Veterans Affairs committee  We were talking about this the other day. One of the words we came up with was “concierge” service. What needs to happen is that the soldier needs to have a champion, someone who's assigned to them prior to release, not just at the point of release. Once the injury happens, they'll go to a temporary medical category where they will be on reduced duties or doing different things.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think it's a bit of both. I think the resources are there, but as an example, I talked about Veterans Affairs Canada, Department of National Defence, and SISIP each providing a case manager. Each of those case managers is marching to a different set of orders. If a member presents himself or herself before one or two of those case managers during transition, the approach to detail and the requirements will be different from each entity.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, most definitely, and I understand.... In my office, the first thing I've said to everyone I've dealt with since I've taken over is that collaboration is the best way forward for everybody, but there comes a point in time when there are certain responsibilities in your own lane of authority that need to be addressed.

Veterans Affairs committee  We've done several reviews on the JPSU over the years. I know that when the new Chief of the Defence Staff, General Vance, came in, he took it upon himself as one of his personal goals to get to the bottom of the JPSU, to get it set up and ready to have it functioning to provide that service to the members as required.

Veterans Affairs committee  Until tomorrow. Sorry.

Veterans Affairs committee  The report is finished. The 28-day hold by the minister ends today or tomorrow morning, and we have plans to release the report at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon. Those are the plans right now. The report is finished, and it will be released as soon as the minister's hold has expired.

Veterans Affairs committee  As it is for anyone who's trying to access health care in Canada, the further you get away from the larger centres, the more diminished the available services become. Our operational stress injuries review on the reservists will bring home this point, because these are people who really are out of the centres and are not attached to a unit or a home base.

Veterans Affairs committee  There is a pilot project coming out of Veterans Affairs Canada now, I understand, that will start to deliver these services, especially for the north. They are looking at some of these types of technologies. I believe any type of engagement that gets the soldier grounded in the start of a health care plan is of benefit to us.

Veterans Affairs committee  As part of my opening statement, I talked a little bit about there being multiple players at the table. SISIP is another one. It's an insurance policy. The Chief of the Defence Staff is a policyholder. Inside that program there's vocational rehabilitation, for example, but it has a $25,000 ceiling on it.

Veterans Affairs committee  I guess the biggest single complaint is about the program that SISIP delivers versus the others—the difference in financial support, the difference in the length of time you can attend one of these courses. That's probably been the biggest complaint we've received.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think it's confusing to everyone.

Veterans Affairs committee  We ourselves also have to reset our clocks and make sure we're aligned with the new terminology. The Veterans 20/20 project is now Care, Compassion, Respect 20/20. It confuses not only those of us who work and live in the environment but also those who are trying to access benefits and services.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think we can do it more quickly than that also. For example, let's go back to attribution of service. What happens now when a member's releasing is that when a soldier becomes ill or injured, he or she is taken care of by the medical system inside the Canadian Armed Forces. We stay with that soldier up until the point where they receive a permanent category medical assessment and they're about to be released.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the invitation to be here today to give my perspective on the delivery of service to veterans. As ombudsman to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces, my office is completely independent of both military and civilian chains of command, reporting directly to the Minister of National Defence.

National Defence committee  I don't think so. I know the game rules going in. I know what my left and right arcs of authority are. I think I have enough latitude there to do the job I need to do. It is critical for me to be able to work with the department and the Canadian Armed Forces to bring change. I don't think standing outside and casting in stones is going to help the role and what we're trying to accomplish as an ombudsman's office.