Evidence of meeting #23 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 going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5 p.m.
Veteran, Trauma Healing Centers
I would think the biggest complaint we hear would be the standard Veterans Affairs Canada, “No, that's not good enough. Try again”.
I can tell you right now, one of the claims I put in, a legitimate claim, was being in war. I'm not lying to them, but they're calling me a liar. It really hurts. Then I had to go back. For one of my claims, I had to go to a hospital 10 times. The first time they called me and said they sent the paperwork to me. In the letter, they said they would send it to the doctor. I called a couple months later and they said I was supposed to bring it to the doctor. I said I was going to scan them a letter and send it to them right away. I did that and she apologized. She sent it to the doctor. They ended up losing the paperwork anyway. This claim has been going on forever. It's still not dealt with.
These are the situations that veterans get into, and they wonder why the veterans are so frustrated. You're leaving the military, losing your family, losing your job. You just lost 75% of your friends because you're not in there anymore, and now the one entity that is supposed to be looking after you is giving you the runaround. That's where the frustration is.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Mr. Bungay, would you say that the delay-and-deny response is based on reality, or that it's more perception?
5 p.m.
Veteran, Trauma Healing Centers
No, it's reality. I can tell you that I've heard it a thousand times from case managers.
5 p.m.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Would you say it's based on a problematic administrative process, or on some intentional workings?
5 p.m.
Veteran, Trauma Healing Centers
I really can't answer that question. All I know is my case manager told me I was supposed to put this in, get it back, and then put it back in again. What?
5 p.m.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Mr. Garsch, what is the number-one problem with service delivery?
5 p.m.
Vice-President, Program Delivery, Shaping Purpose
I'd have to say that it's overly impersonal. When guys meet with their case manager, they wind up retelling the same story or they get shuffled from one case manager to another. There's a lack of concern.
Also, when the individuals want to start moving forward with some retraining, before they can participate in the Voc rehab, they're forced to stay in this psychological realm until they're deemed healthy by their case manager. I know a few guys who have said that.
5 p.m.
Volunteer Peer Support Advisor, Veteran, As an Individual
I would say it is staff versus online services, hands down. There needs to be more personnel along the whole route to facilitate these things. We can't just slough it off and say it's online.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Trevor, I want to pick up on something Mr. Fraser asked you in regard to the fact that VAC won't recognize the Trauma Healing Centers. You said vets don't want to go to OSI clinics. We've been to one as a committee. I wonder what makes them hesitant or reluctant to go to the OSI clinic?
5:05 p.m.
Veteran, Trauma Healing Centers
In my opinion, it's that it feels like you're still in the army. It feels like you're walking into an institution where they're just there to tick the box. I've been to OSI. It was the first place I went. I gave it a shot. I tried, but they were asking us to do things that we probably weren't capable of doing at that moment. There was a certain amount of homework, and you had to be there at certain times. In one case, you needed to be in 15 minutes early so you could go through a 30-minute survey. I've heard from a couple of vets that they felt like they were walking back into the military life, and they just didn't want to do that.
With centres like mine, you're walking into a civilian establishment where there are veterans on staff, but there are also people who have no idea what's been going on, or how you've been dealt with throughout your career. They start fresh with you and build a friendship, as well as a professional relationship.
5:05 p.m.
Volunteer Peer Support Advisor, Veteran, As an Individual
As well, it's like going to the MIR, the medical infirmary room on base. You go in there, and all the military personnel are there. I personally asked to see an off-base counsellor for that reason.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
It's like an admission that there is something terribly wrong, and people are afraid of that.
5:05 p.m.
Veteran, Trauma Healing Centers
That's right. You have to realize that the worst thing you can do, when you have post-traumatic stress, is put yourself back into that environment. When you're getting out and you have post-traumatic stress, you are constantly going back on base. I literally almost killed the pharmacist with my car because I blacked out going through an intersection, knowing that I was going on base. I drove my car straight through an intersection and onto a sidewalk. I just blacked out because I had been so stressed out about that time.
The JPSU is on that base. The MIR is on that base. When you go to Restigouche Road, it's all soldiers.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
You have very clearly explained what it is you offer to VAC, yet they keep sending folks to the OSI clinic. Is it because that's what they've always done, and it's all they know how to do?
5:05 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Thank you very much.
We should have five minutes if we do just the first round again. We'll start with Mr. Kitchen.
I believe you want to split it with Mrs. Wagantall.
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
5:05 p.m.
Conservative
Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Bungay, if I correctly understood, you said there are two problems with the JPSU. First, it's on the base. Second, they are closed-minded; for example, they don't accept your services.
Now the question is for everyone, starting with Monsieur Doucette, please. What's wrong with JPSU, besides those two things?
