Evidence of meeting #41 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 services.
A recording is available from Parliament.
As an Individual
We found a psychiatrist who believes in alternative medicine.
As an Individual
He is on an anti-anxiety medication. It's his one prescribed medication. However, he was in support. We saw a naturopathic doctor and was hospitalized during this transition time of getting off it. He tried nabilone for a while to help transition off that, and then he got off that as well. He didn't like that; he doesn't want to have anything to do with it.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
That was a very brave psychiatrist to take that on.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
Representatives of the veterans transition program testified here. It's an amazing service. When I asked, the witness commented that his professionals are expensive—
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
—but that they're worth it. Could you comment at all about that?
Obviously, I'm over-conservative a lot times. I'll save money and end up having to spend more money. I really sense that's what we're doing with our veterans, to invest upfront versus the ongoing costs, which probably have fallen without even the cost of the meds.
February 8th, 2017 / 5:15 p.m.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
Do you have anything you'd like to say in that regard?
As an Individual
It would be wonderful to have psychologists all over the country who have this belief system, so you don't have to pay for them to travel across country to deliver a program. I say this because they're only allowed to practise out of province so many times. So that fantastic psychologist can only come once or twice in a calendar year. It would be wonderful to have that training into veteran-specific psychologists or a mental health team.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
That certainly applies in our case. We have rural ridings where our veterans cannot get the help they need and they have to travel to get it.
Thank you so much. We really appreciate it.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Thank you.
Mr. Eyolfson, I guess you're splitting your time. You have about a minute and a half each.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Thank you for coming. I can't imagine what you've been going through. Thank you for the courage to step forward to tell this story. I know that watching a loved one go through something such as this must be just horrendous.
You talked about the VTP, the veterans transition program. How long after Marc's release did he get involved with that?
As an Individual
Marc was released in August 2012. He got in the VTP in the winter, so it was January 2016. This is brand new for us; we're in it one year.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Had you been made aware of that at the time?
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
How did you first become aware of it?
As an Individual
My husband found it himself. This is something that I think even gave him a bit more. I had to leave due to a safety thing and he was looking for help for himself and somehow stumbled upon it and got into the program.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
He just somehow stumbled upon it. It doesn't sound as though anyone went out of their way to make him aware this was available to him.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Please tell me if you are not comfortable answering this. This might be borderline personal, too personal. When someone goes into the military, their whole family goes into the military, and so I ask in regard to your mental health, have you personally ended up receiving any psychological support or treatment through this process?
As an Individual
Yes, I might have been talking too fast. I had extended trauma therapy at the OSI clinic in Fredericton.
Liberal
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Okay. I apologize; I missed that.