Veterans Affairs Committee on April 13th, 2026

[Duncan McSporran]

Yes, I do, particularly in those high-value sectors that I look at particularly. It's literally about the ability to speak to people and to have discussions about how a business plan might evolve.

If you're looking at defence, I have a team here in New Brunswick that has a fantastic solution. They asked me for some help, and I said that, yes, I'd try to do the introduction, and the introduction I got to a world-class solution was, “We can't speak to them because there's no mechanism for us to make that look fair. We can't speak to them without speaking to the big companies.”

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

I'm very sorry. I have to interrupt. Thank you very much.

Ms. Gaudreau, you have the floor for two and a half minutes.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

My next question is for Mr. Stroesser.

First, thank you very much for speaking French—your French is impeccable. It allows for a smoother conversation, since I can speak more quickly. Otherwise, I waste time.

We were talking about grants, guaranteed loans and interest-free loans. Do you think you're being discriminated against compared to ordinary people, like me, who started a business about 10 years ago?

[Nicholas Stroesser]

I don't know if I'm being discriminated against, but, as I said, my personal finances aren't always in great shape. So, even if I tell the bank that I need a little money for my business, I'm not eligible for a loan.

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

So you're in the same situation as any entrepreneur who lacks the capital to start their business.

[Nicholas Stroesser]

That's right.

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

Okay.

What I'm getting at is that I realize we need reform and a review of the eligibility and award criteria to maintain benefits as long as people have job security. In business, it's always uncertain.

[Nicholas Stroesser]

Yes, that's right.

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

In all testimonies, we've heard that every dollar earned above a certain threshold—I think it's around $20,000—is deducted from benefits. So that's one thing.

Next, we must also ensure that veterans receive equitable support and that they have, at the very least, a list of available resources. In Quebec, for example, there's the Maison de l'entrepreneur. I'm thinking of people who provide assistance with human resources, among other things, with funding from Ottawa, funding from the provinces, and so on. It's all there.

Would you agree that you'd be in a good position with that?

I ask that you answer yes or no, because my time is up.

[Nicholas Stroesser]

Yes, certainly. As I said, one day, I would like to be someone who can help veteran entrepreneurs, but I'm not yet in a position where I can do that.

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

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

We have about five minutes left before we change witnesses for the second hour. I will therefore give Mr. Richards and Mr. Casey the opportunity to ask other questions.

Mr. Richards, you have two and a half minutes, and we'll finish with Mr. Casey for two and a half minutes.

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

For anyone who wants to answer it, I have a more general business-related question that is not specific to veterans. You might be able to help with it.

Over the last 10 years, we've seen a significant shift. It used to be, 10 years ago, that when a Canadian started a business, it was in Canada two-thirds of the time and elsewhere one-third of the time. Now it's reversed, and two-thirds of those businesses are being started outside of Canada.

I'm wondering if anyone here has any comments or thoughts around why that might be and if there's anything we could suggest that could improve that. Just put your hand up.

I'll start with you, Mr. McSporran.

[Duncan McSporran]

I'll give a quick answer. Obviously, this is very much in the technical space. Of all companies in Canada that receive $1 million or more in equity, 50% are now outside of Canada. Part of the reason for that is that our start-ups are undervalued, and that's not just in the tech sector. We really don't place enough value on those start-ups, and when it comes to veterans, it's even lower, because I don't think we understand the value that veterans bring to the business ecosystem when they start a company.

Those are just my thoughts and opinions.

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

Thank you.

I'd like to see if you have any thoughts on how we could improve that, but I want to give the other two a chance to comment on this first, if they have any.

[Heather Vanderveer]

Can you ask the question again, please? I'm sorry.

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

What we're seeing is that more and more Canadian entrepreneurs are choosing to start their businesses outside of Canada. I want to know if you can elaborate on what you see as the reasons for that and what we might be able to do to help fix it.

[Heather Vanderveer]

Yes, I can, because we have been in talks with different organizations in the U.S. about the workshops and programs we offer, and right now there's a huge interest and a huge buy-in.

When we offer them here, the first thing we're told is that we do not have a degree in psychology, but you don't need a degree in psychology to offer peer support. Again, when we offer our workshops, they're not from a mental health professional. They're from a psycho-educational professional.

That is what we run into. When we present this in the States, they see the value of peer support.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you.

Mr. Casey, you have two and a half minutes.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Mr. Stroesser, I don't have a question for you, but I have a request of you. Please have a look at jobbank.gc.ca/hiring/veterans. That is a veterans job bank. The committee would be most interested in your feedback as someone who has encountered some frustration. Please feel free to follow up with the committee once you have a look at that.

[Nicholas Stroesser]

Certainly.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. McSporran, you didn't get a chance to complete your opening statement at the outset, and what you had to say I found fascinating. Can you go back and see what was left out and finish it now?

[Duncan McSporran]

I'm sorry, Mr. Casey. That window shut when I went out from it, unfortunately.

In essence, it was really focused on the value that veterans bring in and, in particular, the way in which.... Everybody talks about “agile methodology” in business. The agile methodology is based on the focus brought by the end-user. Everybody forgets that the veterans coming out have been the end-users. That allows people, particularly in the defence and national security environments, to create the solutions we need nationally.

I'll use one statistic for you. The largest Canadian-owned defence company is CAE, which will be familiar to many. It's the 74th-largest defence company in the world. All the rest of our defence contracts are flowing to big companies where the IP doesn't sit in Canada. We can improve that by using small and medium-sized businesses that are set up by veterans who know the solution the forces need.

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Thank you.

Ms. Vanderveer, you mentioned a frustration around the interaction between benefits and entrepreneurial income. There has been a motion placed on notice to increase the threshold for those on the income replacement benefit by 75%. Do you think that would help?

[Heather Vanderveer]

Absolutely, it would help.