Evidence of meeting #25 for Veterans Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was contract.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My question is for Ms. Bennett.
Which other large organizations do you have dealings with?
5:15 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Sponsor, WCG Services, Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services
At WCG, the company that delivers as part of this joint venture, we have contracts with provincial governments throughout Canada to deliver important employment services. As well, as I mentioned earlier, we have the current PCVRS contract with Veterans Affairs Canada for the vocational services aspect of the rehabilitation program.
5:20 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Of the 9,000 people you have on contract, can you tell me roughly how many of them come from Quebec?
5:20 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Sponsor, WCG Services, Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will invite Gilles to respond to that.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
I'm so sorry, Ms. Bennett. There are just a few seconds left. You can send the information to the clerk, and we'll give it to MP Desilets. Thank you so much.
Now, for one minute, we have Mr. Peter Julian.
5:20 p.m.
NDP
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'm going to start off with a notice of motion for our next meeting:
That Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) provide to the Committee a copy of the contract for rehabilitation services between VAC and Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services by November 25, 2022.
That's a notice of motion. I will be giving you a copy of that for our next meeting, Mr. Chair.
I'm really concerned when, in testimony we've heard, I see $14 million a year provided to Veterans Affairs Canada and over $100 million a year going into this contract. It strikes me, particularly given the lack of preparation for the transition that takes place in 120 hours, that we are showing profound disrespect to our veterans.
The government has not prepared the grounds on this, and the government obviously has money for engaging private firms. That money should be invested in Veterans Affairs, and they deserve—all our veterans deserve—the highest quality of service possible.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Julian.
This panel has finished.
On my behalf and on behalf of the committee members, I would like to thank the witnesses for being here.
From Veterans Affairs, we had Mr. Steven Harris, assistant deputy minister, service delivery branch, Ms. Jane Hicks, acting director general, service delivery and program management, and Ms. Nathalie Pham, senior director, operational and strategic affairs.
By video conference, we were also joined by representatives of the Partners in Canadian Veterans Rehabilitation Services, Ms. Tania Bennett, chief executive officer and executive sponsor, WCG Services, Mr. Gilles Chabot, chief operating officer, Lifemark, and Ms. Paulette Gardiner Millar, contract manager.
We will now suspend and go in camera. I invite the members participating remotely to use the new link sent to them.
The meeting is suspended.
[Proceedings continue in camera]