Veterans Affairs committee  Their long-term disability payment, which comes from the insurance program they subscribe to, is paid through Manulife. That's the one I was talking about regarding their funds. There's a separate regime and series of benefits that come through Veterans Affairs, and I will not comment on that.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair and members of the committee, as the Director General of Morale and Welfare Services, I am also the Managing Director of Non-Public Property and the Chief Executive Officer of the staff of the non-public funds, Canadian Forces. It is in these capacities that I'm responsible for over 5,000 staff of the non-public funds Canadian Forces employees on bases, wings, and units, as well as at the Canadian Forces morale and welfare services headquarters here in Ottawa.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's just until they're released. In these cases, when they're released, I can assure you that when we see the headline, we check and if we find an error in our process, we fix it. The engagement with the individual, she already touched on.

Veterans Affairs committee  If they've done their application for LTD, which they would do under a medical that they've started at vocational rehabilitation, their income flows in a vast majority of cases, within 16 days after their last paycheque. That's run through their private insurer program. Other income pieces that are often quoted in stories, I can't speak to because I'm not accountable for pensions or veterans benefits.

Veterans Affairs committee  But it is their choice.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, I wouldn't agree with that assessment.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's a big question. I'll start at the top. The chief has been very clear. We're going to professionalize the transition services. Part of that answer speaks exactly to your question about the right time to go. Captain Langlois explained the current processes and the rationale behind breach of universality of service.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, Saskatchewan and Moose Jaw. That's part of that professionalization program and process where we're working hard to close the seam and the gaps. I can't speak to the specific time of when to release. There are options under consideration to address how long you stay. Can I address one minor point on the income?

Veterans Affairs committee  You've asked a medical question. Neither of us are medical officers, so we can't speak to that. We could speak to the process.

Veterans Affairs committee  This goes back to the stigmatism piece. The barriers ultimately, I think, in all of our society are how you seek help. That's the culture piece we're working very hard on. There are no physical barriers. There are no barriers to going into the hospital, identifying that you're having difficulties, and getting those services.

Veterans Affairs committee  There's a connection in your question that I would break up a bit on the assumption that, just because I go and get mental health in uniform.... I was involved, when I worked in the Arctic, in the crash of First Air 6560, which was the 737 that, unfortunately, missed the runway and impacted into the hill in the middle of Operation Nanook, and we lost a number of people.

Veterans Affairs committee  Going back to the macro points of what the ombudsman has spoken about is exactly what we're focused on, bringing that simplified process through the JPSU, the IPSCs, and the whole transition. General Corbould led that and brought forward a proposal to the chief on a reorganization that will affect those types of recommendations, so it is simpler for the member, it is guided concierge—

Veterans Affairs committee  That's very recent. That was done just prior to his retirement. Those changes will be forthcoming soonish, I hope. In the interim, we are working behind the scenes to do that every day. While I can't provide the exact announcements at this time, we're not waiting for those announcements to close those seams and enhance that capacity.

Veterans Affairs committee  I can't answer that question. It's not within my lines of how the federal government hires.

Veterans Affairs committee  We can absolutely speak to that. That's the point that Captain Langlois was talking about, the ability to take that unique military jargon and turn it into what a civilian is, how to go from describing repairing a tank in the battlefield to using it in the vernacular of renovating a house, because most Canadians understand renovating a house.