Thank you.
Ms. Mathyssen.
Evidence of meeting #42 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 brain.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #42 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 brain.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you very much. Again, I'd like to speak to Mission Butterfly. It sounds like an incredibly comprehensive kind of programming. I just wonder how many veterans have participated in the 12-day program. If you said that already, please forgive me but I didn't catch it. Do you know how many veterans have participated?
5:05 p.m.
Vice-Chair, Mission Butterfly Inc.
We are just starting the first program for veterans this summer. The military has been a little bit slow at getting involved. We are targeting the currently serving veterans first. We do have one program starting in March, which is for first responders. Although we are a new organization, every therapist we have has had extensive dealings with PTSD therapy, and we're bringing them all together under one roof.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Okay. So there was a reluctance to look at your program. It that because it's different or innovative?
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
It's new. Okay.
How much does it cost to register in a 12-day program?
5:05 p.m.
Vice-Chair, Mission Butterfly Inc.
I believe the final cost is $43,000 per person, because they have to be billeted, and there's the equine therapy and everything else.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Okay. That could explain the military's reluctance to become involved.
5:05 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
That's true, and we're back to prevention and how we can help folks.
Thank you very much.
Ms. Weber, with regard to the dogs, I was intrigued by the fact that you use rescue dogs. What's the rationale for using these animals? Are they more sensitive to the sorts of emotional needs of a veteran or someone suffering from PTSD? What is the reason for you using that specific kind of dog?
5:10 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Companion Paws Canada, The LifeLine Canada Foundation
We're using rescue dogs for the simple reason that there are many unloved and uncared for dogs across our country. We are very specific about the animals that we use, so not all rescue dogs will be approved within our program. Good behaviours and temperament are mandatory, and we have no aggressive breeds among our trained animals. So really, it's just a matter of saving an animal to help save a veteran, and the understanding that he also just saved an animal is another type of emotion that might help the veteran.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Okay. Thank you.
Dr. Merali, reference was made to the use of marijuana as a therapy, and of course there has been lots of discussion, as you alluded to. Has VAC approached that in any way with regard to clinical trials? We know that the THC part is more recreational. Have they asked about the difference between that component and CBD in terms of what should be available?
5:10 p.m.
President and Chief Executive Officer, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, Royal Ottawa Health Care Group
It's an excellent question. Obviously you know the field. There are many components within the THC plant, and we need to study it very carefully. If you study the effects of marijuana, you will know that one strain is not the same as the other because there are different components. THC and CBD are the two active ingredients with different properties, and we don't really understand exactly the advantages and disadvantages of the different components. It would be very interesting to get studies that look at the different kinds of mixes in a known amount so that you would know what you were dealing with. If you open it up to its just being a marijuana study, the question is whether a marijuana species here would be the same as the one that you're going to get in Toronto or Vancouver, and the findings might not be transferrable. Therefore, it's very important to initially do a study in which you're looking at the actual components in a titrated way just as you would give a drug treatment, so that you would know what you're dealing with. Once you have clear answers, you can match up the strains of marijuana with the specific kind of profile that you want.
5:10 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
There's a study being done at UBC on PTSD through one of the licensed producers, Tilray. I could give you the names of the people who are in charge of that study if you like.
5:10 p.m.
Psychiatrist, Executive Health Team, Mission Butterfly Inc.
That would be wonderful.
5:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
That's it for testimony today. If there's anything you would like to add to your testimony or those studies, if you can get them to the clerk, the clerk will distribute them to the committee.
On behalf of the committee I'd like to thank all four organizations for all the great things that you do for our men and women who have served.
With that, I need a motion to adjourn.
5:10 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
