Minister of Veterans Affairs
Canadian Military and Veteran Health Research Forum 2011
Kingston, Ontario
November 15, 2011
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Honoured Veterans,
Rear-Admirals Smith and Doll,
Commodore Jung,
Madame Tining,
Ladies and gentlemen.
It’s an honour to be here on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and the Government of Canada.
In the few short months since the Prime Minister appointed me Minister of Veterans Affairs, I have had the privilege of spending time with Veterans and serving members of the Canadian Forces.
It is a complex portfolio, and there has been a lot to learn.
The two main priorities of Veterans Affairs Canada are support and remembrance.
We encourage and enable Canadians to remember the sacrifices that our country’s Veterans have made . . . in armed conflict and during peacetime.
And we ensure that our Veterans have the services and benefits they need and deserve.
These two priorities are closely linked, not only because of the social contract between Canada and those who serve it, but because the comprehensive programs and services available to them demonstrate our ongoing commitment.
From the tunnels under Vimy Ridge to the skies above Libya, Canada’s Veterans have simply been ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and this nation will never forget what they have done to protect our freedoms.
We ask them to contribute to society by putting their lives on the line, sometimes at a moment’s notice, in far-flung dangerous locations, leaving their families for months at a time.
And we recognize that they have unique health needs as a result of their service, which is why research into military and Veteran health is so important to us, and ultimately to them.
Research into the physical, mental and social health of Veterans and their families is an important activity at Veterans Affairs Canada.
The cutting-edge research presented and discussed here at the forum will be invaluable to Veterans Affairs Canada in meeting the needs of our Veterans and their families into the future.
It is a tremendous opportunity to bring together national and international experts to share what has already been learned and encourage additional research in this area.
A year ago, at your inaugural forum, we celebrated the rejuvenation of health research related to Canada’s military and Veterans.
Last year’s event initiated an exciting period of planning, partnerships and promising developments. In just 12 months, the idea for nationally co-ordinated Canadian research in military and Veteran health has taken hold in a big way.
I am particularly pleased with how this forum and the Canadian Military and Veteran Health Research Institute have strengthened research ties between our department and other branches of the federal government.
Within our department, we also maintain and nurture relationships with researchers in the Veterans administration of a number of Allied countries.
In late August, I hosted a Ministerial Summit on Veterans Affairs, with participation by Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as guests from a handful of other countries. For the first time, the summit focused primarily on military and Veteran health research.
As I told my international counterparts at that meeting, our early research shows that, while most Veterans report an easy adjustment to civilian life, one in four experiences a difficult adjustment. Some Veterans have very complex health issues—more complex than any of us could have anticipated.
We are working hard to find solutions, and we believe we are on the right track. But more needs to be done.
We continue to face some difficult challenges. These will be discussed in detail in the course of your meetings, but let me touch on several of them now.
The first challenge is to gain a better understanding of the health, disability levels and determinants of health status of all Canadian Veterans—not just those receiving benefits from the Department.
To understand the extent of this challenge, consider that an estimated 90 percent of Canadian Veterans who served since the Second World War and the Korean War are not receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada. The Life After Service Studies were the first in Canada to include these Veterans.
A second challenge is to determine the effect of military service on Veterans and their families throughout their lives. For many conditions that arise, it is unclear just what is attributable to life prior to military service. Yet, that may be critical to determining eligibility for some benefits.
Just as importantly, we need to understand those relationships in order to develop relevant, evidence-based policies and programs to meet the needs of Veterans.
Another challenge is to identify the best approaches to the care of Veterans and their families. As needs change, and Canadian health and disability services evolve, so must the approach.
The original Veterans Charter, a legacy of the Second World War, greatly enhanced the support available to Canadian Veterans. Similarly, the New Veterans Charter—launched in 2006—was designed to meet the transition needs of modern-day Veterans and their families.
The evolution of benefits continued this year when my Government introduced enhancements to a number of New Veterans Charter benefits.
This evolution must continue as we constantly strive to identify the best diagnostic and treatment approaches for chronic health conditions and the management of mental and physical disabilities.
In recent years, there has been an explosion of Veteran health expert opinion and research findings, and more new information is being produced very rapidly.
While this research helps to support better compensation, programs, policies and services for Veterans, the need to manage this large and expanding pool of knowledge is another major challenge.
The final challenge is to strengthen capacity in Canadian military and Veteran health research, which leads to Veterans Affairs Canada’s strong support for both this forum and the Institute itself.
In addition to a number of poster and podium presentations, we are pleased to sponsor the participation of the renowned British psychiatrist, Dr. Simon Wessely. Dr. Wessely is the Director of the King’s Centre for Health Research in London, and has a wealth of experience in military and Veterans’ health research. We look forward to his insights.
And it is insights like his, combined with valid and reliable evidence, that must guide us as the Department continues to evolve to meet the needs of our Veterans.
We must keep making decisions based on solid evidence by our staff, and by researchers like those gathered here.
Together, we can put the right information and research into the right hands to develop effective and responsive programs and policies.
In doing so, as much as in our remembrance activities, we fulfill our Government’s commitment to those who served . . . to never forget, and to extend support in gratitude for the sacrifices they made for Canada.
I wish you well in your meetings, and continued success to all.
Thank you.
