Evidence of meeting #29 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 going.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC
Thank you.
If you don't mind sharing, can you expand a little on your injury? I understand how disappointed you are with the service you've been receiving right now.
5:20 p.m.
Sergeant (Retired), As an Individual
As far as my injury goes, I was in combat. As much as I took the mental health training seriously before deployment, I think everyone with lived experience will tell you that there's no amount of pretraining you can go through to just walk away from that shit—pardon my language.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC
No problem, and thank you so much.
How is my time, Mr. Chair?
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Wilson Miao Liberal Richmond Centre, BC
Is it possible for me to share my remaining time with my colleague Sean Casey?
December 1st, 2022 / 5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
I'll go back to you, Sergeant Banks.
If the imposition of this contract has no effect on the role of the case manager, and if I were to tell you that after this contract is rolled out—in spite of what you may have heard from various sources—case managers would still approve rehabilitation plans, still monitor and evaluate rehabilitation progress and still coordinate participants' needs, what impact would that have on your opinion of the contract?
5:20 p.m.
Sergeant (Retired), As an Individual
I was sharing anecdotally with my wife the other day that this new contract feels a whole lot like when the bar down the road is closed by the health department and opens two weeks later under new management. I do not believe the status quo is going to be good enough for veterans, and if you took my testimony at face value, I think you can see why.
5:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
We heard in part of your testimony, certainly in the first question that you answered for Mr. Tolmie, that case managers are trying. I did take that at face value. If those case managers who are trying are now supported by having administrative tasks taken away from them in order to be able to focus on the veterans, do you think that's a good thing?
5:25 p.m.
Sergeant (Retired), As an Individual
I would disagree with the phrasing that it's “a good thing” and that it's benefiting them to take administrative processes away from them. The view might be that we're helping them by taking more things off their plates, but what you're doing is taking control away from people who actually have face-to-face interaction with the veterans, the clients, and are now being represented by people who don't care.
5:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Casey.
Thank you, Mr. Banks.
Mr. Desilets, you have the floor for six minutes.
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Gauthier, if I'm not mistaken, you are paraplegic.
How long have you been waiting to have a platform lift at home?
5:25 p.m.
Corporal (Retired), As an Individual
It's been five years.
Actually, this is an equipment renewal. This would be the third platform lift I've received. According to the VAC system, equipment replacement only occurs on renewals.
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
You said earlier that you had to fill out the same paperwork every year. Is this an example of that?
5:25 p.m.
Corporal (Retired), As an Individual
It's a glaring example of that.
Right now, I have to crawl up and down the stairs to get in and out of my home.
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Okay. How long have you been waiting for a new platform lift?
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
5:25 p.m.
Corporal (Retired), As an Individual
We submitted our initial request five years ago. In December 2020, the project was approved, but the subcontractor VAC sent to my home decided to do it in an unsuitable spot. We went back to the department and informed them that the spot they had chosen wasn't suitable. We contacted the department again to inform them that it was an unsuitable spot and that it should installed in the back instead. The Veterans Affairs occupational therapist decided to start the project over again.
5:25 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I believe you have had one or more case managers come to your home, right?