Veterans Affairs Committee on Dec. 6th, 2016

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

[Inaudible—Editor] chair, I'm just saying that relevance on the supplementaries, but I can put this to the....

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

Well, it's relevant because it's something that we need to spend money on.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Okay.

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

It's my understanding that Veterans Affairs Canada works with 4,000 mental health providers throughout the country. Further, we have full access to a range of complementary health care services at the provincial government level, where we have access to the best health care in the country. I would be surprised that for anything that came into our system if we could not plug in a veteran suffering an illness or injury as a result of military service, or if they did not get some help they need with the issues they are dealing with.

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

The challenge is to identify it as a military service injury, then, because we're not identifying it as a specific concern.

Okay. That's fine.

We've recently reduced the amount of marijuana available to our veterans who are using it as a prescribed medication. Part of your explanation was a cost-saving benefit, so how much money will we be saving based on dropping the amount they can have access to from 10 grams a day to 3 grams a day—

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

I think I have to clarify the way you phrased that. You have to remember that when we made this announcement we did this with the health and wellness of veterans and their families at the core of every policy change we make.

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

But how much money do you save on the cost-effective side?

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

Frankly, that hasn't even been factored into any of our analyses. I was shocked to find that in 2007, when the former government started the process of reimbursing for cannabis for medicinal purpose, there was no policy directed around this. In fact, it was essentially, in my view, an abrogation of responsibility—

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

Are you aware of how much—

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

—by three successive ministers who were briefed on this issue.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you, Minister.

Mr. Bratina, you're next.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Thank you.

Minister, I want to go back to the commemoration activities. In my municipal days, one of my priorities was reacquainting Hamiltonians with the city's military heritage, and I believe we're now trying to reacquaint Canadians, not that they're that far out of the loop. With the money that's been earmarked, have there been discussions within the ministry about how the message is going to be presented to Canadians, in addition to the particular events? I hope there's going to be some money spent on telling Canadians about these things.

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

We know that this is a very important story for the Canadian people and the fabric of Canada, this importance of the men and women who have served in our military, and in fact, more so, what Vimy Ridge, the Battle of Passchendaele, and Dieppe have meant to this country. Our department understands the depth of their sacrifice and the importance of that story, and we're going to tell it very well. I know that this is important for our entire government and how we're going to fold this in with our celebrations around Canada 150.

In fact, the Honourable Minister of Canadian Heritage and I have also discussed this. We know the importance of this and we're taking it seriously. We're going to wrap this up in everything we do this year. It's going to be a big time to commemorate, as well as to celebrate as a nation together, as to what we've accomplished, recognizing the sacrifice and service of the many who have gone before and served in this capacity.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

My hope is that this will spin off into other activities by citizens and by other municipalities. We renamed part of our main downtown park “Veterans' Place”, and General Maisonneuve did the keynote on that. He was living in Hamilton at the time, before he got back to work at College Saint-Jean. We did City of Hamilton overseas service commemorative pins and other things. One thing led to another. I'm wondering if your anticipation is that there will be a general pickup on these things outside of the federal government's direct contributions.

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Calgary Centre, AB]

As indicated, we've already reached out to our provincial counterparts and others to try to lead the charge, so to speak, in making sure we're honouring what has been accomplished to date, both the tremendous service and sacrifice of the men and women who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and their families.

Maybe, General, you could give more detail on what we're planning.

[Gen Walter Natynczyk]

In addition to what the minister has mentioned, I'd also like to highlight educational products for schools across Canada, as we do for Remembrance Week, right from the grassroots all the way through, and also with the linkages of first nations and indigenous peoples and their contribution, not only to Vimy Ridge but to other battles in World War I.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

The sum of $42.9 million was requested for the transfer of Ste. Anne's Hospital. What did that transfer agreement involve? What were the terms of the transfer?

[Gen Walter Natynczyk]

To be clear, that $42 million is for workforce adjustment, as we had federal employees who were transitioning to retirement, and for their benefits. That really captures the cost, the $42 million.

On the transfer agreement, we can share it with you. It's really quite in depth, but the key is a seamless transfer, maintaining the same level of care that the veterans enjoyed under federal ownership—now provincial—which was that veterans could speak the language of their choice, but also, the door was open to additional veterans who want to move into the hospital. A data point I was given here today is that since the transfer occurred on April 1, 43 additional veterans have been admitted to the hospital, over and above civilians moving into other wards of the hospital.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Thanks very much.

Is there more time?

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

You have one minute.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

In terms of the employees and working conditions, it's my understanding that it's seamless in terms of how the functions are carried out in the hospital.

[Gen Walter Natynczyk]

Yes, sir. Each of the veterans will be on specific wards. We will ensure they have the same level of service that they did while it was a federal hospital, and also access to other support services such as physiotherapy and arts and crafts programs. We've also ensured that for the day centre, for veterans of World War II and Korea, who are still very mobile, they can come into a drop-in centre, with the support of the volunteers who are there. As much as possible, we'll keep them in a seamless situation. Also, we're working with the province in terms of their staffing of the hospital.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

You have 10 seconds.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

One of the individuals who hasn't needed that help is a 96-year-old veteran of the Dieppe raid who hopes to go back next year for the 75th.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

Mr. Kitchen, you have five minutes.