Debates of Oct. 1st, 2014

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that certainly was entertaining, to say the least.

The CBC already receives significant taxpayer funds, and it can operate within its existing budget.

We all understand the important role that CBC/Radio-Canada plays in remote and minority language communities all over the country. The member again mentioned the music issue. Let me just quickly state that Canada's sound, recording, and music publishing sector generates nearly $568 million a year and provides 13,000 jobs to the Canadian economy. That is why our government just made the Canada music fund permanent in budget 2014.

I look forward to working with the member, despite her comments, on the heritage committee and talking about the very great things that the CBC and the film industry do for this country.

National Defence

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government is failing members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans in a dramatic way, and Canadians are losing trust in the government in terms of its care for members, their families, and veterans. That is a sad tale to have to tell, because every Canadian knows the dedication of our Canadian Armed Forces and the sacrifices its members make on our behalf.

Unfortunately, the Conservative government, while using armed forces members and their equipment for photographs and backdrops to enhance its own image, is not properly caring for members who are ill and injured, nor, with the recent budget cuts, is it providing them with proper equipment or replacing the military ships, planes, and equipment that these soldiers need.

Recently the last soldiers came home from Afghanistan. We Canadians celebrated their courage and dedication in that mission, their professionalism, and the incredible reputation that Canadian Forces members deservedly have on the world stage. Sadly, 158 soldiers died in combat during that mission.

My question is about the 175 armed forces members who died from suicide while serving in the Canadian Armed Forces during the same time period. Almost 20 more died from suicide than from the mission itself.

Why did that happen?

The Liberals have been calling for adequate mental health support for returning soldiers ever since this combat mission started. In fact, under the Liberal government in 2003 it was identified that there would be a need for a great deal more mental health support as soldiers came back from deployments and experienced mental health challenges and injuries such as PTSD.

To this day, the Conservative government has failed to fill those spots with mental health professionals. As a result, we have injured soldiers who have to wait for many months, or in some cases years, to get treatment. Sadly, that is related to the kind of despair that can lead to suicide.

Canadians are losing trust in the government. It has now been almost a decade of deception on all levels, whether it is claiming that the budget would be stable and would be increased and then cutting it terribly or whether it is the portrayal of other governments, when it is the one that is cutting the budget and is providing the lowest level of funding as a percentage of GDP since the 1980s. This has to stop.

For the sake of our armed forces members, their mental health, and their families, the government has to confess to how it is letting them down and begin treating them properly and with respect.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I am always interested in hearing the mathematically challenged Liberals talking about investments in the Canadian Armed Forces.

I am thankful, though, that I get this opportunity to discuss the important issue of suicide and health care generally, of our serving men and women in uniform. One death by suicide in the Canadian Armed Forces, one death by suicide in Canada is one too many. However, every death of a member of the Canadian Armed Forces is a tragedy that affects everyone on the defence team, as well as the wider military community. Our thoughts go out to the families, friends and colleagues who are dealing with the losses of their loved ones.

That is why our government has made significant investments in mental health care for the men and women who serve Canada in our armed forces. We have increased the military health budget by more than $130 million, which includes boosting the mental health budget by over $11 million, for a total of $50 million a year.

Back in 2008, it was our government that created the joint personnel support unit and the integrated personnel support centres that span right across Canada. The quality of care available to our ill and injured soldiers since the creation of the JPSU and the IPSC is remarkable, and they did not exist under the Liberals. We have to remember, it was the Liberals who sent the Canadian Armed Forces, our brave men and women in uniform, to Afghanistan without a vote, without a debate and without any support for those coming back from theatre dealing with PTSD and other operational stress injuries.

We have locations right across Canada for the integrated personnel support centres. The Canadian Armed Forces provides high quality care addressing the various mental health issues, from depression to anxiety to post traumatic stress disorders.

National Defence is working hard to reduce wait times through deliberate efforts to recruit and retain skilled mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers and addictions counsellors. Due to these efforts, the forces now have over 400 mental health care workers. The last number I heard was 415. That is double what was under the previous Liberal government. Canada now has one of the highest ratios of mental health professionals to soldiers in NATO.

I can proudly say that we have doubled the number of mental health workers since the Liberals. As a result, last April the average wait time across the country was less than 10 days. Efforts to recruit will continue until every vacancy is filled.

When dealing with suicide, as with any mental health issue, prevention is key. That is why National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are ensuring all military members receive suicide and mental health awareness education at various points throughout their career. This training helps members identify the early signs of distress in themselves, as well as in others, in their families and colleagues, and encourages everyone to seek help as soon as they need it.

As well, at all levels, Canadian Armed Forces leaders receive education about the importance of eliminating the stigma of mental health problems and other barriers to people seeking help for themselves and encouraging others in their units to do the same. Through the “Be the Difference” mental health awareness campaign, the forces are focused on communicating the idea that all members, regardless of rank or level, must help confront the stigma and support colleagues in need. The campaign reinforces the importance of camaraderie and support in the workplace and helps send the message that all military members can make a difference for someone affected by a mental health issue.

Furthermore, through the road to mental readiness program, the Canadian Armed Forces helps to ensure that prior to deployment, personnel and their families are best equipped for the stressors associated with battle.

The defence team is a family. The death of even one member in the Canadian Armed Forces is one too many. We will continue to work and make every possible effort to continue to treat mental health issues and prevent suicide in the Canadian Armed Forces.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, every death by suicide is a tragedy. That is why it is so mystifying that the government for years now lists statistics rather than actually acknowledging it is failing our injured men and women in the armed forces. In all the years, almost nine years, it has failed to hire the mental health professionals that were identified as necessary ten years ago. Families are begging for help when a spouse has a mental health challenge being denied. Soldiers are begging not to be released out on to the streets because of their PTSD diagnosis being denied. It is sometimes months before their pension kicks in.

The government has let down the ill and injured soldiers with PTSD. Instead of really addressing this, can a whole government not hire a few hundred mental health professionals? It is denying the problem at the cost of our men and women in uniform and veterans. That is why the government has lost the trust of Canadians.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Those are not the facts at all, Mr. Speaker.

I have to say, when it comes to our military members, one suicide is too many. Even though the Canadian Forces have made great strides in investing in mental health issues, including suicide prevention, every time a member takes his own life is a tragedy that touches all of us.

That is why the government will continue to make suicide prevention and mental health care one of its highest priorities. We will continue to make sure the Canadian Armed Forces health services have the resources they need to provide high-quality care to our military members and adopt best practices.

The forces will keep up efforts of hiring and retaining mental health professionals and will also be part of the solution in this complex issue of working to reduce the stigma that far too often exists over mental health problems within families and within the military itself. We have to encourage everyone who needs help to seek that help.

Finally, I would like to thank our men and women in uniform for their commitment and hard work in the defence of Canada.

[The Deputy Speaker, NDP, Joe Comartin]

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:47 p.m.)