Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 19th, 2023

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you, Mr. Desilets.

The last intervention by committee members is going to come from Ms. Blaney for two and a half minutes, please.

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

Thank you, Chair.

I want to acknowledge again that I appreciate the minister for meeting with my friend Phil. I know he has no resources, and it's a shame having a veteran starving on our doorsteps. I really appreciate it and hope that it's dealt with as urgently as is required.

I have a question about the veteran and family well-being fund. My office has heard from a lot of smaller organizations that their applications for funding are being denied. I am seeing that a lot of larger organizations are often receiving very significant amounts of money.

Could the minister share with the committee how the decisions are made, who is making the decisions and whether there's clear criteria for how those decisions are being made?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

We certainly recognize, Ms. Blaney, that the veteran well-being fund is very much oversubscribed in many cases. Yes, many organizations apply for those funds. One thing is for certain, however. If those organizations want the feedback as to why they didn't qualify, they can always reach out to the department and get a bit of information with respect to that. That is my understanding.

Paul, go ahead.

[Paul Ledwell]

As the minister has indicated, there is an oversubscription to the program, but it has also been very successful. I would say there's been quite a mix of very small, focused, localized organizations and some larger organizations that are working on a pan-Canadian basis. Really, the effort is about finding supports for key issues around women's health, around homelessness, around indigenous—

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

I have less than a minute.

[Paul Ledwell]

There is a very clear process to come to terms on every application that comes in.

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

Thank you.

A proposal did come to the minister's office back in June from a group that's working on a project called the Burns Way. They haven't heard anything back. I have met with the group, and it sounds like their project really focuses on connecting veterans to veterans. I think that is something incredibly important. I'm wondering if they will hear back, and I hope the minister will meet with them to discuss how this might be a project that could move forward.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

I'll certainly ask my officials, Ms. Blaney, to follow up on that application. I don't have any of the details surrounding that application, but we'll certainly follow up.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you very much, Ms. Blaney.

I've heard a few times, Madam Minister, that you're coming back to us. If there's anything, please feel free to send it to the clerk of the committee.

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, NB]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Yes, I look forward to it.

I would like to take a moment to thank the veterans as well who are in the room here today. I know it's been a long two hours, but I again want to thank them for being here and for their service.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Thank you very much.

On that note, I would also like to thank you for being here. Allow me to wish you the best before you leave.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've had with us the Hon. Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and associate minister of National Defence.

She was accompanied by Steven Harris, assistant deputy minister of the service delivery branch; Sara Lantz, assistant deputy minister of chief financial officer and corporate services; Paul Ledwell, deputy minister; Amy Meunier, assistant deputy minister of strategic policy and commemoration; and Pierre Tessier, assistant deputy minister of the strategic policy, planning and performance branch.

I would also like to inform committee members that next week we will be continuing our study on the experience of women veterans. We have the list of witnesses who will be appearing.

Would you like to say something, Mr. Richards?

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

The minister's appearance along with the Minister of Canadian Heritage has been mentioned a couple of times, which I think is due by mid-November, based on the motion. Do we have any update on when those ministers will be appearing together?

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

The clerk is in contact with the—

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

We do have the Minister of Veterans Affairs here. Maybe she could give some indication about when she's available now.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Okay. The clerk will get in touch with those ministers to fulfill that motion we adopted to hold this meeting.

Is it the pleasure of the committee to adjourn the meeting?

Seeing no objection, the meeting is adjourned.