Veterans Affairs committee  The blunt truth, to be frank, is that my children had more assistance while I was on social assistance than I have had with VAC. They have no medical coverage. They have no coverage of any kind for treatments or benefits. Even though my income is sufficient and I can provide those things, it is a big chunk of change, especially when they have mental effects from me.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think what's most important is not to be looked at as a liability. I wasn't treated like I was a human. I was treated like I was a liability, because the number games weren't in my favour. It was a group of men who were powerful, who could do what they wanted and get away with it and who knew the systems and policies.

Veterans Affairs committee  Hello. A common theme that women veterans experience through the transition to civil life is to be left with little support or concern about their gender conditions related to service, or to be forgotten, frankly, or pushed to the side. In terms of asking for help, you shouldn't have to lay down all your pride, or be so low in life that suicide is the only option to remove the pain, to finally receive help from CAF or Veterans Affairs.

Veterans Affairs committee  When fleeing domestic violence, I received very little help with securing housing or furniture. I had to wait for five months, until I received my first pain and suffering award for PTSD, to pay movers to move me out of public housing to my safe home. My daughter and I slept on a blow-up mattress for three and a half months, while my son slept in the bassinet.

Veterans Affairs committee  During the last three years of trying to get physical therapy for my pelvic floor, I've been denied. I was fighting with them. I've had to pay out of pocket. When I had to contact VAC's ombudsman to discuss these matters, I actually found out that all women's reproductive health has no treatment codes under it and it hasn't been updated since 1992.

Veterans Affairs committee  This might be.... I don't know if you're going to take this the wrong way, but I respect it in the way.... I think that for the first bit of basic training, they should separate genders for the first few weeks, just to get to grips with understanding the concept and how the process works.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, it's the same one.

Veterans Affairs committee  I do believe that it has changed a lot, because in the past they wouldn't even let me apply. I do believe they have taken some steps forward. The best recommendation I have is, why doesn't Veterans Affairs trust the doctors that are in the communities? I submitted doctors' reports on different medical conditions.

Veterans Affairs committee  The problem with regard to my assaults and the information that was collected was that the pensions advocate had to call basic training in Saint-Jean, Quebec, to get my medical file, which was sealed in an area and was never attached to my VAC document. The only reason I was able to go forward with my critical injury benefit was that we found the medical documents.

Veterans Affairs committee  If it were a perfect world, there would be some kind of way for this for all women across Canada, women in the CAF included. Sexual assault is not just about the assault; it's about the collection afterward. It's about the physical body afterward. It's the fact that victims deserve the right to a criminal court case, if they can do it.

Veterans Affairs committee  Three times prior to 2020 I tried to apply for Veterans Affairs benefits. The first one was in 2010, when I was escorted out of the building by security. The second one was later in 2010, when I was suicidal. They denied it. When I became pregnant with my daughter, I ended up in Villa Rosa, a pregnancy shelter for women.

Veterans Affairs committee  They said no. They said they wouldn't look at it because it's childbirth, so it's another misunderstanding about women's health, and they wouldn't even consider it. I was literally hospitalized for extreme depression. I had to go for surgery. When they were counting down, I didn't want to be alive anymore.

Veterans Affairs committee  Coming from a family of military professionals who served, I love the idea of serving because you get to travel and you get to experience different things. I think if the culture could change and actually respect human rights.... I understand that you can't control every single person who comes into the military and you can't judge them when they first come in, but the fact is that after my injury, I was treated like a criminal.

Veterans Affairs committee  I've been trying to fight with them since I started. I tried to appeal it twice for the income replacement, as my pay is actually honoured by SISIP as a basic corporal, but Veterans Affairs won't honour that amount, even though my injury was from 2009 and SISIP long-term disability honoured that pay.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm hoping to have some help. I've kind of hit a brick wall. At this point, I don't have any resources to pursue any more because VAC says this is a military grievance, but then when I talk to DND they say it's a VAC issue. I'm just between two different people telling me it's this one's fault or that one's fault, but no one....