Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 21st, 2025

[Steven Harris]

I totally understand your question, and the fact is we work very hard to support everyone.

What else could we do? Every day we should be trying to improve the well-being of those we can help. That's the reality. Sometimes we help them early, sometimes late. The situation could go on for 10 years. They will always need our help. Even when we intervene late, we make sure their file keeps moving forward.

That's what my team does. It works hard to deliver services to our men and women veterans.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

This completes our first round of questions.

We will now start our second round.

Mrs. Wagantall, you have the floor for five minutes.

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

Thank you, Chair.

I want to get clarity on something. A growing number of applications are exceeding the 16-week standard. That was what was found in the status overview of the mandate letter in November 2024. It also stated that it is critical that we receive a new funding decision as soon as possible to arrest the current level of attrition among temporary decision-makers and to support ongoing efforts in leveraging new technologies. This was an ask, and you indicated, Mr. Tessier, that, in 2025, $7.8 billion was spent. Did that include taking care of this issue, or are we waiting until the November budget to see some improvements in this area?

[Pierre Tessier]

In terms of the $7.8 billion, that includes forecasted funds for current resources not beyond April 2026.

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

Were any of those resources applied to this request to deal with this?

Mr. Harris, do you have something to say to that just briefly? I have one more question that I would like to ask.

[Steven Harris]

Those resources are applied to work on reducing wait times, including disability backlogs, absolutely.

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

Specifically in response to the need for more decision-makers, I don't know what that means exactly. Maybe if I have time, I'll get an answer to that, too.

The Prime Minister also instructed every department to find cost savings of 7%, but we're saying here that 90% flows to the veterans. The veterans are asking where this cut is going to take place. Does the department assist in determining where that could be done to cause the least impact in that process? It has to be done by the summer.

[Christine McDowell]

Thank you for the question.

I believe I'm going to turn to Pierre and Mitch.

[Mitch Freeman]

I'm happy to start.

As you are pointing out, all departments are part of the particular exercise you are referencing. Veterans Affairs, of course, is part of it as well. That is a process that's in flight at the moment and without decisions, so I'm not in a position to speak any more broadly to that, simply because I don't know the answers.

Veterans Affairs is part of it, like all of our other departments across government.

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

You can respond briefly.

[Pierre Tessier]

Just to be more precise in terms of where the exercise reductions are being made, the focus is really on the remainder, not on the 94%. It's really internal efficiencies.

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

This is a bit of a unique question.

I have a passion for the service dog program and how that could be making a huge difference in our veterans' lives. I know it's the Wild West out there right now. We still don't have standards federally; we do need them.

At the same time, it's very clear there's so much information that shows this makes a huge difference in veterans' lives, to the point where they need far fewer pharmaceuticals and drugs to treat themselves, which cost this department a huge amount of money.

I would like to hear whether the department is strongly going to encourage our new minister to take this really seriously. Let's get this done.

[Christine McDowell]

Thank you for the question.

Madam Chair, I'd like to turn to Mitch Freeman to respond to that, please.

[Mitch Freeman]

I would highlight a couple of things.

Certainly, Veterans Affairs is always looking for ways to benefit the veteran community, and service dogs are a recurring theme in this particular item. As you said, it's also the Wild West from a standards and applicability point of view.

There are a couple of things. Veterans Affairs is, of course, taking it seriously to the point of funding some organizations, particularly Wounded Warriors, through the veteran and family well-being fund, in order to progress their work on service dogs. They've done some tremendous work.

In parallel, we're really closely monitoring the work that the U.S. VA is doing. They have a program around training dogs by veterans. They invite veterans in.

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

I totally hear you, and I affirm that.

I would encourage you to look within Canada. If you need some suggestions, I can let you know where it is being done remarkably and credibly. They already have accreditation. Those dogs work with the veterans from the very beginning, and they do not cost the veterans anything. We have dogs that are being sold to veterans for $30,000 when that is not needed. We have wonderful organizations in this country that are charitable and can do the work. Please look within. Saskatchewan is a good place to look.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

I'm so sorry, Madam Wagantall. I was listening to the conversation myself, but I will have to ask Madame Auguste to go ahead for five minutes.

[Tatiana Auguste, Liberal, Terrebonne, QC]

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

During its October 9 meeting, the committee heard from Captain Hélène Le Scelleur regarding the Highway of Heroes incident.

What measures has the department taken to ensure that veterans aren't the victims of identity theft or a privacy breach, not to mention the trauma that comes with that?

Are there safeguards to make sure that this type of situation won't happen again?

[Christine McDowell]

Thank you for the question.

Ms. Meunier, I'd like to comment on this.

We consider this to be a very unfortunate incident, I assure you.

We have undertaken internally a series of reviews to make sure we have the checks and balances set up so that when we are funding organizations, they are clear on their responsibilities and we're executing oversight to ensure these kinds of errors don't happen with these funding arrangements.

Amy, can you offer more, please?

[Amy Meunier, Assistant Deputy Minister, Commemoration and Public Affairs Branch, Department of Veterans Affairs]

Yes, of course. Thank you.

I would just add that, as part of our contribution agreements, we've added clauses so that applicants and recipients understand their responsibilities. As well, on our website, we portray many stories of veterans. We are making sure there is language available anywhere the personal information of veterans is contained, so it will be clear that the appropriate privacy consents and processes need to be adhered to.

As part of a funding package, recipients will also receive best practices in managing personal information, as well as where to go for fact-checking of historical information, whether that be Library and Archives Canada, the directorate of history and heritage or Veterans Affairs Canada.

As the deputy indicated, it is a very regrettable situation, and we look forward to working with those impacted individuals to find a positive resolution.

[Tatiana Auguste, Liberal, Terrebonne, QC]

Thank you very much.

You were asked a number of questions on the national monument to Canada's mission in Afghanistan. I'd like to give you a chance to clarify a few things. I don't think you had the opportunity to fully explain what has been done on the project.

I'd like to hear from you on that.

[Christine McDowell]

Thank you for the question.

Madam Chair, we are very interested in and care deeply about recognizing our modern veterans and commemorating those individuals. We are working very closely [Technical difficulty—Editor]

Concerning the updates, perhaps I'll turn to Amy Meunier to talk about the next steps on the Afghan monument.

[Amy Meunier]

Thank you very much.

As the deputy mentioned, this is a very important file for us. We've been working closely with Canadian Heritage and the National Capital Commission. We work with their architectural board to ensure that the design is buildable. We fully appreciate all the necessary steps in the building process.

I'm really happy to say that the National Capital Commission has granted us the authority to proceed with tendering. That tendering process should begin in the next month or so. We hope to have a contract in place early in the new year. Shortly after that or as soon as the ground thaws, we would be keen to begin construction.

[Tatiana Auguste, Liberal, Terrebonne, QC]

Thank you.

What measures has Veterans Affairs Canada taken to make sure front-line decision-makers have the necessary skills and training to work with veterans in a respectful, considerate and thoughtful manner? As MPs, we've had our own training.

I'd like to know more about that.

[Steven Harris]

I can confirm that all our front-line people working with men and women veterans have access to training. There's an important training course on trauma, for example, and a course that provides applied suicide intervention skills training, also known as ASIST. There are also training sessions to learn how to respond properly to reports of sexual trauma in the armed forces and other settings.

We provide a series of training courses to make sure our staff is equipped to respond to inquiries and information from our men and women veterans. We encourage all of our front-line people to take these training courses. Training is also mandatory for our contractors.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much.

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