Evidence of meeting #107 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 housing.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
There are some services such as Trafalgar treatment centre in Port Hope. It recently brought on a veteran who went through their programs to be their consultant and their way in so that veterans would feel more welcome, so they could speak to that without changing the evidence-based, really good stuff that they're already doing. They can take the strengths from both worlds.
We need that. We need the strengths from both worlds.
4:40 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
That's the end of your six minutes.
Mr. Johns, go ahead for three minutes.
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
In 2018, or recently, has your organization been solicited by Veterans Affairs Canada to serve needs that the government is not fulfilling? Has either of your organizations been referred by Veterans Affairs to do any of those...?
4:45 p.m.
LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Beare
We were invited to participate in the veterans initiatives program. Because of where we are and what we do as an organization, we didn't access that opportunity. It wasn't something we needed, but others did need it, so the answer is no, we didn't.
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Lieutenant-General, does a caseworker ever give your organization a call and say, “can you help out”?
4:45 p.m.
LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Beare
Sorry, you're talking in terms of serving a veteran versus in terms of program support.
No, we have actually had tremendous co-operation and collaboration at the individual level, working on an individual veteran's files.
The Legion is still an incredibly powerful partner in advocating for and helping unpack a very—
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Absolutely.
Does either of your organizations get funding from the veteran and family well-being fund?
4:45 p.m.
LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Beare
We didn't ask for any.
4:45 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
We received $245,000 from the veterans.... It was specifically aimed at reducing the backlog of veterans who were waiting to go on the COPE program. We've spent all that money.
4:45 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
It reduced the wait-list by half. I think it was a wonderful initiative from the government. One of the things we say is that nobody's “the” solution. The government's not the solution; the charity's not the solution, but together we can have some strategic partnerships and some important roles.
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
I couldn't agree more.
If the amount of money you got was doubled, would you be able to reduce the backlog even further?
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Great.
The reason I ask is that we put forward a motion in the House to end lapsed spending. There was $1.1 billion left from the previous government and $342 million in this government. It's about $124 million a year of that money going to.... To me, the government's not meeting the 12 service standards, and this would certainly benefit organizations like yours.
If you saw that kind of money being freed up, if it was being directly targeted to the next fiscal year to meet the 12 service standards, do you think, if that money went to the veteran well-being fund, that it would help organizations like yours?
4:45 p.m.
National Program Director, Wounded Warriors Canada
I can only speak for Wounded Warriors Canada and tell you that any government money that we receive.... We will always fund our operations and stuff through the charities to remain independent and agile and do the things we're doing, but if the government wants to partner and help reduce the wait-list....
I think one of the areas the government could really make a huge difference in is providing some stable funding for the credible work of proper service dog providers in Canada. That would be huge. We have managed to corral most of the credible ones under our umbrella, so we've done the legwork.
Those kinds of things, the wait-lists, the backlogs and some of the programs.... We can promise the government, just like we did with COPE, that 100% of any dollars that we get in addition to what we're already doing goes directly to the program and that not one penny goes to the other needs of the organization. There aren't too many people who can say that.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Thank you.
That ends our time today.
Mr. Samson has one quick question.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
Thank you very much.
I thought Johns was going to give me a few seconds, but he didn't.
One issue veterans in Nova Scotia are telling me about, which is very serious, is that when they have a crisis and they end up in the hospital, they come out worse than when they went in, because the people who are treating them don't know anything about them. They don't know anything about their challenges, and that's a crisis in itself.
In Nova Scotia we're working a 24-hour clinic specialized for veterans who come in.
Are there any comments on that?
4:45 p.m.
LGen (Ret'd) Stuart Beare
Going back to remaining connected, anything you could do to continue to provide and feed that connection is great.
4:45 p.m.
Beryl and Richard Ivey Research Chair in Aging, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Recovery, Parkwood Institute Research, and Assistant Director, Lawson Health Research Institute
I would also put a plug in for the OSI clinics, and maybe that's something we need to be thinking about in terms of their role and how they connect with other parts of the health care system.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
We're looking to connect the clinic with the OSI clinic.
That's a good one. Thank you.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
And we opened most of those clinics.
No one talked about the administrative offices, how are they playing a role?
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all three of you for appearing today and for all you do for the men and women who have served.
Also, we have a housekeeping matter. Our clerk is moving on.
Karine, this is your last meeting. I'd like to thank you, on behalf of all of the committee, for keeping us organized, travelling with us and keeping us on time.
We have a vote, and this meeting is adjourned.