Veterans Affairs committee  There are guidelines governing the eligibility for pensions. These guidelines are very structured and identify exactly what type of compensation is provided for every type of disability.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, not necessarily. On the contrary, there is a great deal of open-mindedness about that today. We realize that everyone can have mental health problems, whether you are in the army, the navy or the air force. The specific case you are telling me about, in my opinion, is, with t

Veterans Affairs committee  That is why, as you said, prioritizing is not a good thing. There are shortcomings and we need to solve them.

Veterans Affairs committee  And I hope we continue to consult.

Veterans Affairs committee  Honourable Chair and members of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, on behalf of the Legion's Dominion president, Wilf Edmond, it is a pleasure for me to appear today at your committee to continue discussions related to the new Veterans Charter. We have consulted, and th

Veterans Affairs committee  I think that would be a fair characterization. Yes. We are concerned about the implementation. We are concerned about promises that have been made about this living charter concept. We are concerned that it's just taking too much time to come to some rational conclusions. We

Veterans Affairs committee  The problem has to do with duplication. There is some duplication in terms of employment assistance programs. Veterans Affairs Canada has a program, and the Canadian Forces has another. These programs help people find employment and make the transition from military to civilian l

Veterans Affairs committee  Most of the people with serious injuries—especially those in Afghanistan right now—are not those in the highest ranking positions. They are not majors or lieutenant-colonels.

Veterans Affairs committee  The average salary is very low for these people.

Veterans Affairs committee  $40,000. And if they receive their benefits through an IPSC—another program, the insurance program—the compensation provided by Veterans Affairs Canada is deducted from their IPSC benefits. There again, you have duplication. Why have both programs, when you need one that is mor

Veterans Affairs committee  In those cases, the person may receive an increase in their lump-sum payment, in their disability award, but they will not receive an adjustment equivalent to 75% of their salary. That is what we are talking about here. Is 75% enough? No. Does the 75% program do the same thing as

Veterans Affairs committee  I think you also need to consider the objective from another standpoint. There are those who have suffered serious injuries, whether physical or psychological. And despite every attempt to help them reintegrate into society, there is a strong possibility that they may not be capa

Veterans Affairs committee  —at 75% of their salary. That amount is too low. It was determined based on the salary of a private, the lowest rank in the Canadian Forces, and those individuals with severe injuries, who cannot find employment—

Veterans Affairs committee  First, in regard to the long-term care, I have to go back to the Gerontological Advisory Council report, Keeping the Promise. We were trying to address access to long-term care for modern veterans in the context of that report. The compromise from the veterans organizations pro

Veterans Affairs committee  I think my colleague, the ombudsman, has pointed one out, and I did so also, by inference. I think long-term care is something that is not built into the new Veterans Charter. My colleague has also identified another one that is not built in. It is that the funeral and burial b