Evidence of meeting #94 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 questions.
A recording is available from Parliament.
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you very much.
Now we have time for two quick interventions, if you need it. We have maybe one and a half minutes for Mr. Dowdall and for Ms. Hepfner, if you really need them, because we have to vote on the main estimates.
The floor is yours, Mr. Dowdall.
6:50 p.m.
Conservative
Terry Dowdall Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm certainly glad to have everyone here tonight.
I have a follow-up question. In my riding, we have a food bank that I visited. It is getting a lot of military members and veterans going there and, with the cost of living, they can't find any place to live. Are you hearing a lot of that from the people who you talk to in your office? I guess the people who might report to you would probably be there, but is it a discussion that you guys carry on there to see how we can solve that part and the frustrations?
6:50 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Veterans Affairs
One issue that we do pay attention to and offer to any veteran is what we've termed as the "veterans emergency fund", which can provide a one-time payment of up to $10,000 to a veteran and their family who may be facing a difficult circumstance.
We do offer that. We pay attention to the veterans who come forward seeking that and the circumstances they find themselves in.
6:50 p.m.
Conservative
Terry Dowdall Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
What I'm trying to say is, are you proactive when you deal with the government officials who come in? Is there anyone in your organization who highlights why we're seeing what we're seeing here, particularly now? Is there not some direction we can take to hopefully perhaps lower some of those costs for those veterans so that they will be able to buy some food and have somewhere to live? Is there anybody in the organization who forwards that and says that maybe we have to think of a different way or different solutions?
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
6:50 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Veterans Affairs
We are very much focused on the wellness of the entire veteran, including their economic wellness. We are constantly looking for ways in which we can improve that wellness, including economic wellness, through research analysis and engagement with the veterans themselves. We are looking for opportunities to ensure that their needs are being met economically.
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Ledwell. Thank you so much.
Ms. Hepfner, go ahead quickly, please.
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lisa Hepfner Liberal Hamilton Mountain, ON
Thank you, Chair. We know that we haven't always properly recognized indigenous veterans in this country. Can you tell us more about the commemorative partnership program and how that works and maybe about other supports we've put into place for indigenous veterans?
6:50 p.m.
Deputy Minister, Department of Veterans Affairs
I will encourage my colleague Amy Meunier to answer that. She is our indigenous champion and is also responsible for commemoration. Let me say that the work of reaching out and working alongside indigenous leadership has been really critical in that, so that the indigenous veterans and their communities that support them recognize the significance of their service. That is being done together with them, and that's critically important. But perhaps there are just a few seconds—
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
Lisa Hepfner Liberal Hamilton Mountain, ON
Maybe I'll just ask a more specific question quickly if I have the time. In Six Nations, there's a former residential school, and the Woodland Cultural Centre is right next door. The community wants to rebuild that centre for arts and history and everything else, but if there's another section of that in which they're recognizing indigenous veterans, could they access some funds from this program?
6:50 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Commemoration and Public Affairs Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs
Yes.
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
You have your answer. Thank you so much.
We now have to vote on the estimates, which is extremely important.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Vote 1—Operating expenditures..........$1,368,262,515 Vote 5—Grants and contributions..........$4,800,622,351
(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to on division)
VETERANS REVIEW AND APPEAL BOARD Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$20,045,176
(Vote 1 agreed to on division)
Shall the chair report the main estimates for 2024-25, less the amounts granted in interim supply, to the House?
6:50 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
On division.
6:50 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Before bidding them farewell, I want to thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee.
For the second hour we had with us from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Paul Ledwell, deputy minister; Steven Harris, senior assistant deputy minister, service delivery branch; Sara Lantz, assistant deputy minister, chief financial officer and corporate services; Amy Meunier, assistant deputy minister, commemoration and public affairs branch by video conference, and Pierre Tessier, assistant deputy minister, strategic policy planning and performance branch.
I will remind the department that the committee has asked the minister for documents to be provided. I would ask the department to send those documents to the clerk of the committee.
If committee members have no objection to our considering Mr. Richards' motion for the documents when we return from the constituency week, I will instruct the clerk to send out the notice after the constituency week.
If it is now the will of the committee to adjourn, I will thank the technical team, the interpreters, the analysts and the clerks.
The meeting is adjourned.
