Question Period Note: MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ADVISORS

• What is the Department of National Defence doing to provide mental health care to former and current National Defence civilian employees, such as Language and Culture Advisors, who deploy to theatre alongside our women and men in uniform?

• The health and well-being of our military members and civilian employees is a top institutional priority.
• We recognize that unique demands are placed on civilians who work as part of integrated civilian-military teams on international operations.
• In 2018, National Defence instituted a new policy that improve the support we provide to civilian employees before and after deployments.
• Working with provincial partners, we continue to explore other options to assist civilians who participated in past international operations.

If pressed on accessing benefits Language and Culture Advisors
* The Office of Disability Management within National Defence provides tailored guidance to Language and Culture Advisors navigating access to benefits.

BACKGROUND

Government support to civilian employees

• The Government Employees Compensation Act provides compensation for the loss of earnings, medical care and other related benefits to federal employees injured in the course of their employment or disabled by reasons of an industrial disease due to the nature of their employment. The Act provides coverage through Provincial Workers Compensation Boards for all federal government employees. Coverage may include compensation for loss of earnings, medical, hospital services, and rehabilitation services.

• National Defence works with the Public Health Agency of Canada in the development of a federal framework for Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries (Bill C-211, An Act respecting a federal framework on post-traumatic stress disorder).

Support to civilian employees who deploy on international operations

• While in theatre, a civilian deployed in support of operations is subject to Canadian Armed Forces operational command. Further, Canadian Joint Operations Command also determines:

  • need for the deployment of National Defence employees in support of Canadian Armed Forces activities;
  • qualifications of these employees;
  • training required;
  • length of the deployment; and
  • level of National Defence employee participation in Canadian Armed Forces activities.

• Prior to and post-deployment, Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources Civilian) is responsible for:

  • approving policy and guidelines on the deployment of National Defence employees in support of Canadian Armed Forces international operations;
  • advising on labour relations, and compensation and benefits specific to the deployment of National Defence employees in support of Canadian Armed Forces activities; and
  • handling the administration of applicable benefits for deployed employees in accordance with the Foreign Service Directives and Military Foreign Service Instructions, as applicable.

• A new policy promulgated in March 2018 imposes limits on both frequency and duration of civilian employment on overseas operations. The policy also provides guidance and key responsibilities surrounding pre-deployment health assessment and post-deployment follow-up care and support of employees, including briefings about operational stress injuries. This has filled the previous policy gap and greatly mitigates the risk to civilians.

• National Defence continues to work with provincial partners, such as compensation and insurance boards to explore options to assist civilians who participated in past international operations.

Civilians deployed to Afghanistan

• The issue of the level of support provided to Language and Culture Advisors returning from operations with the Canadian Armed Forces was raised through a complaint from a former Public Service term employee who worked alongside deployed Canadian Armed Forces members in Afghanistan, for seven consecutive deployment rotations (February 2006 to July 2011). As a result of this deployment this employee was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• This employee is receiving compensation through the Government Employees Compensation Act, however the loss of earnings which would be compensated through the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board are stalled. The reason provided for this is due to an inability to provide a specific date of injury and clear description of the work being performed for security reasons.

RECENT PARLIAMENTARY INTEREST

• Nil.

RECENT MEDIA INTEREST

• On November 11, 2019, media brought back to light coverage of civilians deployed alongside Canadian Armed Forces members in Afghanistan. Media outlets interviewed several individuals, including Language and Cultural Advisors. The media coverage focused on the lack of care the federal government provides to civilians deployed on international operations.

GBA+

• Nil.

INDIGENOUS

• Nil.

Responsible Principals: Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources Civilian)

QUICK FACTS

• Between 2005 and 2012, 65 civilians were deployed to international operations as Language and Cultural Advisors.

• The Government Employees Compensation Act provides compensation to federal employees for the loss of earnings, medical care, and other related benefits injured in the course of their employment.