Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, I'd like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to speak to you today to explain more about the new Veterans Charter. I hope we've been able to convey some messaging about what's different with the new Veterans Charter in a positive way. As we move forward, I think it's

Veterans Affairs committee  The way the earnings loss benefit is currently constructed, it's 75% of the salary they were making at the time of release, and the minimum standard is—

Veterans Affairs committee  —the senior private, which is $46,000, so they would be receiving $36,000 a year. The $21,000 in terms of the annual amount that one would be receiving would not be realistic in terms of how it's—

Veterans Affairs committee  That's a very important question in terms of the level that is enough to enable somebody to participate in rehabilitation if that's the goal, or live their life with dignity over the longer term if they're unable to work. Those kinds of observations certainly have been made by ma

Veterans Affairs committee  The programs as they're currently structured certainly go a long way to meeting those needs in terms of the focus on rehabilitation: giving people opportunities to live independently; the capacity we have to look at the person, their situation, their family situation, their commu

Veterans Affairs committee  The reason we chose not to speak in French, even though we can, is that—

Veterans Affairs committee  The other resource that's readily available to families for counselling is the VAC assistance line that provides 24-hour service, where they can be set up with a counsellor, and then, depending on the circumstances, transition to community resources. If they are within the VAC tr

Veterans Affairs committee  Absolutely, that discretion is there.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's a good observation. I will certainly take a look at that in terms of rehabilitation.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for your comments on the form. I think they're very helpful. Your point about how potential applicants might perceive some of the language that's there is an important one, in terms of certifying that it was made under oath. Essentially what that statement is about is

Veterans Affairs committee  I guess it depends on how you define that, but it's a fairly small percentage overall that would fit into that category. It certainly would be fewer than 10%.

Veterans Affairs committee  Under the new Veterans Charter, those who suffer catastrophic injury would get the lump sum disability award at 100%. They also would be entitled to the monthly financial stream, which is the earnings loss benefit, if they can't work to age 65. They would be entitled to a permane

Veterans Affairs committee  The groundskeeping services you're referring to would be available under the veterans independence program. That program remains available to Canadian Forces veterans under this scheme. Any of those benefits that were available previously are still available. So that may simply b

Veterans Affairs committee  The attendants allowance was a benefit that was available under the Pension Act. Again, it was payable at various grade levels, and it was intended to help people with housekeeping and with personal care, if they needed it. It was a monthly allowance, tax-free, that supplemented

Veterans Affairs committee  I've heard of it.