Veterans Affairs Committee on May 8th, 2024

[Paul Ledwell]

I'm happy to start and to invite others....

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Answer as quickly as possible because I do have a number of questions, and there are four of you.

[Paul Ledwell]

First of all, I'll thank you for raising this question and for identifying this issue. It's something that we do track, that we pay attention to, because it is very important to understand how our veterans are doing economically.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Do you know why? I want the why.

[Paul Ledwell]

The survey that is drawn for the year where there is 17% is a different sample size than the survey from before. We have broadened the veterans from whom we are seeking information. The veteran health research survey is the one that we are using now. It's a much broader sample size.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Okay, so, it's a larger sample size. Obviously, if there are more people, it's a higher percentage of the number. It's not staying at the same percentage of the sample size.

[Paul Ledwell]

That's right, so in this regard, we want it to be transparent because it is an issue that's very important to report on. However, as the report indicates, it's drawn from two different styles of surveys. The second, the larger survey, includes—

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

That's good. That gives me an answer. Thank you very much.

It still concerns me because that's a significant number of our veterans who are below the low income measure. Knowing the high inflation that we've been facing, the increase in the cost of food and gas and all of those basic life necessities because of the carbon tax.... This is impacting our veterans significantly. It does concern me that there are even that many below the low income measure.

That being said, I would like some conversation around the $11.7 million that is for "other transfers to persons", which is a little cryptic to me. I don't know what that means. It says that these transfers include "the various benefits paid to low-income war veterans under the War Veterans Allowance Act", yet we're seeing that this amount has seen a 130% reduction in transfers to other persons. How does that impact our low-income veterans when they're actually seeing less?

[Paul Ledwell]

If I could just clarify which document you're referring to in that regard....

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

It's from your report on the estimates.

Alice, can you help me?

The table is titled "Other Transfers to Persons". It's had a decrease in percentage terms of 130.8%. It's gone from $15,262,999 to $11,667,500. There's less money there, and that's impacting the various benefits that are then paid to low-income war veterans under the War Veterans Allowance Act.

[Paul Ledwell]

The principal effect, Mr. Chair, of all of our programs is to provide the adequate supports to those veterans who come forward to seek those particular supports through various programs, including in this program.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Okay, but in light of the increased cost of living now, we're actually spending less on meeting those needs of our veterans.

[Paul Ledwell]

Well, these programs would be demand-driven, so these are veterans who are coming forward to seek those supports. The funds are provided to the veterans who make application, and year over year, that would be the case.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Okay, thank you.

It then says that "certain programs offered under the Veterans Well-Being Act", the new Veterans Charter, are impacted under this "Other Transfers to Persons" category, which has seen a 130% reduction in transfers. One of them it mentions is the critical injury benefit.

As far as I'm aware, there have only been two awards, one to an individual and then.... Well, the one that I'm specifically referring to is Stephanie Hayward. In her testimony, she says, “Having received an award in 2021 of 21% for sexual dysfunction and the first critical injury benefit for sexual assault in 2021, and also other disability claims that equal 100% due to my military conditions,” and goes on to talk about how she really has not received good treatment. However, she received the first critical injury benefit for sexual assault in 2021.

Clearly, this is an ongoing issue. Hers was a very horrendous case, but we have decreased the amount of funding available. My understanding is that she was told—and this other individual—that there wouldn't be others awarded. Is the critical injury benefit available to others who have had the same symptoms and struggles as she did? When I look at the requirements for that critical injury benefit, I don't even really see how it is that you came to the decision to give it to her. I'm glad you did.

[The Chair, Liberal, Emmanuel Dubourg]

Mr. Ledwell, you have 25 seconds to answer the question, please.

[Paul Ledwell]

The critical injury benefit is not a benefit. It's a one-time payment—

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Yes, I know.

[Paul Ledwell]

—in recognition of a significant—in many cases tragic—incident—

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

A traumatic....

[Paul Ledwell]

—that has a direct impact: trauma.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Yes, trauma.

[Paul Ledwell]

We have made an adjustment in the policy around the critical injury benefit to allow for it to be offered, to be reflected, to those who might come forward with significant psychological trauma—

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Can I see a copy of those changes to the requirements—

[Paul Ledwell]

Absolutely.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

—and could we please know, then—