Evidence of meeting #101 for Veterans Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was homelessness.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Thank you.
I just want to ask a question. This never occurred to me to ask until you mentioned what to my memory is the first organization that is specific to one branch.
You may not know this because you concentrate on one branch, but do you know if anyone has any data on the rates of homelessness for veterans of different branches? Are people who have served in the navy, the army or the air force—any veterans from any of those—more or less likely to be homeless?
President, Royal Canadian Naval Benevolent Fund
I have no idea. I have no data on that at all.
Executive Director, Multifaith Housing Initiative
We've actually tried to dig into that question a lot further. We're doing further research right now. We have a partnership with the Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services, and a researcher at Carleton University to try to get us a little more colour and detail around homeless veterans.
The number that really surprised us from the point-in-time count was that 35% were aboriginal. That question was asked. That seemed to be a lot higher than what we were expecting. I had it in my head that it would be somewhere around the 5% to 10% mark, not the 35% mark.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Thank you.
That ends the time for our meeting today.
On behalf of the group, I'd like to thank all three of you for everything you've done and continue to do for veterans. Thank you for taking time to testify today.
Could we have a motion to adjourn? Thank you, Mr. Bratina.
(Motion agreed to)