Veterans Affairs Committee on June 10th, 2019

[Sharon Squire]

There is a maximum.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

A maximum that a veteran can receive....

[Sharon Squire]

It's based on your level of disability.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

It's based on a percentage.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Yes, I understand that, but when we look at it, in some cases, remember, it's based on how many years you've served and how many limbs you've lost to determine what your benefits are going to be by the time of pension and whatnot. For anyone at any stage, usually it's the ones who are the boots on the ground that face the most opportunity to have a complete life change due to injury, yet they are lower down in the ranks.

[Sharon Squire]

In this case, the disability award, though, is based on your percentage of disability and not your years of service.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

Mr. Samson.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Thank you very much, both of you, for being here today.

Mr. Dalton, you're in your new position, and of course you're in the learning curve. We'd like to know where you're at in that curve, so I'll throw a couple of quick questions to you.

I'm still puzzled—I mean, it's going to take a while for me to come out of it—as to why the former government eliminated the ID cards. I heard very often how important that was to veterans. We've finally brought it back. Can you give me any comments on what you've heard since we brought it back?

[Craig L. Dalton]

I have not received any comments since I've been in the office on the veterans' ID cards.

I will defer to Sharon to see if she has heard anything, but I haven't.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I have a point of order.

There are some things I will accept as matters of, I suppose, perspective or understanding politically, but on the characterization that we cancelled a card, we didn't cancel a card. The former government never cancelled a card.

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

That's debatable.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

I just point that out.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Mr. Samson.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Thank you.

Mr. Dalton, you mentioned how veterans had mentioned how important it was and they would like to have it. Is that correct?

[Craig L. Dalton]

Yes. That's based on previous work the office had done.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

The need was strongly indicated there and you're saying you haven't heard anything since so we're assuming things are running nicely.

[Craig L. Dalton]

That's right.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

My colleague mentioned as well the pension for life and quoted Mr. Cousineau. I know him very well, of course, and he's a very important individual in the veterans community who has helped me and others understand some of the challenges. He did indicate that the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report seemed to indicate that up to 3% to 5% of most injured veterans could maybe receive that.

Are you aware that the Prime Minister a week and a half ago in the House of Commons said that no single veteran would lose? Are you aware of that?

[Craig L. Dalton]

Yes. It would be very encouraging to see that reflected in program changes going forward.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Very good, the work is being done.

I heard a lot when I was there on marriage after 60. Have you heard about this? Many veterans expressed to me the need to make changes to the rule that was in place, which was very difficult—no benefits, pension, etc., to a spouse or partner and whatnot.

Are you aware that in the last budget it was dealt with and money has been put forward on that front?

[Craig L. Dalton]

We noted in the last budget that there had been money allocated to marriage after 60. What we don't know yet is how that money will be distributed to veterans or survivors and what the program might look like. We have had concern expressed to us around what that program might look like.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

Good. We will wait for your suggestions.

You talked about reservist veterans and how you wanted to focus on them somewhat. Are you aware that our government added reservist veterans under the education and training program, the $40,000 and $80,000? Are you aware that now the reservists are included in there?

[Craig L. Dalton]

Yes.

[Darrell Samson, Liberal, Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS]

What do you think of that? Do you think that's a really good decision?

[Craig L. Dalton]

One of the complaints we received from reservists was related to how their time served in qualifying for that benefit is computed. It's one of the areas we're going to look at.