Veterans Affairs committee  The ombudsman would have to deal with individual cases, as well as group, but that would be up to the individual to decide whether it would be more expedient to work with the group, or would he zero in on John's problem.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, I haven't had any yet.

Veterans Affairs committee  Then I think this would be an ideal opportunity for someone in that position to put forward a better case. As Les said a minute ago, often the soldier doesn't present his case well. Let's be honest, a lot of the people who went to Korea had grade six education. Now, if we were

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  The act says if there is any doubt, you shall rule in favour of the veteran. But who decides the doubt?

Veterans Affairs committee  You ask me to provide a witness, somebody who remembers what happened on October 23, 1951. I misplaced my car keys last week. This guy no longer drives a car because he lost his keys. So you're asking the blind to assist the blind. You're asking someone to recall, 50 years late

Veterans Affairs committee  Not only did we not get the Syngman Rhee medal, but the government refused to let us know that all our navy people were entitled to a presidential citation from the Republic of Korea. I was able to get one for the president of the Royal Canadian Legion, Nova Scotia-Nunavut Comman

Veterans Affairs committee  We know now that the government recognizes spouses and children to some extent. If that's the case, then why would the ombudsman not have access to those people?

Veterans Affairs committee  I think right now the VIP is extended to some spouses upon the death of the husband. They get groundskeeping and so forth. But one of the big things is this bugbear about marriages after 60. That's a problem.

Veterans Affairs committee  I guess one of the things you have to think about is whether everyone who applies for a larger pension necessarily deserves one.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's an honest observation. So if, in the case of the ombudsman, he feels, “This is rather trivial. I don't think he deserves any more, based on the statistics, the facts of the matter”, then I think he would simply say, “No, we're not going to go any further with this.”

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Peate spoke of the centre that was supposedly being set up between DND and Veterans Affairs. It was going to have five locations across the country where you could go if you had a chemical problem. You would be tested and they would come up with some sort of finding on you.

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Peate mentioned the Korean War medal, which was given by the President of Korea to anyone who served in that theatre. I think probably the ombudsman could be someone who would go to Government House and say, “Don't you think this facade has gone on long enough?” This was a re

Veterans Affairs committee  We do have some representation from the Legion, because we have the people, the service bureau officers, for example, who take cases to Veterans Affairs. We're very fortunate, in that the patron of the Royal Canadian Legion is retired General Charles Belzile. He is also a Korea v

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, I suppose his department would really have to do the research, because, after all, what would his function be if he didn't have any facts or figures to work with? He would need someone to do that research.