Veterans Affairs Committee on Nov. 4th, 2024

[Todd Ross]

I believe it's about support for the indigenous organizations, specifically for Métis organizations, to gather together. There are not a lot of supports for those organizations.

It's been a challenge for Métis governments to get support. I know that there are still negotiations with the Government of Canada and that the supports are building, but for Métis veterans specifically, it's been taking a long time, from my understanding, for the organizations to get supports so they can then work with Métis veterans specifically as part of the organization.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you.

Would you say from your experience, Mr. Ross, that it's much harder for indigenous veterans to return to civilian life than it is for other veterans?

[Todd Ross]

Yes, and I think it depends on the circumstances of the individual. I think that for some, it would be very easy to return, and those would be people who may have more resources. For other Métis veterans, connecting back into a society where Métis people from the very beginning have to face the effects of colonization, there are so many challenges already in place. As a veteran, you're also confronting all of those challenges, in addition to challenges simply because you're a veteran.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

I have one last question for you, Mr. Ross.

Do you have the sense that a larger number of indigenous veterans are homeless as compared with other veterans?

[Todd Ross]

My assumption would be yes, simply due to the social determinants of health and because there are more issues affecting indigenous veterans. My assumption is that there would be a higher representation of indigenous veterans who are homeless.

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, Mr. Desilets.

Last up is Ms. Blaney.

You have two and a half minutes, please.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I love getting the last word most of the time.

Mr. Ross, I'm going to ask you one question, and then I'm going to ask one more question here in the room.

I really appreciated what you had to say about accessing services and how sometimes mental health can have an impact on a veteran's capacity to ask for help.

One thing that I've been pushing for is more training in trauma-informed care for VAC staff and perhaps even having specialized trauma-informed service providers who, when a complex case comes to them, have the training to deal with that and deal with those issues. I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts on whether that would be a way forward.

[Todd Ross]

Yes, absolutely. The challenge is that, when you go to a Veterans Affairs office, sometimes some of the caseworkers may be very proficient in trauma-informed care, but whether you get that case manager or not is a bit of a gamble. The challenge, particularly for the veterans we've been working with, is trying to identify if there is somebody in that particular office who's going to be able to assist in a safe way, trying to identify who those people are and trying to get the person in front of them.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Thank you. That's so helpful.

My last question is for Ms. Teillet. I forgot to say last time that the Canadian War Museum is my favourite museum. I've been there several times. I'm not just saying that as a compliment. I find it such a powerful museum, and it's so educational.

I want to come back, though, to the part about reconciliation being more about action. I believe that a huge part of reconciliation is education, because a lot of the racist comments that people make are based in their total lack of understanding.

How could this committee and Canada incorporate indigenous history in a way that honours reconciliation? We need a recommendation for this. I would really appreciate your thoughts.

[Danielle Teillet]

That's a fantastic question. Thank you.

I don't know if I have an answer at the tip of my tongue.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I'm hitting you with the difficult questions.

[Danielle Teillet]

Yes, you're really hitting me with the most difficult questions here.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

I know my time is almost up, but could you consider that and maybe send a response back to the committee? I think it is really important. You could see that people were shocked by some of the history you told us today in the committee, and I think that is part of the importance of reconciliation, bringing a hidden history forward so that it's no longer an indigenous story but a Canadian story, and I don't think we've made that transition yet.

If you could just think from that historical lens and give your thoughts to us, it would be really appreciated here in this committee.

[Danielle Teillet]

Absolutely. From a museum perspective, obviously, I think that the War Museum is moving in that direction, especially with the creation of my position and the work that I'm doing there. That's a real effort to try to do these things. We hold programs on Indigenous Veterans Day, when we try to elaborate on this stuff.

I don't know if, right off the top of my head, I have a recommendation for the committee, so I'll give that some thought.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you. Do not hesitate to send the clerk any additional information—you too, Mr. Ross.

I'd like to thank you for your appearance.

In our audience today, we have some young people. I'm pretty sure they know a little bit more about indigenous veterans because they were here with us for an hour. Don't forget that, before you leave, you're going to have to do the exam.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

On behalf of all members of the committee, I'd like to thank both of the witnesses.

We had with us Todd Ross, as an individual, and Danielle Teillet, a historian at the Canadian War Museum.

I'd like to thank our technical team, interpreters, clerk and analysts.

The meeting is adjourned.