Veterans Affairs Committee on April 27th, 2023

[Rebecca Patterson]

You're actually looking at two completely separate datasets. Because the Canadian Armed Forces has their own health care system, they provide health care. They have access to what we would call epidemiological data to look at things like diagnosis, and sometimes you can find mechanisms of injury.

Veterans Affairs, on the other hand, doesn't provide health care. I apologize if anyone from Veterans Affairs is listening, but they're like an insurance company. They provide benefits and programs and they support them, but they deliver some, not all. They're going to have different datasets.

What is key is that there is collaboration to determine what data needs to be collected so that it becomes useful information to create the cause and effect you were talking about. As I said, data might prevent more people from being injured, especially data on women.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you so much.

Now let's go to Ms. Rachel Blaney for two and a half minutes, please.

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

Thank you so much, Chair.

I want to come back to the idea of data, because it goes back to the idea of invisibility. Again, if you don't track it, you don't know it and then it's invisible. The other part is the feedback loop, which I think is really important.

I'm going to start with Senator Patterson, if that's okay. The departments are not very good at talking to each other. The communication between CAF and VAC is very poor. Trying to support veterans when they get to that stage of their career can be very hard because the data isn't smoothly passed over in such a way that they can look at it and make decisions.

We need to get some ideas. How would that work and how can we encourage those two—and the RCMP as well—to work together?

[Rebecca Patterson]

I have to speak very positively of the Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence and the efforts they put into creating these transition working groups. However, in order to do that, you have to have someone to receive data and someone who wants to receive it. That isn't a criticism towards VAC; I just wanted to establish that framework .

There are already mechanisms in place between VAC and CAF—I cannot speak for the RCMP—to actually create that space. I think they can do it. They know what they're doing and what they need to look for. They have access to funded research through CIMVHR. I'm sure you've heard about that group.

Part of a recommendation would be that we need them to work together to get feedback loops and exchange data so it becomes information. That is what I'd recommend. It's pretty macro level, but there are mechanisms in place that need to be enhanced.

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

I've heard a couple of times about having a women veterans advisory. I'm wondering if you have an idea of a model you think is successful or ideas of what that could look like.

[Rebecca Patterson]

I think we have to remember that we're not the United States of America. While they are our fabulous cousins to the south, we are not them. Our experiences in service are similar but not the same.

If you ask me, “Is there one ideal model?” the answer is always no. We need to look, do the research to figure out what this should look like and talk to veterans.

I think a recommendation could be to consider the development of a model by looking to other models and then coming up with one that is going to work. However, it must include “women”—you have to use that word in it—and go that direction.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you.

Unfortunately, we have to stop there.

Before thanking our witnesses, I would first like to say something to the members of the committee.

You have undoubtedly noticed that we have two clerks this evening, one male and one female. This is because our clerk, Audrée Dallaire, has to leave us. She has been promoted and she is off to another committee. On behalf of the members of the team and myself, I want to thank her for all the work she has done so we are able to hold our meetings the proper way. At the same time, I want to wish Alexandre Sacha Vassiliev, who is succeeding her, a very warm welcome. We will all be available to work with Sacha. Our analyst is always available. He has been here since 2015. It is important to mention that.

Thanks to the witnesses for participating in this meeting, whether in person or virtually, to tell us about their experience and give us their recommendations as part of this important study we are doing on women veterans.

With us were the Hon. Rebecca Patterson, a senator from Ontario, our former colleague Karen McCrimmon, retired lieutenant-colonel, and Lee-Anne Quinn, retired major and nurse practitioner. I invite you to continue to follow our proceedings.

Before suspending the meeting, given that we will be going in camera to discuss committee business, I would remind everyone that only committee members are allowed in the room.

Once again, thanks to the witnesses for participating in our study.

[Proceedings continue in camera]