Veterans Affairs committee  Oh, okay. So what's your question?

Veterans Affairs committee  That's what we say. We say that it's not related. It has not been demonstrated to be related, but it exists. Nevertheless this entity does exist. We cannot wish it away; it does exist. It's been demonstrated very clearly, not just with the Canadians but with many troops. Essentially, among troops deployed by NATO countries, a number of them come back and they're not the same, and there's nothing that shows.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, we wouldn't have written it if we didn't believe it. But I'm not sure what your question is. Is it how strongly we feel about that conclusion?

Veterans Affairs committee  Theoretically there could be because, as I said earlier, it does have the same toxicological risk as uranium, but it would have to be very, very high. I said that the only definitive proof we had about a very dramatic effect on the kidneys was from these accidents and these suicide attempts with uranium.

Veterans Affairs committee  Exactly. The exposure that they may have had would be too low to produce any of these effects.

Veterans Affairs committee  You want to get in on it, do you?

Veterans Affairs committee  The most precise test would be somehow to have a sample of air deep in the lungs. That would be the most precise, because you can inhale some but it does not all go into the lungs. Some of it is brought up in the sputum and it goes into the gut and has no effect. But the actual dose, to be very precise, would be, and so on, the little probe that goes right down deep into the alveoli.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's the starting point. That is where things started and where the term Gulf War syndrome was first used. Now, the official term is chronic multisymptom illness. To break that down, you can say that it is a chronic illness characterized by a number of symptoms.

Veterans Affairs committee  Soldiers experiencing that chronic multisymptom illness could go to a facility that is equipped to care for them.

Veterans Affairs committee  You asked me what I think as a doctor. I will answer you as a doctor.

Veterans Affairs committee  I do not want to go about things haphazardly. As a doctor, if a veteran came to see me and told me about his problems, I would find a way to treat those problems even if there was nothing specific and even if every possible test came up negative. Is it up to the patient to prove a problem to the doctor beyond any doubt?

Veterans Affairs committee  There is always a way to improve health care. We can see that in the constant increase in health care budgets. The Canadian Forces have a good system, better, I have to say, than the civilian system in terms of monitoring. It is much better documented. Can it be improved? Probably so.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is not perfect, but I still have to say that it is very good.

Veterans Affairs committee  Again.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's correct.