Evidence of meeting #84 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 point.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Are there any similarities between the issues your children, Ms. Doucet's children and other people's children are experiencing?
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
Yes. There are similarities we hadn't thought of. We hadn't made the connection. If you look at all the children of people in the military, a large chunk of them have been diagnosed with all kinds of things. It would be helpful to know what they were diagnosed with and how they were affected.
I bring my work clothes home. They are full of toxic chemicals. I throw my uniform in the same washing machine I use to wash baby clothes. The chemicals get on everything. Our coveralls used to be laundered at the hangar to minimize the risks, but that's the old way.
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
They don't do it anymore because we no longer wear coveralls. We keep our uniform on. We take off only our jacket. We work in a T-shirt and cap. At the end of the day, we put it back on.
My boots get dirty. My knees get dirty. If I had both my knees in the fuel, I'm covered in it.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
To your knowledge, there isn't a list of toxic chemicals.
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
There is a list. A study was done on that a while ago. I'm not sure exactly when. The preventive medicine people at the base are supposed to have the list of toxic chemicals, particularly for aircraft structures technician trades. It's no problem to ask CFB Bagotville or CFB Cold Lake for the toxic chemicals list.
Bloc
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
During my 24 years of service, I was supposed to undergo a haz-mat medical exam every two years, but I had just two that whole time. They don't do that exam anymore. It's quite the coincidence now that cases are showing up. We worked on F‑18s for 30 years, so the cases are starting to come out.
Bloc
Luc Desilets Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
You worked in the air force, on F‑18s. In the U.S., do people in situations like yours have an easier time obtaining hazardous material and toxic chemical lists? Is Canada behind on that?
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
Yes, we are. I believe everything is available electronically in the U.S. People can access the lists of chemicals, check the risks, see the health information. They can get the personal protective equipment they need, find out what they should and shouldn't wear.
It's like the drip tray situation Marie‑Ève Doucet was describing when she was here. When the drip tray is full, you empty it into the drainage system. To mitigate the risks, it may be appropriate to have firefighters empty the trays into a reservoir at 5 a.m., before all the technicians, secretaries and personnel arrive at the building.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Desilets.
For the last intervention, I invite Ms. Rachel Blaney to take her six minutes, please.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you for your testimony, everyone.
If I could, I'll start with a quick question for you, Mr. Booth. You talked about the four categories of veterans you work with. One thing that has come up in terms of services to veterans and transition is that often single veterans are left out. Some of them are single with children and some of them are single with no children, and they really lack any support around them.
I'm just wondering if there's any program within the work you do that is aimed specifically at providing for people who are single.
Chief Executive Officer, True Patriot Love Foundation
Thank you. It's a really important point.
Many of our veterans are either geographically or socially isolated, and we know that very often those are the at-risk ones. We've heard very powerfully today about the longer-term impacts on families.
True Patriot Love funds digital support programs. We fund COPE, as it happens. We fund a range that includes CAFKids, run by the children's helpline, and Camp Maple Leaf. A number of programs are available.
As I mentioned earlier in my testimony about the hub, it's very often hard for people to know what's available to them in their local area. One thing we're trying to strengthen is the provision of local information that's specific to someone's personal circumstances, language or culture, wherever they may be sited.
There are programs available. They tend to be localized and are probably hard for families to access, particularly those who may be struggling as a lone parent or who are socially isolated.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you very much. That is very helpful.
Ms. Cox, I want to thank you for your service, of course, and for your testimony today.
The question I have for you is around the time you were serving in the CAF. You've talked a lot today about the toxic exposure you had. I'm curious. Were you provided with appropriate PPE? How did they work with you when you were pregnant to protect you?
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
They didn't. As I said before, I had to fight tooth and nail to get space away from PRC. The MSDS says the first thing it attacks is the brain. I had to go to a medical doctor and fight for that. Once I came back, I asked to be off the flight line. They said, no, an office was enough. I knew it wasn't enough. The airlines in Bagotville don't pass the air test. They empty the building so the painters paint at night, because the building is not adequate.
What was your other question?
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
No. I remember fixing radomes. I fixed radomes a lot, and it's heat. You are grinding burnt fibres inside the radome produced by static electricity. It is fibreglass, so you're in that dome with the fibreglass. Zoom-zoom, you're doing that and you're having to clean with ketone, which actually melts gloves. That repair takes three or four days, and it's hot. My mask would go down. It was the smallest 3M I could find. As it went down, it would create pockets of air where I was breathing burnt carcinogenic fibres directly into my lungs.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
To follow up on that, in terms of transition, when you did your medical release, did they do anything to look at those realities? Did you get a haz-mat medical?
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
No. I requested a haz-mat medical. I requested a list of haz-mat products that were carcinogenic. I was not provided with any of it.
NDP
Aircraft Structural Technician, As an Individual
Yes, without a haz-mat medical.
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
I would assume, then, and please clarify if I'm wrong, that if you don't have that as part of your release, when you're accessing services at VAC.... Is there any recognition of that background or any medical that VAC provided?