Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you. He's been absolutely delightful for my life. With post-traumatic stress disorder, it's a continuum disorder, a spectrum disorder. There are many different places along the two points, and Tommy's definitely something for guys that are at my stage. That can be a benefit, absolutely.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'd like to expand on that as well, Mr. Secretary. The Pension Act focuses on the pain and suffering; that's all it does. It is not for vocational rehab. It is not rehabilitation. It has nothing to do with any of that. Only one of the programs under the new Veterans Charter, the disability award lump sum, can be compared with the Pension Act.

Veterans Affairs committee  Hello. My name is Kevin Berry. I'm from Vancouver, British Columbia. I have a service dog here with me, Tommy. He's a 21-month-old German Shepherd, Lab, and Doberman cross. He was provided by Citadel Canine Society out of Vancouver. Tommy is my service dog for post-traumatic stress disorder, and that's part of why I'm here today.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for having me. Ladies and gentlemen, Canada replaced a fair system with an unfair one, halfway through a war. From First World War pensions—that were argued on this Hill by veterans who came aboard trains to argue in front of Parliament—until March 31, 2006, veterans could count on one inalienable truth: so long as there was a Government of Canada, there would be the steadying hand of support, and the daily acknowledgement of their suffering, in the form of a monthly pension.