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.
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
This is the last intervention.
You have three minutes, please, Mr. Sean Casey.
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to all of our witnesses for your very powerful and courageous testimony.
I'm going to single out Ms. Schultz-Neilsen for a comment and then I'm going to come to you, Captain Siew.
Ms. Schultz-Neilsen, before getting into politics, I practised law for 17 years as a litigator. I see that you were a representative plaintiff on the class action suit, with a $900-million settlement. I don't have a specific question for you, but I want you to know that I read through the statement of claim, and the leadership and courage it would take to be a representative plaintiff and to have all those things in print for all the world to see is quite remarkable.
You have done a tremendous, tremendous service.
8:20 p.m.
Voices
Hear, hear!
8:20 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Captain Siew, you were very blunt, direct, precise and explicit when you were asked what recommendations we should give in our report. You can be pretty darned sure that they're going to end up there.
8:25 p.m.
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
Thank you.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
I see in your background that you were the co-chair of the Minister of Veterans Affairs policy advisory group.
8:25 p.m.
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
No. That's my baby sister in the back of the room, sir.
8:25 p.m.
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
My baby sister in the back of the room, sir. How's that? There you go.
8:25 p.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
8:25 p.m.
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
We've been very careful about that, sir.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
Do you think you could have a word with your baby sister with respect to that advice to make sure that it gets through to that committee? Having it in the report is one thing, but having it discussed at a committee with that sort of leadership will be extremely valuable.
8:25 p.m.
Capt(N) (Ret'd) Louise Siew
Okay, sir.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
I have one minute.
There have been a couple of references today to case managers.
Ms. Arkell, you mentioned, I think, that your case manager referred you to OSI. Could you comment generally on your experience with case managers within Veterans Affairs? That would be helpful.
8:25 p.m.
Major (Retired), As an Individual
I feel like I'm a unique case, because I have an amazing one. I keep telling her that she needs to be cloned. She is fantastic. She is the reason why I don't have panic attacks when I get messages from my VAC—even when I'm struggling, I still freeze.
I'm very close friends with Lisa, and I can't tell you how many times I've answered texts, calls and messages. We have a pact between the two of us to reach out to each other. I can't begin to describe what I watched her go through, and mine is the polar opposite.
We need more case managers with good training who want to be there and aren't using it as a stepping stone to get into the public service, ones who understand trauma-informed care and are dedicated to us. My case manager's limitations are the policy. The policy is tying her hands, but she will fight damn hard for me, and everyone deserves that.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
Sean Casey Liberal Charlottetown, PE
I'm pleased to tell you that your experience isn't unique. It isn't universal, but it isn't unique. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
8:25 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Casey.
Thank you very much. I know that you have a lot to say, but I'm sorry. We have to stop right here. There was a lot of wonderful testimony, and on my behalf and on behalf of the committee, I'd like to thank all of you.
I know that it is not over and that you still have to struggle with some problems.
I wish you much courage.
On behalf of the members of the committee, I would like to acknowledge the five witnesses who have appeared today. As individuals, we had Ms. Carly Arkell, Major (retired); Ms. Lisa Nilsson, Petty Officer 2nd Class (retired), who was participating via videoconference; Ms. Nadine Schultz-Nielsen, Leading Seaman (retired); Ms. Louise Siew, Captain (retired). We also welcomed Ms. Lisa Cyr, Corporal (retired) and owner of Café Félin Ma Langue Aux Chats.
I would also like to thank the interpreters and all the members of the technical team who worked on this meeting.
The meeting is adjourned.