Evidence of meeting #36 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 skills.
A recording is available from Parliament.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
8:25 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions
I didn't hear the question very well, but I think Mr. Rogers asked what fields should be prioritized for veterans.
I don't believe that there is any particular field that needs to be focused on. As Mr. Davis was saying, every individual has followed a different course. After having been a service member for many years and having given to their country, the time will come for them to change and do what they want in life. For me, it was occupational health and safety, because I was very much attracted to it from the human standpoint.
Having people with expertise…
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Tremblay, I've stretched the 15 seconds to the max.
Ms. Michaud, you have the floor for three minutes.
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Tremblay, I'll give you the opportunity to finish what you were saying, if you'd like. It sounded interesting.
8:30 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions
Generally speaking, if we really want to help veterans, they need to be asked at the outset what they're interested in. After that, their task needs to be facilitated, because it's often not clear and they wonder where they're going to find the resources. It's true that there are some good programs, but concretely, the steps to be followed are not obvious. What I wanted to do was work on prevention in the occupational health & safety field. I had received various kinds of training, and I had also trained others, but I didn't know what the next step should be.
In the military, things have already been mapped out. If someone is encouraged to achieve their objective of working in health & safety, they won't know how to go about it. These things have to be facilitated. It's not enough to just coach them, because facilitating the process is what's really needed. They need to be presented with concrete programs and given whatever help they require. This means making things that are not obvious more concrete. That's what would be most useful in facilitating the lives of veterans.
8:30 p.m.
Bloc
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
That's interesting. Thank you very much.
I will end by speaking to you about professional and personal feelings of satisfaction. Despite the 4.5% unemployment rate, compared to the 6.6% rate for Quebec's and Canada's civilian population, veterans are apparently more likely than others to say they are dissatisfied or not being used to their full potential.
One solution to that could be something like going into business, in something that they really like, and to become self-employed. That may not have been your experience because you had been a police officer before starting a business, but do you think that entrepreneurship could be a default option for veterans to consider? In view of the lack of coaching or mentoring for entering a specific field, and the problems in having their prior learning recognized, might it not be easier for them to start a business?
Have you heard about things like this or do you feel that veterans would work even harder if they were to become entrepreneurs? You obviously have your own story to tell, but what do you hear from people you know?
8:30 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions
I've seen a lot of former members of the military start a business. They tell themselves they're going to go into business, be their own boss and do what they want. However, they are often fooling themselves by thinking that because they've been in the military, and have training and leadership skills, they have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship has its benefits, but it can be extremely difficult from the mental, moral and family standpoints. It's easy to fall into a trap.
I think that service members who say they have a good idea and would like to pursue it could be mentored by veterans and by the Canadian Armed Forces. I believe it would be a worthwhile investment to coach them through their projects. There are mentors, like retired former entrepreneurs who have had very successful careers and who would be willing to help people who want to start their own business. That form of collaboration would be excellent.
8:30 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you for your intervention, Mr. Tremblay.
Now I'd like to invite Ms. Rachel Blaney for three minutes, please.
8:30 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you.
My question is for Mr. Tremblay.
I feel very concerned that we are making you work so hard when you have so many serious things to look after in your household that I know are taking a lot of energy.
My question for you is actually two in one.
The first question is about specific challenges that you think reservists face in their transition. The second part is that we have also heard from research that one of the biggest gaps in supports for veterans involves entrepreneurship.
I wonder if you could speak to what would be supportive for a veteran who's considering entrepreneurship to move forward.
8:35 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions
To begin with, veterans should be mentored and taught how to manage a business budget. Managing a personal budget and a business budget are two very different things. In the military, you don't learn how to manage a budget at all because it's not really part of military life as such. For entrepreneurs, however, it's extremely important.
You make your own luck, and I was lucky to some extent because my idea worked. I listened to a lot of advice from business leaders and adopted a business model that works extremely well, which is why we have been so successful.
However, whether you want it or not, there's always the question of financial aid. You can go into business from one day to the next with a small federal pension plan and a small provincial pension plan, but it might take several years before you can pay yourself a salary. It's therefore important to know how to manage a budget.
If the Canadian Armed Forces wanted to train entrepreneurs, then they would have to begin by providing mentoring sessions to really show people what entrepreneurship is. The entrepreneurial environment is not a bed of roses; it's difficult, people are often negative, there's a lot of competition, and mutual assistance is hard to come by.
Fortunately, there are more and more mentoring associations or former business leaders who have sold their business and would like, after retiring, to pass on their knowledge. If the Canadian Armed Forces could work with these associations and business leaders, it would be extremely beneficial to our veterans from the entrepreneurial standpoint.
As for reservists, I know that you asked a question…
8:35 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Well, it looks like we have just a few seconds left.
I'm just trying to identify what the biggest challenges are for folks who are reservists transitioning into employment. We have no time and I don't want to upset the chair, so if you do have time to write those down and send that information to the clerk, I would really appreciate it.
8:35 p.m.
Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions
You could call me on my cell phone, if you wish, and we could talk about it.
8:35 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you.
I won't be upset, Ms. Blaney. It's okay.
That's the end of the discussion with the second group of witnesses, whom I would like to thank for their contribution to our study.
On behalf of members, I thank Mr. Harold Davis, President of Persian Gulf Veterans of Canada.
I'd also like to thank Mr. Alexandre Tremblay, Chief Executive Officer, Safety and Health, Prévactions.
Once again, thank you very much.
I'd like to tell the committee members that all our witnesses have been confirmed for next week.
On Monday and on Thursday we have full houses, and I invite you to follow our committee.
On that note, before ending, I'd like to thank the entire technical team, the clerk and the analyst, who have been with us during the meeting. I would also like to thank the interpreters, who informed us when they were having a little bit of trouble.
Is it the will of the committee to adjourn the meeting?
8:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.