Veterans Affairs committee  So, when their salary drops to $25,000, that is a huge loss of income for them.

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Stoffer, could I ask you to speak slowly, please? Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  In general terms, it might be an appealing idea, although it may not be for my son, because he will be leaving the country to go and live in Thailand. The comments that have been made in that respect are somewhat contradictory. I have read articles in the newspapers—I follow developments in that area very closely.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, not really—so far.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, completely unpredictable.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, I obviously realized it, because Nicolas convalesced in my own home. I did not want him to go to an institution; I preferred to have him stay with me. At the same time, this gave me an opportunity to be with him when he felt the need. I realized it primarily because of his mood swings and aggressiveness—for example, when he would say he did not want to talk about something or he just wanted to be left alone, and then he would come to see me a half-hour later to talk.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, exactly. Post-traumatic stress does not necessarily appear immediately. It may appear only several years later, in a specific situation. For example, one man talked about his keys being the trigger: he would think they were the keys to his armoured vehicle. Sounds or smells can also act as triggers.

Veterans Affairs committee  The 100% rate has not yet been recognized in his case, but we have our fingers crossed.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, the reality is quite different. Of all my son's friends and acquaintances, none is satisfied with the treatment he has received. They have all gone from one appeal to the next. It is frustrating, and it is difficult for them to be constantly reliving these events. I can tell you that in August, my son will have been going through this for three years, and it is still not resolved.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, Nicolas is now up to about $165,000. He should find out about the date of his appeal any day now. In principle, he should receive the maximum amount, considering his disabilities. They are quite serious. His legs are seriously crippled; he cannot walk. It is all right in a house, but his ankles do not adjust when he is on the ground, because they are pretty well fixed in one position.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, of course. It will soon be three years; he has been waging this battle since August of 2007. The deadlines are never met. They always say that it takes from 6 to 12 weeks for the first contact, but in Nicolas' case, it took 26 weeks before he was able to arrange an initial meeting.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, there is no agreement. Nicolas sustained injuries to both legs. I believe he has 23 or 24 screws in his heel. But by some miracle, he survived: they saved his legs and he is still alive. So, you are right to say that we do not agree, because they are treating his two legs together, which is totally unacceptable, in my opinion.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, the process has been somewhat delayed because Nicolas was on parental leave. He returned to work last Monday, on May 17. His wife is from Thailand and she wants to go back and live in Thailand. They are being offered a chance to go back to school. Nicolas has asked to learn Thai so that he can start up his own business there—he wants to learn to read, write and speak the language.