Evidence of meeting #48 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 you're.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes, their CO, as based on his report. It's a course that you go on to quit alcohol. If you get into serious trouble with alcohol in the forces, you go on a spin dry. I don't know the official course name, but everyone knows it as spin dry.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
It is. If you as a corporal get sent on a spin dry course, you're going to be a career corporal.
April 3rd, 2017 / 5:15 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
I get you.
You mentioned that you found out you were a veteran. I thought that was a very interesting position to be in—to find out that you're a veteran. When you left the service, what happened?
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
I made very bad irrational decisions based on my injuries.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
There was nobody saying, “By the way, you're a veteran now and here's where you can go.” It was just—
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
No. They were so quick to get me out. I was still on leave and I was in Kosovo. I was still effectively in the Canadian Armed Forces when I was destroying cluster bombs. The problem is that it happened so fast that I didn't even realize what I had done.
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
No. It was the tail end. It was in 2000, but it was still at the tail end of the last FRP.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
There must be a lot of people out there in the same situation who still haven't found out that they're a veteran, so—
5:15 p.m.
As an Individual
There are. Actually, I can list them by name, two of the guys I've lost. One of them is Jacques Richaud, who died in Iraq. He was a Canadian ammo tech. Paul Straughn is still in Libya right now.
You're afraid to come home because you don't know what you have. I've now said, in trying to be an advocate, “Call Veterans Affairs and you can get help.” But I didn't. No one said that to me. When you're out of the country, working in a complete combat zone, you're not watching commercials on the Canadian CBC saying that there's help. You don't see pamphlets in your doctor's office, because you don't go to a doctor's office.
I was not a Canadian for 14 years. I was a resident of Russia, a resident of Tanzania, and a resident of Baghdad, but the Veterans Affairs outreach doesn't go there. The last thing on my mind.... Then, when you start talking about PTSD.... I still had doubt for 10 years, not even believing that I had PTSD. It only sunk in on my first attempt—and PTSD was out with more knowledge—that I had a problem, but I still didn't know to phone Veterans Affairs.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
David Graham Liberal Laurentides—Labelle, QC
How do we reach these people in Libya and Baghdad and wherever else they are who are not coming home?
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
5:20 p.m.
NDP
Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to come back to the question about mental health supports after a veteran is released and the fact that there isn't a whole lot available, so that veterans find themselves in group therapy. Could you give a response to that in terms of the veterans' needs?
5:20 p.m.
City Councillor, City of Ottawa, As an Individual
Sorry, you said the group...?
5:20 p.m.
NDP
5:20 p.m.
City Councillor, City of Ottawa, As an Individual
I never did that for mental health, but I did it for my physical rehabilitation. Canadian Armed Forces medical centre, which we used to have here in Ottawa, would have been my preferred place to do rehab. If I were going to go and do mental health therapy I would prefer to be around my brothers and sisters. Being the young fit guy in a hospital full of older diabetic car accident victims is not good for morale, and I spiralled pretty quickly when I realized I was the only army guy there. It would be the same in any other facility. Maybe it could be with first responders. DND and VAC should get together and sponsor a place just for military and/or veterans, because there seem to be plenty of clients available, and I don't think it would be a waste of money at all.
5:20 p.m.
City Councillor, City of Ottawa, As an Individual
There are probably going to be a lot more in the next decade.
