SVET Committee Meeting
Notices of Meeting include information about the subject matter to be examined by the committee and date, time and place of the meeting, as well as a list of any witnesses scheduled to appear. The Evidence is the edited and revised transcript of what is said before a committee. The Minutes of Proceedings are the official record of the business conducted by the committee at a sitting.
For an advanced search, use Publication Search tool.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the accessibility of this publication, please contact us at accessible@parl.gc.ca.
37th PARLIAMENT, 2nd SESSION
Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs
EVIDENCE
CONTENTS
Wednesday, February 5, 2003
| » | 1730 |
 |
The Clerk of the Committee |
|
Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NDP) |
|
Mrs. Elsie Wayne (Saint John, PC) |
|
The Clerk |
|
Mr. Roy Bailey (Souris—Moose Mountain, Canadian Alliance) |
|
The Clerk |
|
The Chair (Mr. Bob Wood (Nipissing, Lib.)) |
|
Mrs. Elsie Wayne |
|
The Chair |
|
Mrs. Elsie Wayne |
|
Mr. Peter Stoffer |
|
The Chair |
|
Mrs. Elsie Wayne |
|
The Chair |
|
Mrs. Elsie Wayne |
|
The Chair |
|
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, Lib.) |
|
The Chair |
|
Mr. Joe McGuire (Egmont, Lib.) |
|
The Chair |
|
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur |
|
Mr. Carmen Provenzano (Sault Ste. Marie, Lib.) |
|
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur |
|
Mr. Joe McGuire |
|
The Chair |
| » | 1735 |
|
Mr. Joe McGuire |
|
The Chair |
CANADA
Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs |
|
l |
|
l |
|
EVIDENCE
Wednesday, February 5, 2003
[Recorded by Electronic Apparatus]
» 
(1730)
[English]
The Clerk of the Committee:
I see a quorum. In conformity with Standing Orders 106(1) and (2), your first item of business is to elect a chair. I am ready to receive motions to that effect.
Mr. Stoffer.
Mr. Peter Stoffer (Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NDP): I would like to nominate Mr. Bob Wood.
Mrs. Elsie Wayne (Saint John, PC): I'll second it.
The Clerk:
It is moved by Mr. Stoffer and seconded by Mrs. Wayne that Mr. Wood do take the chair of this subcommittee as chair.
Is it the pleasure of the subcommittee to adopt the same motion?
Mr. Roy Bailey (Souris—Moose Mountain, Canadian Alliance): Agreed.
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Clerk:
I declare Mr. Wood duly elected chair of the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs, and I invite him to take the chair at this time.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear!
The Chair (Mr. Bob Wood (Nipissing, Lib.)):
The only thing I want to do as a chair—and hopefully I have a consensus of everybody here—is to continue on with what we were doing before, and that's to go across the country to make sure we have unified health care for veterans. I know Dan has been over to England and can contribute a lot as we get going. We might even end up there if we can work it out.
I know we've also had a lot of talk, but before the six months are over, maybe we should eventually look at the quality-of-life situation once again. Because of the situation with a new brand of veterans who are a lot younger and find themselves is some precarious positions as far as their health care and benefits are concerned, we should maybe look at that quality-of-life issue.
Those are the two things I would like to do.
Mrs. Elsie Wayne: I think the spouses' benefits also have to be in with that, Mr. Chair. When a veteran dies, the spouse only has the benefits for one year, yet they're very senior and there's no way—
The Chair: That's it.
Mrs. Elsie Wayne: We have to look at those things.
There was also that last matter of Bruce Henwood's situation, from when he lost both of his legs because of a mine over in Croatia. The Minister of Defence is saying he's going to do something about that. Apparently it's a Treasury Board and a National Defence situation, but it's also a Veterans Affairs situation, and one we have to be very much on top of.
And I think we should set a time when we're going to have our meetings.
Mr. Peter Stoffer: It's too early now.
The Chair: I guess we're supposed to meet from 5:30 to 7:30 in the evening, but I would certainly try to encourage and find, with Diane, a more acceptable time during the day. I think it would be very difficult to ask witnesses to come in the evening, and I think we'd be long gone. We need to have a day when we can find a better time, and we'll do that.
Mrs. Elsie Wayne: With the defence committee, we're now meeting from nine o'clock until eleven in the morning.
The Chair:
If we can do that or if we can do it in the afternoon on one day of the week anyway, then we should find a more acceptable time.
Mrs. Elsie Wayne: But not on Thursday.
The Chair:
We'll never get anybody here between 5:30 and 7:30.
Rose-Marie.
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur (Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, Lib.): Mr. Chair, since I'm a rookie person on this subcommittee, can you share any information with me about what the committee has been doing?
The Chair:
Absolutely. We'll get it out to you and to Mr. McGuire.
Mr. Joe McGuire (Egmont, Lib.): Where's Rose-Marie in the pecking order? Judge Roy Bean...[Inaudible—Editor].
The Chair:
At the top. That's where she is.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur: Oh, you're a sweetheart.
Mr. Carmen Provenzano (Sault Ste. Marie, Lib.): [Inaudible—Editor]...is probably one of the best subjects of all the things we did. We didn't go beyond those reports.
Mrs. Rose-Marie Ur: I probably have them in my office, but....
Mr. Joe McGuire: Is Judge Roy Bean a full-fledged member?
The Chair:
He is.
» (1735)
Mr. Joe McGuire: Great.
The Chair: The meeting is adjourned.