Evidence of meeting #88 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 military.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
NDP
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
That's super.
Are there any culturally appropriate questions you would like to see us asking veterans, so we might be able to draw out some of the ways we can help support them?
12:45 p.m.
As an Individual
I know it is already being done, but it's to get the word from the elders. An elder is someone aboriginal people respect a lot. Whatever those people think, we need to think about what they are telling us to do. If we're there, and we listen to our elders, they will help us to do what is better for our veterans.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you both for being with us today and for all the work you do with our veterans.
Ms. Joshi, you mentioned that certain issues often gravitate toward communication, geography, and resources. Of the indigenous veterans who come to see you, what are the most common issues they raise about Veterans Affairs? Can you speak more specifically about these issues?
12:45 p.m.
Head of Granting and Strategic Partnerships, True Patriot Love Foundation
As an organization we are at least one step removed from the individuals or the veterans who are receiving services. I myself have not yet had outreach from an indigenous veteran seeking support or providing feedback on either programming that exists within the community or relationships within the government, so I can't speak to that.
What is promising is our program partners have received positive feedback from indigenous veterans who have participated in their programs because they felt their needs were being met. Part of how the program in Manitoba came into being was through direct feedback to VTN from an indigenous participant who found it to be beneficial and thought that others within his community would also benefit. That's how TPL hears about what's going on in the community, it's through our charitable partners.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
You also mentioned earlier that you collaborate with other entities, as you're saying again.
12:45 p.m.
Head of Granting and Strategic Partnerships, True Patriot Love Foundation
Yes.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Is that the main thing you receive from them? How else do you collaborate and share the load?
12:45 p.m.
Head of Granting and Strategic Partnerships, True Patriot Love Foundation
We're a funding organization. There are many charities across the country that are working to support military serving members, veterans, and their families. Each of them has unique circumstances and are experts in program delivery. We are experts in fundraising.
My role at the organization is to understand what makes those charities experts and then for us to leverage some of the knowledge we have from our bird's-eye view across the country in terms of how we can help strengthen them. If we see something that's happening successfully in Alberta, there's no need for it not to be shared in Atlantic Canada. That's the role we hope to play: to facilitate those conversations. Programs aren't necessarily speaking to each other, but they're speaking to us.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
Emmanuella Lambropoulos Liberal Saint-Laurent, QC
Thank you very much.
Mr. Dubé, can you tell us about the obstacles you have had to face as an indigenous veteran?
By that, I mean obstacles that do not really affect other veterans. If you have not experienced difficulties of that kind, have you observed that some veterans have to face more obstacles than others, simply because they are indigenous?
12:50 p.m.
As an Individual
In terms of the support provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, I have not really come up against any obstacles. As for other individuals, it is a matter of finding the first door to knock on, as I said at the outset. To communicate with people in that situation, you need an address and a telephone number. That is really the most difficult step for them to get over, but, once the door is open, one thing leads to another, and it is easier for them to ask for the help they need.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks very much to both of you for being here.
Mr. Dubé, the first time we met, I think, was on the trip we took on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge. It is good to see you again.
Can you tell us a little about how aware young people, actually all Canadians, are to the military contribution that indigenous people have made, and about the importance of events such as the indigenous sunrise ceremony held at the 100th anniversary of the battle of Vimy Ridge?
Could you tell us how important it is to hold that kind of ceremony or event so that the indigenous contribution to Canadian history is recognized?
12:50 p.m.
As an Individual
Yes, sure.
During National Veterans Week, the first week in November, more and more indigenous veterans are volunteering to give presentations in schools. The goal of the presentations is really to talk to young schoolkids about the indigenous contributions in the first and second World Wars. Given that it has perhaps been poorly taught in the media, we are making up for lost time today. We are telling indigenous communities, and the students, that their parents and grandparents served in the First World War or the Second World War.
In my own community, there is a cemetery. I go there sometimes, but it was only a few years ago that I discovered some commemorative monuments there. The monuments are dedicated to those who served in the First World War and the Second World War.
Today, we have the opportunity to appear in schools and teach our young people about that. Everything we are going to teach is indigenous. We all experienced it in Vimy during the sunrise ceremony, an indigenous tradition. When we held that ceremony, the aim was to free the spirits of all the veterans who lost their lives at the battle of Vimy Ridge, during the First World War. The aim of the ceremony was to allow their spirits to return to their communities and their families.
12:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Thank you.
We will end now with Ms. Wagantall for the last two minutes.
May 24th, 2018 / 12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Joshi, I have built a strong relationship with a group in Saskatchewan called Audeamus. They are certified service dog trainers who work with veterans. Again, it's the realization that training, pairing, and ongoing care between veterans and these dogs is significant to their healing with respect to a lot of conditions. There is a lot of research, with grants, going on at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Regina. The goal is to set standards, hopefully, for Saskatchewan, and then to be part of determining those national standards, which I think are all high priorities for the type of organization you're a part of.
How do you determine out of all of the various options out there who would receive funding if this is a possibility because I believe they have applied in the past?
I only have two minutes—sorry, but this could take an hour—so I would also like to ask Mr. Dubé a question.
For first nations, aboriginal, Métis, and Inuit individuals, when it comes to healing, I know that spiritual and natural sources of healing are important. Have you heard about or do you sense a need for veterans service dogs to be part of that process, or are they already?
Between the two of you.... Sorry, I have very little time.
12:55 p.m.
As an Individual
I would say for sure, just like they've done with Correctional Service Canada for a couple of years, they have brought in the aboriginal culture so the inmates can do their own healing in the traditional way. As soon as we speak about the traditional way, people will go into it.
Yes, it would be a good thing to have that with Veterans Affairs, to do sweat lodges and things like that.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
With regard to the animals, the service dogs, is that something that has been used at all as a means of—
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
12:55 p.m.
Head of Granting and Strategic Partnerships, True Patriot Love Foundation
We have a lot of faith in our disbursement advisory committee, which provides us with expert opinion in the decisions that are made with regard to funding. In terms of service dogs in particular, it is determined on a case-by-case basis, because we are still awaiting standards. It's important, and at the same time, we certainly are aware of the value and the anecdotal evidence that exists on the benefit that certain animals can bring to veterans.
12:55 p.m.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
That's what they are working on at the university level, I believe, with the research, to give more than anecdotal evidence, but rather the actual.
Wonderful. Thank you. I appreciate that.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Neil Ellis
Sorry, but we're out of time. If there's anything you want to add to your testimony today, put it in writing and send to our clerk. She will distribute it to the committee.
On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank both of you for all the service you continue to do for the men and women who serve and have served our country.
I need to suspend for 20 seconds and then we need to go in camera. I need something passed. I would ask the room to clear quickly, and we will come back for a minute. Then we will get ourselves back to the House.
Thank you again.
[Proceedings continue in camera]