Veterans Affairs Committee on March 12th, 2020

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Thank you very much, sir.

Now we go over to MP Wagantall, please, for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Chair.

First of all, I just need a little clarification on VRAB here.

My understanding is that there have been updates to policy in regard to hearing and tinnitus so that it is a broader treatment right from the get-go. But did you say that those who want access to that updated policy need to come through you to be able to go back and get what is now available initially to new individuals applying for it?

[Christopher McNeil]

They have two avenues. If they've been before the board before and turned down, they have to come back to the board by law. Or they can apply for a departmental review.

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

Just to get clarity, if they came to the board before, it was because there was no change to the policy yet?

[Christopher McNeil]

These are people who already went under the old policy, which was much more restrictive.

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

Right. I'm not quite understanding why, if you bring in a new policy, it only goes forward, when you have individuals it would clearly apply to. I don't want to take away work from you guys, but at the same time it doesn't make sense to me they would do that. That, to me, is an inefficiency.

I have a quick question as well. You indicated it's about 16 weeks from when it's indicated they don't qualify to when they get in front of VRAB?

[Christopher McNeil]

No, it is 16 weeks from the date they register and we register them for a hearing.

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

And then in addition to that, it's another six to eight weeks before the decision—

[Christopher McNeil]

No. The 16 weeks includes the date they registered for a hearing until they get their decision.

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

Okay. Just knowing we're dealing—

[Christopher McNeil]

Usually after a hearing it's six to eight weeks.

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

Okay. So knowing the backlog is such a huge issue, this adds another portion of time to their processing. It's just the reality.

[Christopher McNeil]

It's the reality. That's why we have worked toward trying to find more simplified processes to move a lot of these through faster.

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

So when you're looking for more simplified processes to move them through, I understand VRAB is independent, and then there is VAC. How often do you communicate back and forth and say, “You know, we're seeing x number of cases on this and, really, it should be dealt with in a much more simplistic way before it comes to...? Or it needs to go before VRAB for some kind of improvements”?

[Christopher McNeil]

It is always a challenge when you sit as an independent person. I come out of the criminal justice system. I spent my life in a system that has unique parts and everybody has an independent role, but it is a system. I firmly believe that the system is only as good as its weakest link.

We have worked very collaboratively with VAC, particularly the Bureau of Pensions Advocates, as well as the Legion so that we're not creating unnecessary delays. We're looking at these policies and trying our best to make it consistent. If veterans believe they have consistent treatment, my experience is that they accept that.

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

Thank you.

I have one question with regard to the transition. I'm really glad to see this taking place. Is this a test project right now or is this across the board?

Just quickly, as I have one more question.

[BGen Mark Misener]

Right now it's in its infancy. It really just got stood up a little over a year ago. We're implementing as many things as we can for the people who are posted to my organization. They are really the complex ill and injured members. We have put a number of things in place across the Canadian Armed Forces. There is, for example, an initial transition process to start again and to raise awareness and education, so that everyone can benefit from this.

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

Okay, thank you.

Here it says, “military members now being released only once benefits, including VAC disability benefits, are in place.” What does “being released” mean? Does that mean you are no longer employed? You're employed and you're receiving pay until this moment when you're released?

[BGen Mark Misener]

Correct. “Released” means you are no longer part of the Canadian Armed Forces—

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

And everything is in place.

[BGen Mark Misener]

Yes. That's what we're working toward. It's an ambitious goal, especially when we talk about the challenges with the backlog.

As we reinvent the transition process, which is what we're doing at the transition trial in Borden, we're trying to get after that, so that we start that conversation much earlier. We start the application process much earlier.

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

Is there feedback?

How many have you actually processed in this project to where they're now fully released? Have they given feedback? What kind of communication do you have after the fact?

[BGen Mark Misener]

I don't have the exact number. It's over 100 people.

The key is the feedback. We are working with those people through the transition process, but time has to go on. We have to allow that to happen to get that feedback. That has not happened yet because the transition trial only went live in February.

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

Would there be an opportunity then, once you get to that place where you have all of that, for this committee to get a copy of your findings?

[BGen Mark Misener]

Absolutely. That can be shared. We regularly do updates on where we are in that transition trial process.