The committee met once this week, partly in camera on February 14, 2012 to discuss privacy breaches of veterans’ files. The second meeting of the week was cancelled due to a conflict in the witnesses’ schedules.
The committee continued its review of the various front-line health and wellbeing services offered to Canadian veterans. Two witnesses from the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) provided some information on their organization and the kind of high-impact research that their centre conducts. Separate witnesses from the Department of Veterans Affairs presented on the various research that the department conducts itself. The results point to satisfactory improvements in the transition to civilian life by veterans; however, there are still some shortcomings in dealing with veterans who suffer from mental illnesses, especially suicide ideation. A second group of witnesses from the department presented on the New Veteran Charter (NVC) and the improved rehabilitation and financial programs it offers veterans.