Veterans Affairs Committee on June 12th, 2019

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

Thank you, Minister, for being here with us today, and the deputy of course. I appreciate it.

I forget now exactly if it's two months or just a little over two months that you've been minister, and 25 years ago you were the secretary of state for Veterans Affairs, so the experience is there. Again, thank you for the work that you have done.

I'd like to ask a few quick questions. One is about service ID cards. I know that in my riding this was a big issue and many veterans were asking me to continue to advocate for them and the service card. I'd just like to know a little about how the service cards are being launched now and what the feedback is that we're getting around the new service cards that are coming out.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Thank you very much.

Yes, we have started the process and it will continue. The deputy might add to it, but it's something that we want to do.

The cards and recognizing veterans are something I want to look at down the road, too. There are many things that can be done in that area.

I'll let the deputy respond.

[General, Retired) Walter Natynczyk (Deputy Minister, Department of Veterans Affairs]

Sir, for everyone who wears a uniform, having that ID card on them each and every day is part of our culture. It's always difficult the day you walk out of your unit, your ship, your squadron, that last day, and you hand in your ID card. Even that transition is pretty emotional. The Canadian Armed Forces, for a whole host of reasons, stopped issuing the ID cards to veterans about two years ago. What was terrific was that, when we were able to restart the issuance of the ID cards, not only were we able to backdate it to when that process was stopped, but we're now able to expand it to all those veterans out there who wish to have a card.

The reissuance will be happening three phases. The first phase goes back to the date when the ID cards were stopped. The second phase goes to all of those who are walking out of the military and transitioning. The third phase, which will begin in the fall, goes to all veterans out there, even those who released prior to when this whole practice started in 2002. Indeed, when we were doing the various town halls, regional summits and national summits over the past few years, we heard how important it is for all veterans, again, to have that ID card back in their hands for their own identity.

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

Thank you, deputy.

I was very happy to hear from the minister that we're even looking at maybe drilling a little deeper to see how we can recognize them even more through that card. I think there's more we can do, but the first step is very much appreciated.

The second thing that many a veteran spoke to me about was marriage after 60, where if they married after 60, their spouse or partner would not receive their pension and benefits. That's a change that we brought forward in budget 2019. Can you expand on what we've done and the vision we have to make sure that we identify and process these individual claims?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Yes, $150 million has been dedicated over five years. Basically what we're trying to do is to work with the veterans organizations to put a formula together that will work to make sure that the distribution of funds is done in a proper manner. We want to make sure this is done in a proper way. In fact, we're into that process at the moment to make sure that we're able to deal with this issue.

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

Thank you.

With regard to the transition, it's such an important piece for veterans and their families. We did a report on it as well.

We're looking for a seamless transition, of course, which is crucial. I know we have the joint committee, CAF and Veterans Affairs, working and trying to ensure.... I hope some day in the very near future we'll see that no military individual will be able to leave without getting all the benefits and everything lined up, that no one is released before everything is done. That's my dream; there's no question about that.

In budget 2019, again, we added not only the injured veterans but the non-injured veterans who are due to transition. How do we see that on a moving-forward basis?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

I'm an associate minister of National Defence, and that's to try to have the transition a little smoother—to make it smooth, in fact. The card itself—I don't have an answer today—in other countries, helps in many ways.

When military people retire.... Let's say you go into the military after high school. You're there for 25 or 30 years and you come out. Number one, where do you find a doctor? There are so many things that have to be looked at in order to make sure the transition is as seamless as possible.

Also, that's where the education fund comes in, the $82 million. It's a very valuable workforce. They had a hiring session in Halifax and there were a lot of major companies there. We have so many people coming out of the military who are trained, but they could use this money in order to be valuable to the private sector. That's why this $82 million in the training program is so vitally important.

As you know, right across the country, we need workers. These people want to work, and this helps provide the qualifications that are needed for them to be able to work. When somebody leaves the military, they want to work—

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you, Minister.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

—so we're making it a bit easier.

There are other problems too, but those are just a couple of issues that I'm trying to deal with at the moment. There are many others. We are trying to make the transition seamless.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

I'm sorry, Minister. We're out of time.

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

Thank you, Minister. I see your vision. It's going to be impressive.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Mr. Samson, we're out of time.

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

Yes, Sir.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Ms. Blaney.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you, both of you, for being with us today.

As you well know, Minister, I've asked you a few questions in the House. In your response to your question, you mentioned the $10 billion and you also mentioned it in your report today. I'm going to ask some clarifying questions so I can better understand.

In the budget I received, actual cash payments are about $2.8 billion from 2015 to 2024. I'm wondering if you could explain where that number of $10 billion is coming from.

I also want to say that I don't have a lot of time, so if I interrupt you, I am going to apologize in advance.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Of course, the $10 billion is ongoing, but on the pension for life—I don't have the exact figure—all of this costs so much money. The education fund is so important, the top-up of wages.

Walter, I'll let you answer that.

These programs are so vitally important and these are new ventures that are taking place from Veterans Affairs so that the veteran, when he leaves active service—

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I know the intention. I'm just trying to get some clarity—

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

On the actual dollars....

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Yes.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

There are more dollars being spent now than there were last year.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

From what I understand, the $10 billion is the absolute maximum expenditure overall, for all of these programs, assuming that every single eligible veteran applies and is approved.

Is it really likely that the $10 billion is going to be spent?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

It's an ongoing issue.

Will the $10 billion be spent this year? No. Down the road, the money will be spent improving.... We have wait times that are more than we should have. We're working hard to digitize the department to make sure that you can push a button and get the information from the doctor when a veteran applies for.... This is the kind of thing that costs money.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

It's an important point that you're bringing up. I've asked about that in the House.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Yes, it is important.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I appreciate what you're saying. There is an increase in the number of applications that VAC is receiving and it's great that there has been that extra capacity added. However, I know from veterans in my riding that they're still seeing incredibly long wait times. With the increased traffic, wait times over a year are still the norm. What veterans are telling me is that they're hearing from VAC that it's just going to get worse.

I'm wondering what the solution is, especially when you look at this budget that tells us these new positions are short term and in the following year you are going to start decreasing them. With that sort of long wait time, I'm trying to figure out how that makes sense in terms of serving our veterans in a timely manner.