21 January 2025
13:00 – 16:00 (ET)
Virtual – Microsoft Teams
Service Excellence and Transition Advisory Group Members
- Julia-Joseph Burke, CD
- Lieutenant-Colonel (Retired) Dave Byrne
- Dr. Darryl Cathcart (co-chair)
- Corporal (Retired) Sylvain Chartrand, Canadian Veterans Advocacy
- Deanna Fimrite, Army, Navy & Air Force Veterans in Canada
- Steve Graham, RCMP Veterans’ Association
- Master Warrant Officer (Retired) Michael Hogan
- Lieutenant (Retired) Carolyn Hughes, Royal Canadian Legion
Canadian Armed Forces Representative
- Lieutenant Colonel Michael Draho, Liaison Officer to Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Armed Forces
Observer
- Laura Kelly, Office of the Veterans Ombud
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) Officials
- Nathalie Pham, Director General, Field Operations
- Kristy McGuigan, Senior Analyst, Community Engagement
- Elizabeth Hughes, Project Officer, Community Engagement
- Megan MacKinnon, Program Operations Assistant, Community Engagement
Regrets
- Warrant Officer (Retired) Jessica Hewett (co-chair)
- Corporal (Retired) Bruce Moncur
Land acknowledgement and welcome remarks
The VAC co-chair opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and thanking them for attending. She introduced herself and offered a land acknowledgement, recognizing that she is joining from the traditional territory of the Kanien'kehá:ka Nation. The member co-chair introduced himself, thanked everyone for their participation, and expressed his eagerness to serve as co-chair. The VAC co-chair provided a brief update on the advisory groups, noting that they will continue to work as usual and the group will be informed of any updates that arise.
Review of meetings Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct
The VAC co-chair reviewed the Terms of Reference and the Code of Conduct for the Service Excellence and Transition Advisory Group.
Debrief of advisory group welcome back and way forward meeting (01 November 2024)
The VAC co-chair provided a brief summary on the All Advisory Group Meeting held on 01 November 2024. An overview of the new structure of the advisory groups and their priority area of focus from the Minister were shared, with their recommendations due to the Minister by May 2026.
Group discussion on priority area of focus
The VAC co-chair reviewed the priority area of focus for the group:
‘The commitment to serving our Veterans is of utmost importance, therefore for this session, I am asking you to conduct a review of VAC's current service model with a particular emphasis on identifying and addressing the barriers that equity-deserving groups may experience in connecting with the Department.
Based on your findings, provide strategic recommendations aimed at enhancing service delivery, increasing engagement, and ensuring that Veterans receive timely and effective support.’
The members had an honest discussion and the following points were raised:
- Request for presentation on VAC’s current service model;
- A need to review communication channels with Veterans, including My VAC Account;
- Review of service standards data; and
- A literature review of current service channel related research
Co-chairs summary and strategies for action
The member co-chair recognized that the scope of the mandate is broad and emphasized the need to break it down into sections; with a focus on enhancing service delivery, increasing engagement, and ensuring that Veterans receive timely and effective support.
Closing remarks and next steps
The VAC co-chair committed to arranging a presentation on VAC’s current service model. The member co-chair expressed gratitude to the group for their attendance and thanked the VAC co-chair for her openness while the group determines how to address the mandate. The VAC co-chair appreciated the group’s participation in the discussion and the sharing of their opinions. The next meeting is scheduled for 20 March 2025.