Evidence of meeting #58 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 women.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
I'll go.
For the CF, I think they should document the conditions of service that women experienced in the seventies, eighties and nineties. That includes equipment, trauma, all the activities they know about. When Lieutenant-General Bourgon testified, she acknowledged these things. They need to document them. They need to pass them to Veterans Affairs, and Veterans Affairs needs to consider these as the documents and records, so women don't have to prove these things themselves. I think that's my number one recommendation on the CF side.
On the VAC side, they need to look at the low-hanging fruit on those two bad things they have: the entitlement eligibility guidelines and the table of disabilities. They should focus in on the cumulative joint trauma guidelines. It's a low-hanging fruit. If they started to deal with that one and identified those things that affect women in terms of their joints, there would be lots more claims coming in from women who have nothing on their files.
There you go. There are my top two.
Corporal (Retired) and Owner, Ma Langue Aux Chats Cat Café
I have two recommendations to make.
If someone files a complaint inside the organization, whether it's for sexual or psychological assault, and there's a recognized investigation, there needs to be follow-up outside as well, and sanctions be possible. The person who has been assaulted needs to know what has been done. Otherwise, we don't encourage other people to go through the whole complaint process, which is arduous...
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
I apologize for interrupting you, but the House bells are ringing.
We have votes in about 30 minutes.
First of all, Mr. Tolmie and Mr. Desilets would like to intervene.
Mr. Tolmie.
Conservative
Fraser Tolmie Conservative Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
We will allow for another 15 minutes to respect the witnesses that we have here. We need to be in the House, so we will go for another 15 minutes, if you don't mind.
Liberal
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I don't quite agree. We have five witnesses. We would be able to go ahead and vote even if we continued the meeting until five minutes before the end of the division bells. I would ask that, out of respect for the witnesses, we stay here as long as possible.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Are there any other comments?
I need the committee's consent.
Would Mrs. Wagantall like to say something? No.
It was initially proposed to continue the meeting until 15 minutes before the vote.
Will it be 15 minutes or five minutes before the vote?
What does the committee intend to do?
Mr. Samson, you have the floor.
Liberal
Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS
We are prepared to stay here until five minutes before the end of the division bell.
Conservative
Fraser Tolmie Conservative Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK
We're only here for 15 minutes. That's no disrespect to those who have come tonight.
As I started off in questioning, we recognize that the testimonies are very important to us, but unfortunately we have some procedures we need to follow. We are required in the House.
Conservative
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
I want to say the same. We strongly value everything you have to offer in your testimony. Thank you. I hope to speak to each of you again as well.
We have a scenario here where our values are being challenged. You know how important it is to take that stand when you need to. It's important that we be in the House for this vote.
I apologize.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
We will stop at 8:25. Right now have we only two minutes left in your questions, Mr. Rogers.
Please go ahead.
Leading Seaman (Retired), As an Individual
As far as Veterans Affairs, I'd like to see more access to programs that encourage both mental health and physical activity.
For example, there are a lot of equestrian programs out there for veterans to spend time with horses, but in a lot of those programs, you can't ride the horses. Veterans want to not just pet the horses. They want to ride the horses. We want to have the physical activity because it's the movement. Its the physical activity that helps me the most.
Major (Retired), As an Individual
I have two things.
One is for Veterans Affairs specifically. It's to review the table of benefits and update it to cover the modern veteran. It's not men from World War II. It's gender, types of injuries and types of accumulated trauma.
The second one is sort of a recommendation, but it's also a challenge to all members of the committee and to all members of Parliament to take back to your caucus members. With all legislation and all policies that come—as proposals, drafts or reviews—it's to consider the impact on veterans and on veterans' families, the opportunities to help us and the negative impacts on us too.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you very much.
I give Mr. Luc Desilets the floor for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Cyr, you alluded earlier to an amount of $27,000 that the insurance company is claiming from you for an overpayment. Were you informed, at any point, of what to do?
Corporal (Retired) and Owner, Ma Langue Aux Chats Cat Café
No, never. When I said I'd started a business to save my life and help my peers, I was asked to send in my tax returns. At the time, the café was operating at a loss, but for these people, it was income. At the time, I had started the restaurant with a friend. I was asked to pay $27,000. I was discharged from the forces in September, and that's how much I was charged for the period from September to December. My friend was asked to pay $47,000, and she ended up withdrawing from the café because she couldn't take the harassment from Manulife any more. Yet we were just trying to help each other.
As I told you, that's when I learned that Veterans Affairs wasn't giving me my 15% salary. Because of this, I was unable to reapply to Veterans Affairs Canada for reimbursement. I called the ombudsman, and it's still not resolved, because I'm told I hadn't made the claims.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Your café doesn't generate any income. You even operate at a loss. You're offering a service, as described earlier, but you're still being asked to pay $27,000.
