Veterans Affairs Committee on Oct. 28th, 2025

[Brendan Hynes]

Too much. I was lost. There was no support. It was, “Here, fill out this paper. Okay, now fill out these other 400 papers. We can't help you until you get disciplined.”

As I said, I went to the emergency mental health clinic here in Ottawa, which is over an hour from my house, and I got there and they were closed because of COVID. We didn't close the emergency centres. Were emergency centres at the hospitals closed? No, but they closed the emergency mental health centres. To me, mental health is part of health care. I thought that's what the mantra was. Apparently, I was mistaken.

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

Could I speak for a minute?

Obviously, you were able to fight through it. You mentioned the spirit within you—

[Brendan Hynes]

It was through a miracle and through, quite honestly, the support and love from my family. Every couple of weeks, with the advocacy I do and the number of people I've worked with and taught throughout my career, I would say that an average of every 10 to 20 days I hear about another veteran suicide.

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

That's what I was about to ask you. Do you believe there are people out there—I've heard stories as well—who are not able to fight through it, never get the help they need and, in some cases, end up dead as a result?

[Brendan Hynes]

Yes, 100%. I'll tell you one of the most shocking and horrific parts of this about one friend of mine from Canadian Special Operations Forces who sadly lost the battle with his demons.

They launched this big investigation, and then they said that in the case of this guy—handsome, good looking, smart, crazy fit, great career, amazing family, beautiful kids and all the rest—his mental health degradation and his eventual suicide had nothing to do with military service. Now what leg does the family have to stand on to fight that?

I'll tell you another sad part of this from my own family's experience. When the veteran dies, if there are outstanding Veterans Affairs claims and the spouse wants to see those through, they start back at zero because there is no access given to that veteran's Veterans Affairs files or their medical files because of confidentiality.

Again, it's not hard. I'll throw down the gauntlet right now. If you want to pay me $100,000 a year, I'll run VAC, and I won't even ask for any performance bonuses.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Mr. Hynes.

Mrs. Hirtle, you may go ahead for six minutes.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you all for being here this afternoon.

Ms. Hill Rose, could you tell me about the supports and therapies that you are using with veterans—I am new—and how they are helping individuals?

[Diane Hill Rose]

There are none, because they won't approve me.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

There are none?

[Diane Hill Rose]

I've been waiting 14 years for approval, and because I'm an advocate and because I tell the truth, I am one of the people who has been attacked and followed by the little black car. My claims are denied constantly, to the point where I don't even know what to say anymore. Suicide—yes, I've had some of those attempts.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

I'm sorry to hear you're dealing with that.

Can you tell me, then, a bit about your organization and the work you can do?

[Diane Hill Rose]

Every day we deal with phone calls. I had a phone call this morning. It was a woman in British Columbia who hadn't slept at all. British Columbia is removing her opioid pain medication, and she doesn't know what she's going to do. She was fairly suicidal this morning when I spoke to her. I was able to contact a bunch of people out west and a couple of people in Ontario. We activate the team. We activate the other advocates. They are right there, and they are getting it done. They're making the phone calls and getting boots on the ground at that person's house right now. A lot of times we can have boots on the ground within two hours at the person's house. Telling them to call 911 is not an option.

In my case, I was gang-raped by five men while I was in the military. Do you know what it looks like when uniforms come running towards you? It's not pretty, believe me.

This is what we do. We help with forms. We talk to people. We advocate. I know that Blake has received several emails in the last couple of days from federation members saying, “Make sure this gets added. Make sure this gets added.” We are passionate about what we do.

We have one of our women over here who's done extensive research on chemicals on military bases.

I'm blessed. I am so grateful to have these sisters who support me every day.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

That is fortunate. We women get things done, don't we?

[Diane Hill Rose]

We sure do.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

There's no offence to the men.

You mentioned that you were the voice of over 8,000 veterans, I believe, in the federation.

[Diane Hill Rose]

Yes.

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Are all of those veterans working within the organization, or is there a small group directing activities? How does the work get done? How do you mobilize these folks?

[Diane Hill Rose]

Most veterans in our group are silent because of the suffering. They can't talk. They don't want to talk. They're afraid to talk. Then you get a message in the middle of the night, “Hey, do you have a minute?” I always have a minute at 3 a.m., always. This is when we do our talking and our business. This is when we're helping. “Diane, I've heard you say this for so many years. I'm finally coming forward because I need help.” It takes a long time.

