Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 7th, 2013

[Janice Burke]

Perhaps I'll answer the first part.

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

You have three seconds.

[Janice Burke]

Three seconds?

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

You have no more time, so speak fast.

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

Perhaps you could do another written response to the clerk.

[Janice Burke]

A written response, but I do want to make it clear that we have the same concern. That's why we have implemented new programs for veterans who are transitioning from the military with the new Veterans Charter, which in my view and in the view of the department hopefully will prevent homelessness among the veteran population.

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

Mr. Chair, thank you for the extra time. I'm used to a committee where you have seven minutes in the first round. I was a little confused and I apologize.

[The Chair, Conservative, Royal Galipeau]

You packed in quite a bit.

The next questioner is Mr. Hawn.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be quick and I'd appreciate quick answers.

First, is it true that veterans now in Thunder Bay have to drive 10 hours to get service, or will somebody come to them?

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

It's face-to-face service.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Face to face, or will somebody come to them? A quick answer.

[Charlotte Bastien]

The quick answer is that what the department has always done is case managers, nurses and occupational therapists do home visits for assessment or follow-up and that will continue. They will not have to drive to another office to get those services. We've always driven out to the homes or to another location to meet with veterans.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you.

I'm not sure the numbers are not cabinet confidence, but I can say to fill in about the deficit reduction action plan that Veterans Affairs was asked to cut far less than any other department and it was related to the overall decrease in the number of veterans.

Can you talk about your document handling process? No names, no back drill, but it's been suggested that hundreds of thousands of critical documents have been destroyed and somehow this information, these medical documents, are now lost forever. Could you comment on how you do that document handling, the destruction process and what goes into that?

[Charlotte Bastien]

First, the department takes very seriously its obligation to deal in a responsible manner with the documents and records of those we serve. We do follow Library and Archives Canada guidelines and legislation in the management of those records. In particular, in the cases I think you're referring to, these files were patient files from hospitals that the department transferred to the provinces between 1954 and 1995. The information in question dealt with patients who had either passed away or were discharged from the hospital.

Where the department does use military medical records for processing applications for benefits, these records are preserved by and are accessible from Library and Archives Canada.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

So no relevant files are lost? They're all there?

[Charlotte Bastien]

The records that would be required for processing applications are preserved and they are accessible with Library and Archives Canada, yes.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you. To suggest otherwise would probably instill fear in the hearts of some veterans unnecessarily. That's kind of a judgmental call, but—

[Charlotte Bastien]

The disposal of the material that we do in no way impacts the delivery of services and benefits to veterans and their families.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

And they have nothing to fear from that.

[Charlotte Bastien]

No.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you so much.

I do have a concern about some of the long-term care beds. I think it's an issue that is sort of half federal and half provincial. I'll just use the Kipnes Centre in Edmonton as an example. Those beds are for World War II and Korea vets. I know of cases where post-Korea vets have been trying to get in there and they can't. I think that needs to be corrected. I've talked to the provincial minister and I'm not sure whether that's a federal issue, a provincial issue, or a coordination issue between VAC and those facilities.

Can you comment on that?

[Charlotte Bastien]

Yes, I can.

Canadian Armed Forces veterans can be eligible for support in a community bed if the need for the long-term care is due to an illness or an injury that's directly related to their military service. If it's a facility that we have contract beds for priority access for veterans, most war veterans may be eligible if they have a need for a long-term care placement if their injury or their illness is linked to their service.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

I guess my point is we're running out of World War II and Korea folks. From my personal point of view, veterans are better with veterans. There are a whole lot of post-Korea folks that are now getting on and needing long-term care. I'd like to suggest that we find a way to give them priority access to those beds as well. I just throw that out there as a suggestion.

I don't know how much time I have left, but I have a quick question which will be my last. I just want to get this question on the record.

We don't turn any money back from VAC. We basically spend all the money we get and we're always going back to supp Bs to get more money. Is that a true statement?

[Janice Burke]

I'm certainly not a finance expert, so I can't speak to that.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

VAC spends all the money it's given.