Veterans Affairs committee  They get frozen in, say, as a private.

Veterans Affairs committee  The definition of family has been debated by the Gerontological Advisory Council and the new Veterans Charter advisory group. It is true that both reports are a little ambiguous about the family. It's maybe one of those things that's dangerous to define. I'm thinking of the U.S. context, where there is the “don't ask, don't tell” policy.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, and in-laws as well.

Veterans Affairs committee  But to go back to the point just prior to that, there is this idea of needs-based rather than eligibility-based criteria. If you are a veteran and if you've ever worn the uniform and put your life at risk and you have issues or problems you need help with, you should be able to get it.

Veterans Affairs committee  Sure.

Veterans Affairs committee  I have two books on life course sociology. One is called Restructuring Work and the Life Course, in fact. This is the life course principle in action here. The committee has recommended--also, you should start at the level of a corporal, because a private is not a lot. It seems to me that if someone was willing to serve their country and in the course of doing so developed an injury, that person should just be taken care of.

Veterans Affairs committee  We were actually set up 13 years ago. It was actually while I was still in Canada, in 1997. We've been in business 13 years. Who else is on the council? Over the years we've had many people, but let's see if I can get them straight. They're in the report here. She went off a few years ago, but we've had Evelyn Shapiro from the University of Manitoba, who I would say counted at the time as the leading long-term care expert in Canada.

Veterans Affairs committee  The expansion in eligibility for the VIP for home delivered services. It was a long story. The department offered home care in two jurisdictions as an alternative to people on very long waiting lists. Perley was one of them, and I forget the other one. Then when it came time, they said they would go on the home care program.

Veterans Affairs committee  I have to say, we never know how much was due to us or whether it would have happened anyway. We'd like to think we have had something to do with it.

Veterans Affairs committee  Are you talking about the new Veterans Charter advisory committee?

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, good. I anticipated that question a bit, but you'd better tweak me one more time. I'm sorry.

Veterans Affairs committee  Maybe it's not given much prominence, but in Honouring Our Commitment, the new Veterans charter advisory group makes the point that there does not seem to be the authority to keep track of veterans. Why shouldn't it be a permanent account, so to speak, that's there? Even if someone has just been discharged, there should be a way to monitor who's out there and some ease in getting back into the system.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  We were established just for the traditional veterans, and the RCMP wasn't in that picture. But we adopted this mantra--and I don't know whether it was the Royal Canadian Legion that started it or whatever--but a veteran is a veteran is a veteran, and the Mounties would come in there as well.

Veterans Affairs committee  SNAG, you say?