ACVA Committee Meeting

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS

Meeting No. 21

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs met at 3:33 p.m. this day, in Room 112-N, Centre Block, the Chair, Greg Kerr, presiding.

Members of the Committee present: Eve Adams, Rob Anders, Sean Casey, Réjean Genest, Richard M. Harris, Greg Kerr, Wladyslaw Lizon, Ben Lobb, Irene Mathyssen, Annick Papillon, Peter Stoffer and Brian Storseth.

Acting Members present: Hon. Michael D. Chong for Brian Storseth and Bruce Hyer for Irene Mathyssen.

In attendance: Library of Parliament: Jean-Rodrigue Paré, Analyst.

Witnesses: Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research: Alice Aiken, Director; Susan Marlin, Chair, Interim Board of Directors. Department of Veterans Affairs: Charlotte Bastien, Regional Director General, Quebec Region; Stéphane Lemieux, Team Manager, Client Services; David Pedlar, Director, Policy and Research.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) and the motion adopted by the Committee on Thursday, November 24, 2011, the Committee resumed its review of the delivery of front-line health and wellbeing services for Canadian Veterans.

Alice Aiken and David Pedlar made statements and, with Charlotte Bastien, answered questions.

The Committee proceeded to the consideration of matters related to Committee business.

Sean Casey moved, — That, in light of alleged recent breaches of privacy in which political staff from the office of the Minister of Veterans Affairs may have repeatedly accessed the personal records of at least one veteran, the Standing Committee on Veteran Affairs conduct extensive open and public hearings in order to better understand what safeguards currently exist to protect the privacy of our veterans; That the Committee provide recommendations to the government to better protect the privacy of our veterans and ensure access to personal or medical records is properly restricted to prevent their use for political purposes or accessed by political officials to intimidate veterans; That the Committee be tasked with finding what “best practices” exists in other jurisdictions to protect the privacy of veteran and that the Committee report its findings back to the House within two sitting weeks after completion of its study.

Debate arose thereon.

Eve Adams moved, — That the Committee proceed to sit in camera.

The question was put on the motion and it was agreed to on the following recorded division: YEAS: Eve Adams, Rob Anders, Richard M. Harris, Wladyslaw Lizon, Ben Lobb, Brian Storseth — 6; NAYS: Sean Casey, Réjean Genest, Bruce Hyer, Annick Papillon, Peter Stoffer — 5.

At 4:06 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:10 p.m., the sitting resumed in camera.

It was agreed, — That the Committee proceed to sit in public.

At 4:15 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:17 p.m., the sitting resumed in public.

The Committee resumed consideration of its review of the delivery of front-line health and well being services for Canadian Veterans. Questioning of the witnesses resumed.

At 4:30 p.m., the sitting was suspended.

At 4:35 p.m., the sitting resumed.

Charlotte Bastien and Stéphane Lemieux made statements and answered questions.

At 5:27 p.m., the Committee adjourned to the call of the Chair.

Cynara Corbin
Clerk of the Committee

2012/02/16 3:01 p.m.