Yes.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 subcommittee.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #2 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 subcommittee.
A recording is available from Parliament.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Would orthopaedic fall into that same category?
My father jumped off a tank every day for 30 years and developed severe back injuries and issues that followed him. Is that sort of thing what we're...?
11:45 a.m.
Committee Researcher
That would be physical health. The department does not make any distinction between mental or physical impairment. If you jump from a tank or your hearing aids were a problem or mental health, the level of disability is what makes them deal with your situation.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Okay, so they're not looking at just one aspect of it; they're looking at total health.
11:45 a.m.
Committee Researcher
The committee has looked at everything. But mental health has been an issue in the media; it's been discussed. It was an area where the department needed to modernize itself, so it's been discussed more during the last few years, but no report was tabled.
11:45 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
On long-term cost factoring, what's the total cost of the whole package, not necessarily what's given individually?
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
What's the total cost of using all three programs that you've talking about?
11:50 a.m.
Committee Researcher
No. There is an assessment.
Do you mean if you want to change them?
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
No. I'm trying to find out if there's a place where I can get that information.
11:50 a.m.
Committee Researcher
Oh, sure. When we discuss the estimates and when the minister comes, I will provide you with a nice table on how much all the benefits should cost.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Okay.
When we're talking 20 years and how much it will cost the government—
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
11:50 a.m.
Committee Researcher
You know, in 2002 nobody knew that Canada would be going to Afghanistan for 10 years.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
True. Okay.
Finally, when we talk about releases, to my understanding, and from what I saw on the document, basically the assumption is that they're not veterans until the military releases them. Assuming they've determined there's an issue; they've determined that all the factors are in place for that individual, and if it's a mental health issue, they have support systems set up before that, they do not become released from that program to become a veteran until those are in place. Is that correct?
11:50 a.m.
Committee Researcher
This is the new objective; it hasn't been the case. They tried to do as much as they could, but the new approach is to try to do that. They are keeping them in the forces longer than before.
For some it's an issue, because they are kept in the forces when they cannot be very useful. It makes it difficult for them to become re-employed when they leave.
There is a give and take in keeping them a long time in the forces.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Thank you for your indulgence.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Touching on that, aren't there some pilot projects on that right now through the military resource centres?
11:50 a.m.
Committee Researcher
Yes. They're more than pilot projects at the resource centres. They are trying to make the transition easier. The problem is they cannot force the provinces to provide the services in the areas where the veterans happen to live. All sorts of issues make it a case-by-case approach. You need to have a case-by-case approach.
If you want to have outreach when you're travelling, visiting resource centres would be good.
