

Mr. Lizon for four minutes.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Welcome to our guests.

The first question I would like to ask is on commemoration. In my view, if I understand all that's being done by the department, I don't think there is enough done to really stress and make people aware of the Canadian contribution, especially to the First and Second World Wars. I don't think there is enough knowledge, especially in the young generation here in this country and on other continents, including Europe, of the great contributions Canada made, especially to the First World War and Second World War.

I think the general view would be distorted and our role and contribution would be underestimated. There is really a need that there be a full understanding, because I don't think there is another matching contribution on a percentage basis by any other country among the allied forces.

[André Levesque]

Thank you for that excellent question.

The first thing I want to say is that we work very closely with all our stakeholders, veterans groups, and especially schools for our young students in order to get that message out. We spend an enormous amount of time and resources to make sure that information is available to everyone, especially on our website, which has a lot of information.

In early September we sent more than 20,000 sample packs, for example, of education information on our world wars to schools across the country. We have had something like three million pieces of education products already sent in the last couple of months, just prior to Remembrance Week. We make a really big attempt to reach all of them.

The second thing is that Veterans Affairs obviously leads a number of commemorative activities throughout the country and in Ottawa, but that doesn't mean we do all of them. We work in partnership with all of our community organizations and try to act as a catalyst so communities can develop their own commemorative activities. We do our best to support them in any way we can.

With the upcoming anniversaries of the First and Second World Wars, I think you will find that once all the plans are finalized and announced, the communities will be standing right behind Veterans Affairs to help commemorate all those who need to be honoured and recognized. Especially with the beginning of the First World War, with the centenary happening in August 2014, you will find that things will start coming fairly rapidly and end in 2020 at the end of the 75th anniversary of the Second World War.

[Wladyslaw Lizon, Conservative, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Chair, I have a supplementary question.

As we all know, education is a provincial responsibility. How is the cooperation in different provinces? Is it good or does it need improvement? How would you describe it?

[André Levesque]

Things can absolutely always improve, that's for sure, but we have excellent relationships with the schools and the provinces.

We're often invited to attend provincial conferences, educational conferences that are put on by teachers across the country. We're often invited to have a booth and to present our materials.

You will find that the teachers are absolutely astounded by the quality of the information we provide to them so they can do a better job in their classrooms and in the field to try to help explain to the students and the population at large what commemoration is all about and how they can honour and recognize our veterans.

We have an excellent relationship with them. We continue to expand as much as we can. Again, it's a partnership, working together, hand in hand.

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Peter Stoffer]

Thank you, sir.

Mr. Rafferty, you have two minutes, one question.

[John Rafferty, NDP, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

I just want to follow up on some of my earlier questions. There's a bit of a disconnect for me.

The sense is that these Veterans Affairs offices are not required. That's the sense I get from the government and from your answers, Ms. Bastien.

Why are some still open, if they're not really needed?

[Charlotte Bastien]

The decision for the eight offices that are closing was made based on the current number of case-managed clients at the time and the forecast of case-managed clients in the coming years. The threshold was 160 case-managed clients. These offices had less than 160 at the time.

What we have been seeing is that the number keeps diminishing at those offices. At the same time, at certain other offices, the demand for case management services was increasing.

[John Rafferty, NDP, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

What are the department's best estimates as to the number of homeless veterans in Canada? Does the department have estimates or any figures it could share with us today?

[Janice Burke]

We don't currently have a good understanding of the number of homeless veterans in Canada. We do track the veterans we are providing outreach to and getting them into VAC programs and also into transitional housing, projects that we have under way with ESDC.

Based on the numbers within the department, it's certainly less than 300 that we have identified to date.

[John Rafferty, NDP, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Thank you very much for that.

If I have—

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Peter Stoffer]

I'm afraid that's it. I'm sorry.

First of all, I want to personally thank the witnesses for coming today.

On behalf of our chairperson and our committee, we thank you very much for coming to our committee and presenting us with the information. We look forward to the written responses to the questions, which you can send to the clerk in the near future.

On behalf of our chair, Mr. Galipeau, and our committee members, two of whom have served their country, and for all the veterans in the room, it has been decided by all parties that we would like to observe one moment of silence for Remembrance Day.

Everyone who can, please stand for a moment of silence.

[A moment of silence observed]

[The Vice-Chair, NDP, Peter Stoffer]

Thank you very much.

The meeting is adjourned.