Veterans Affairs committee  In the strategy for Canadian Forces morale and welfare services, the whole point of non-public property is that we're a member-driven organization. The money that we manage and the services we deliver are the members' money, and the services are there for the members. In one way you can think of it as a co-op: every member of the Canadian Armed Forces is a member of this co-op, and we manage all of these services.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's a Canadian Forces employer challenge, and the chief's intent is very clear that you will not be able to release until you go to transition services, healthy or unhealthy. Unhealthy is not the issue if they're medically released, and the voluntary releases are exactly that, so you will not be able to get out.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think that would probably be best addressed by my colleagues at VAC and Manulife, but it's not really an and-or. It's an integrated team approach right now. From my side, I'll let Manulife speak to how the managers deal with that, and Mr. Marcus will speak.

Veterans Affairs committee  That process is under way right now. I can easily make the recommendations, because they're already there. We're working with our Veterans Affairs colleagues to make sure files move smoothly. We're examining the issue of medical file transfer, which was touched on, to make it very seamless for the individual to understand.

Veterans Affairs committee  First of all, yes, those are correct. On the MFRCs, just to nuance a bit on the funding, the $6 million came from National Defence for serving members, and over $140 million is coming—over years, not annually—from Veterans Affairs for enhanced veterans services, which are being rolled out across all MFRCs.

Veterans Affairs committee  From a Canadian Armed Forces perspective, I'll add that one of the focuses we're working on, one my colleague touched on, is the transition working group. In the Canadian Forces, we put people onto their medical releases. It's a series of.... It could be up to three years' accommodation inside the Canadian Armed Forces while they are getting set up for release.

Veterans Affairs committee  Twenty-nine thousand. That does not sound, with the current stance.... I know you have Brigadier-General Misener coming to speak next week. He is in charge now of the transition process. I'll take that question back so that he'll be prepared to speak to the number of people in the current transition cycle, and how many....

Veterans Affairs committee  Again, Brigadier-General Misener will be well positioned to speak to this issue when he testifies. When I spoke to the panel last year, I was responsible for transition services. This is part of how the chief of the defence staff is increasing the commitment toward our enhanced transition, which is one of our mandate commitments and is in the “Strong, Secure, Engaged” policy.

Veterans Affairs committee  There definitely is a number.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'll start with a very global perspective. The program has evolved throughout the years. This is not the program that was signed for as insurance in 1967, let alone 1975. That is what those individuals experienced at the time. Unfortunately, the programs and processes—and I'll let Ms.

Veterans Affairs committee  SISIP acts as an agent of CAF, so I'll let Mr. Marcus start with that and Ms. McIlwham will then speak to Manulife.

Veterans Affairs committee  No. The Canadian Armed Forces is not paid by Phoenix, nor are SISIP employees. Staff of the non-public funds is a separate agency and are paid by a different payroll system.

Veterans Affairs committee  I will speak specifically to the SISIP LTD. In fact, I will turn to Mr. Marcus to provide that. The disability payment that comes at 75% is covered by SISIP. Perhaps my colleagues from Veterans Affairs can speak to their benefits. As I stated in the introduction, normally six months prior to release the individual will meet with the SISIP counsellor, who will go through their files and knows their pay records.

Veterans Affairs committee  Oh, yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  I will speak to two things on behalf of the chief of military personnel, although it's not my direct responsibility. The director general of compensation and benefits is responsible for the Canadian Forces pension fund, and that pension fund has been passed over to the same pension service centre the federal government employees use.