Evidence of meeting #51 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 military.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
Conservative
Fraser Tolmie Conservative Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK
Okay. Thank you for your answer.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Tolmie.
Now I'd like to invite Mr. Churence Rogers for five minutes, please.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to all of our witnesses today. As always, there's some very interesting testimony and some very difficult testimony.
Lieutenant-Colonel Perron, first of all, I see you have a specific two-day retreat or workshop that you're saying is helping women transition to civilian life. Can you tell us a bit more about the retreat type and why you keep the enrolment as it is, at eight to 10 people? Could you maybe even elaborate on some of the successes of these events?
4:45 p.m.
(H), Chief Executive Officer, The Pepper Pod
I will limit my comments to what happens during the retreat because most of that is under a cone of silence and we don't share what happens there.
I can tell you that the essential philosophy of the weekend is that we create such a safe environment that women feel free to share their stories. When they do that, they leave themselves open to judgment. They feel very vulnerable. They take down their masks. They share secrets that they've shared with very few people. When they do that, they are really easy to love because they are defenceless. That's what happens during the weekend. They go through a series of exercises. We end at noon on Sunday. On Sunday, we do mind mapping, which is really just a way for them to plan their next steps as they leave their transition. They get this new tool that they can use to plan their next adventure, trip, transition, challenge or problem. That's what they do.
They come back between four to six weeks after the lifeshop. They come back for a reunion with their tribe. Often they don't even wait that long. They're already going to activities with their new tribe. They go out for coffee, blueberry picking, etc. Then they hold on to each other at different levels.
I myself did the lifeshop 30 years ago. The women I did the lifeshop with are still in my life today—one of them sits on my board—and they're my best friends. This is what transpires at The Pepper Pod. We do a whole bunch of other activities as well. We have a dragon boat racing team. We're doing stand-up paddleboarding, “snow-SHE-ing”—whatever the women want to do.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you very much. That's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping you would get into: the way you conduct these sessions and workshops and so on.
There must be some very inspiring and positive outcomes. Are there any in particular you want to share with us?
4:45 p.m.
(H), Chief Executive Officer, The Pepper Pod
Beyond a shadow of a doubt we are saving lives. Five women have told us that they had put either their insurance or their will and testament up to date before leaving and that they had sold some of their stuff. They're still here today. They are loved by their tribe. They are supported. When they have a knee down, when they have a weak moment, they call on their sisters in arms, and they get the support they need.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you very much.
Dr. Waddington Lamont, how do women hear about your services? What's your outreach? How do you advertise or let them know you're there?
4:50 p.m.
Mental Health Director, Women Warriors’ Healing Garden
I think that, often, the way people find out about us is through word of mouth. Occasionally, we have some media outreach that happens to be very successful. A few months ago—I think it was actually on Christmas Day—CTV gave us a story of one of the veterans who visit us. It was called “A friend named Bert”, and this particular veteran came and talked about her relationship with our donkey. They have a very special relationship, and I think it's fair to say that they love each other. I don't know if I should share this, but she has said that she sometimes likes him better than her husband.
Those kinds of stories, when they're in the media, can really allow us to be seen and heard, but I think the thing I hear most often is, “My friend told me she participated in one of your programs and that I should try it.” I've also heard of tribe members who have participated together at The Pepper Pod and said, “My tribe members did this and they suggested that I come and try this.”
I think word of mouth is the most powerful.
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
Churence Rogers Liberal Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, NL
Thank you very much.
If any of you have particular recommendations—and I've said this to all of our previous witnesses—please pass them along to the committee through the clerk in either written form or some other form. We'd love to have your expertise, knowledge and experience put to good use by your giving us good, solid recommendations that will make this a much stronger study.
Mr. Chair, do I have more time?
4:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
No, you have no more time. I'm sorry.
Thank you, Mr. Rogers.
Mr. Desilets, you only have two and a half minutes.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I know.
Ms. Perron, do you think it would be a good idea for the Canadian Armed Forces or Veterans Affairs Canada, when they are entering an injury or trauma in a medical record, to add the probable or known cause?
4:50 p.m.
(H), Chief Executive Officer, The Pepper Pod
If the victim has suffered trauma in the same way as she might have suffered an injury, then I fully agree. It would be important to enter that in her medical file.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
All right.
Earlier, I was pleased to hear Ms. Hughes say that the records were going to be digitized. I attended a number of court hearings and it was appalling to see photocopies that were no longer legible, requiring people to go and see another specialist. It's ridiculous and unacceptable.
Ms. Perron, do you believe that sexual assault or harassment is decreasing in the Canadian Armed Forces?
4:50 p.m.
(H), Chief Executive Officer, The Pepper Pod
It's hard to answer that question, because I'm no longer in the armed forces.
4:50 p.m.
(H), Chief Executive Officer, The Pepper Pod
Yes. Most of my women veteran friends are about my age. Nevertheless, we still see a lot of women veterans in their 30s who have just left the forces for medical reasons owing to trauma resulting from sexual misconduct. So I don't have percentages, but I can say that while it may be lower than before, it's not dropping fast enough.
And it's not only in the combat units, despite what you often hear. It's also on ships, and in squadrons and military colleges. I've heard about it from people of all ages, and my view is that the numbers are not dropping nearly fast enough.
4:50 p.m.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Ms. Hughes, you said earlier that many claims were being refused because the women hadn't been in a combat role as such. Is that what you said?
4:50 p.m.
Director, Veterans Services, National Headquarters, The Royal Canadian Legion
Sometimes claims are denied because a veteran served as an admin clerk, for example, and they may say, well, an admin clerk types, takes notes, sits at their desk and processes paperwork, basically. However, when you're posted to a base like Petawawa or Gagetown or any of the active bases, you do the same PT that any other soldier does on that base. When you're serving with a unit as a clerk—for example with the infantry unit—you do the same PT that they do every morning.
4:55 p.m.
Director, Veterans Services, National Headquarters, The Royal Canadian Legion
Yes, it is. I agree.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Desilets.
Ms. Blaney, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you so much, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Hughes, I'll come to you. What I'm curious about is whether you have an idea of how many women veterans ask the Legion to help with VAC claims, and, when you get that information...if it's the application. Also, do you denote what is an application and what is an appeal? That's something I'm really curious about.
4:55 p.m.
Director, Veterans Services, National Headquarters, The Royal Canadian Legion
An application is the first time a veteran comes forward and wants to put a disability claim in. If that's denied, the next level is sometimes a departmental review, but that is also with Veterans Affairs Canada.
4:55 p.m.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
That's not what I'm asking. I apologize. I didn't ask you correctly.
First of all, do you know how many women veterans the Legion helps support with their applications or their appeals?