Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 22nd, 2017

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

If they've done their application for LTD, which they would do under a medical that they've started at vocational rehabilitation, their income flows in a vast majority of cases, within 16 days after their last paycheque. That's run through their private insurer program. Other income pieces that are often quoted in stories, I can't speak to because I'm not accountable for pensions or veterans benefits.

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

Yes, I think it's a VAC issue there. I have one more quick question then. We also heard about the frustration of when they have to take that uniform off and it's just “goodbye”. Is there something in the works to say, “We need to give these guys a parade, a recognition of their service in spite of the fact that it may not have ended up being what they envisioned or what the armed forces envisioned for them in the long term?” Because they leave without that sense of being valued by the armed forces that they gave their life to.

[Capt(N) Marie-France Langlois]

There is an existing program, the depart with dignity program. This is where people will be presented with letters from the Prime Minister, the mayor, their certificate of service. They will have their friends surrounding them, their families, often a gift from the unit, many comments from their peers. But it's really tailored to what the individual wants. Sometimes somebody wants to leave with something smaller. Some others want to have something

bigger.

The program is in existence and it's working well.

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

But it is their choice.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you.

Ms. Mathyssen.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to come back to an earlier question about the challenges that the JPSU faces. I wonder, do you have enough staff? We've heard from some veterans that there is just not enough people available to do all of the work that you have to do.

Is there enough staff? If not, do you have trouble finding qualified people in order to do that very sensitive and important work? What would you be looking for in terms of a staff person? Do you have enough funding? Very often it comes down to the resources available. Is there enough in terms of funding?

[Capt(N) Marie-France Langlois]

We are meeting the mission, but, for sure, the number of medical releases has recently increased so it puts more pressure on the staff. With the renewed structure of JPSU that General Corbould worked on and presented and that was supported by the chief, we're looking at enhancing the structure of the JPSU to make sure that the services provided remain at a high level and remain the standard so that we can meet our mandate with fewer challenges.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

What kind of person are you looking for to provide that very important support, in terms of your staff?

[Capt(N) Marie-France Langlois]

In JPSU we have a lot of former military as civilians because they bring with them the expertise, the lived experience, that they can share with the individuals. For the military personnel, it varies. They're from all different backgrounds. It's really based on the quality of the individual—compassionate, ability to listen. Pretty much the staff are there because they want to give back to the forces. They have either been in operations or they have people in their family who have been challenged with some of these life experiences, and they want to be there to assist the CAF members. That's what we're looking at.

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

I don't know whether you will be able to answer this or if it fits within your role. Obviously as members of Parliament, we hear from those people who have not had a successful transition. They're very public in some instances.

Do you keep track of those people, and is there any way to go back to them? Do you have any mechanism whereby you can go back and try to close that gap or get them through what is obviously a very difficult time out there in the civilian world?

[Capt(N) Marie-France Langlois]

Every time somebody asks a question to the minister or to the chief or to the unit, we always make sure that we reply, that we follow up and that we close the loop with the individual.

Are we tracking them? No. We have a tracking system in the JPSU but the tracking system is to make sure that nobody falls through the cracks. The people coming in are entered in the system and we make sure that we have follow-ups.

[Cmdre Sean Cantelon]

That's just until they're released. In these cases, when they're released, I can assure you that when we see the headline, we check and if we find an error in our process, we fix it.

The engagement with the individual, she already touched on.

[The Chair, Liberal, Neil Ellis]

Thank you. That ends our time for today's panel.

On behalf of the committee, I'd like to thank both of you, Captain and Commodore, for taking time out of your busy schedules to testify today, and thank you for all you do for our men and women.

We are going to recess for a few minutes and then we're going to go back into committee business with the steering committee.

Thank you. This meeting is adjourned.