Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 4th, 2026

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'd like to thank the witnesses for being with us.

I think it's really going to be important to highlight in the report certain shortcomings that mean that, unfortunately, you weren't recognized as you should have been to have access to additional help. I say that because younger people with no capital can be helped. People from diverse backgrounds, indigenous peoples and so on, can be helped. This is something that can be adjusted quickly.

We were talking about the pandemic earlier. Before I became a member of Parliament, I was an average citizen who started businesses without capital, who went to organizations like the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation and everywhere else. I was told to keep going, to persevere, as it wouldn't happen without that. I was also told that, if I persevered, I would have a lot of barriers.

This is where I wonder whether, to be an entrepreneur, you really have to have a certain kind of personality because it's difficult. Earlier, we talked about the pandemic. My centre closed first. I lost $200,000 net and almost went bankrupt as a member of Parliament. Yes, that's right.

For me, and I'm not trying to minimize anything, but it's important to visit….

We could talk about seniors who, when their income exceeds a few thousand dollars, no longer receive the pension they contributed to for decades. Again, I'm not saying this to minimize anything. What is important to know today is absolutely what is the very essence that enables you to give all the energy you need to develop your business without having barriers.

Are you being punished or not being rewarded enough?

This is a question for both of you, maybe for Mr. McNish first.

[Richard McNish]

There's an element of—I don't want to say punishment, because it's not a punishment, but it is a disadvantage. Honestly, I don't know what to say. You just have to push through it. If it's your passion and it's something you want to do, you just have to keep going and find your ways to do it with the limitations you have.

The $20,000 clawback that Jody mentioned is a punishment. That's an absolute punishment. If you become successful, they're going to claw that money away from you. There are creative ways around that, but it shouldn't be the norm.

That's all I can really add to that.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you.

Mr.…. I'm looking for your name.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

It's Mr. Mitic.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Mitic, can you answer?

[Jody Mitic]

Thank you.

What's the question? Could you ask it one more time, please?

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Madam Chair, I'll ask for a break because I'm going to do it quickly.

If we look at the entire entrepreneurship population, we see that very, very young people are having issues, facing barriers.

Do you think the treatment you receive is so restrictive as to say that you're being punished, or on the contrary, that you're not being acknowledged enough?

[Jody Mitic]

As Richard said, I don't think it's a punishment, but I think it's a terrible oversight. I honestly have yet to really seek much help from Veterans Affairs. I did manage to do the Prince's Trust entrepreneur workshop in Newfoundland as well as access some of their resources virtually online to help.

I'm not saying I need encouragement or I need a cheerleading squad or anything, but a little bit more of a can-do attitude would be helpful. I'm trying to restart my life with this business and this brand. As Richard kind of pointed out, there's no real acknowledgement, or not that I've seen. Maybe there is in other quarters. It just seems to be a barrier that doesn't need to be there.

[Marie-Hélène Gaudreau, Bloc, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Given that I have only 30 seconds left, I'll stop here. When I have to repeat, I'm sorry, but I have the right to as much time as everyone else. I know you understand that we use both official languages.

I'll ask you the question in my next round, and you can think about it: What about everything you are seeing in terms of support from when you stop serving until your business is set up?

I get the impression that there's really something to work on a great deal because, as the rule dictates, we all stop at a stop sign; we have no choice. So there is a rule, but accommodations can be made. I'd like to hear from you later.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you, Ms. Gaudreau.

So think about that, witnesses, for the next round.

We will now proceed to our second round.

Mr. Tolmie, you have five minutes.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I'd like to start off by thanking both our witnesses for their service.

Mr. Mitic, I don't know if you've ever been to the House of Commons, but the coffee here is really bad.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

We were talking about free samples from Mr. McNish, but if you want to see better production out of your government, I think we could have better coffee here.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

I just got a round of applause from my colleagues.

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

[Technical difficulty—Editor] good place for a new procurement rule.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

A new procurement rule, yes.

I have a couple of things I'd like to cover.

Mr. Mitic, you mentioned “green collar”. You said it didn't matter, or you didn't care what you served or what your qualifications were. Then I heard about Mr. McNish having barriers with respect to access to capital and support.

I'd like you to touch on that, Mr. McNish. I know that it's a very delicate subject, but I think we need to have some honest answers for this committee about the challenges. If Mr. Mitic doesn't care, and just looks at you because you've served, shouldn't we be doing the same thing for veterans?

[Richard McNish]

The easy answer is yes.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Okay.

[Richard McNish]

We should be doing the same. A veteran is a veteran. The definition doesn't change because of background or service record or whatever. You're a veteran. Everybody should have equal opportunity. As I mentioned earlier, Veterans Affairs Canada needs to recognize that entrepreneurship is a transition. It is a means to a new life. There is more out there than going to school and being retrained. Whether you were a private or a full colonel or the chief of the defence staff, you have skills that have been developed that work and transfer over. They need to be utilized and fostered and grown. Allow them to do it.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

Then my next question is, do you believe Veterans Affairs interferes with the quality of your life afterwards? My belief is that if you've served and you're entitled to benefits, you should be able to access them. From the witnesses we hear from, it seems that if you make a certain amount of income, you don't qualify for those benefits that you should qualify for.

Mr. Mitic, I'd like your thoughts on that first.

[Jody Mitic]

I'm sorry. What's the question, sir?

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

If you're entitled to benefits, it seems you're restricted based on your income. Benefits are there to provide for the challenges you face. That should be your base. If you make an income on top of that, my belief is that you should be able to do that.

It seems to be the other way around when it comes to benefits: “Do you know what? You make this amount of income, so we don't have to really pay you for the damages your body has gone through and for the emotional toll.”

[Jody Mitic]

I agree that it is a discouragement. Again, calling it a benefit is a mislabel, in my opinion. When it was implemented in roughly 2018 or 2020—I can't remember when—they called it a pension for life. I kind of forgot about the deposits, because I assumed it was for life. Later on, the administration caught up to me and asked me to prove that I didn't make too much money. Their only concern was that I was making too much money for their files.

It's a very unusual process. I questioned it when I heard about it a long time ago. What's the point of this if it's a pension for life? If it's a payment I've earned losing pieces of my body to high explosives, why would anyone care about a piece of paper? Never mind whether I'm making money or not, this is an income I'm counting on if I don't work again for the rest of my life.

I've had a few jobs. I've made a few bucks here and there. For me, though, the central issue is that, as I said, when the new veterans charter came in, all the financial support I would have received for the rest my life for my injuries was lost. I was allowed to make money, or not make money, as much as I wanted with that system.

To me, the core of my argument and my feeling is that I should be receiving a minimum amount of money per month, for life, from the government for my service injuries. Everything else I can do on top of that is good for me. I don't see why Veterans Affairs should be involved in any way but to encourage and support me.

Again, I don't need a cheerleading squad. I don't need the red carpet rolled out. I can take care of myself, for the most part, but this money is an acknowledgement of what happened.

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

I agree.