I was at the CIMVHR forum last week on Monday. I didn't pay to get in. I got in there just by going up the elevator. Folks, act like you belong. I went through and I handed out about 70 of my business cards. SMSRC was there. Atlas was there. Veterans Affairs was there. They all had booths.

At nine o'clock the next morning, when I checked my email, I had nine emails, “I got your business card. I was raped in the military. I'm finally coming out. I need help. What do I do?” “I am here for you, sister. I am here. Listen, I am here. Talk to me.”

[Alana Hirtle, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Thank you.

I spent the summer visiting all the Legions in my riding. I have 14. I heard a lot about gaps that have been identified in the continuity of care for military families.

How do organizations like yours, the Legion and any others best serve veterans or their families when they're facing these kinds of crises?

[Diane Hill Rose]

A lot of times it's just us doing the contact when they contact us to say, “We need help.” I can get you to a psychologist within 24 hours. We have some excellent psychologists who work with us. They will do free services, because they know what we're doing. They know that, when they step out of the box, they are saving a life. They know that. They work with us all the time.

We work with service officers across Canada. There are some really good service officers in Canada who are really helping. We go to VETS Canada. VETS Canada helps right off the bat. Deb is always there. God bless her. It's three in the morning: “Deb, I got a homeless one.” “Let's get it done”, she says. Deb is not getting funded. None of us are getting funded.

To all these organizations that are getting all the funds, where are they at three in the morning when I need help? Their research—don't even go there. They got $250,000 to research how to tie their boots. Come on; come on. When you look at their research, they spoke to six veterans, six. Couldn't they find more veterans to talk with to do their research? Come and see me. I know lots of veterans who would love to tell their story.

Stop. Just stop.

[The Chair, Liberal, Marie-France Lalonde]

Thank you very much, Mrs. Rose.

Before we continue, I was gently reminded, for our interpreters, that we come a little forward—not too close to the mic, but a little bit forward—so that, as the interpretation is happening, it is less difficult for them to hear so that they can translate into français.

Ms. Gaudreau, you have the floor for six minutes.

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

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

I'd first like to say that I hear what you're telling us. I acknowledge your saying, among other things, that the anger you are experiencing is justified. As I said in the previous hour, when you appreciate and cherish someone, you take care of them.

Ms. Rose, you have shown that not only do you value your sisters and former colleagues, but you also take direct action. Thank you for that.

I say this knowingly, since, at the beginning of my career, I was a suicide prevention worker. I also worked with people struggling with addiction. I was one of those people who provided frontline services at the time. People need answers when they are ready to disclose what they are experiencing. It can be anywhere at any time.

However, what I'm hearing from you are problems related to subcontracting and the use of drugs. Psychotropic drugs are overused. It's like suffocating.

I would like to know all of your recommendations.

Mr. Bennett, do you want to add a few things that are crucial to changing the actions toward military members like you during and after their service?

[Kenneth Bennett]

From my perspective, this is a human problem. It isn't a first nations problem. It isn't a women's problem. It's not a male problem. It's a human problem. Quite often, the people who have something to say don't get asked to speak. Quite often, the people who are speaking don't have time for a response. As far as the methods of helping people go, each case is individual, but it seems like the fixes are for the masses.

I was at the centre for trauma in the Atlantic provinces. I spent seven weeks there because I didn't have drug and alcohol issues. Those that did stayed nine weeks. Nine weeks might help take a person in a better direction, but it's not enough for a follow-up. We did weekly online...with different groups, but that's online. To me, I'm not there. It's like a phone line when you're desperate. When I'm desperate, I'm not going to make a phone call. Most people don't. Some do, and maybe it does help some. However, I believe that for the majority a phone call to a stranger is the last thing they want to do.

I expressed earlier about drugs for those that become dependent on marijuana. Maybe for those individuals it is helping save their lives, but eventually.... I don't think it's best for the long term. It's not a fix. The old adage is that you can't put lipstick on a pig.

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

I don't know the French equivalent of that expression.

[Kenneth Bennett]

It might look pretty, but it's still a pig.