Veterans Affairs committee  One might have thought so, but, sadly, I am not sure about that. I am not convinced, but I am keeping an open mind that they will do what they say they are going to do now.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. It's a far-reaching one, I have to say. I think we've touched on a few of the points here today: basically, transitioning into a more welcoming environment if you're actually looking at what VAC is offering and, again, programs, services, better training and better awareness of women veterans' experiences and their particular issues relating to their service and the kinds of things that are different from what their their male colleagues experience.

Veterans Affairs committee  Could you repeat the question?

Veterans Affairs committee  My understanding is no. The class action has been closed, so for anybody to bring something new forward, they would probably have to either start their own lawsuit or start a new class action.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. Yes, I do, quickly. In the RCMP, there has been a culture change that they are attempting to implement now. Since 2007, we've had seven or eight reports and studies done. There have been over 100 recommendations made, but very few of them were followed up on.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. That's probably something we can include in a supplementary brief to the committee. I think it's probably going to take a bit longer than the chair is willing to give me.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. I think what our council has been considering and what we've discussed is to basically put the onus on the RCMP here. As I understand it, the RCMP contracts out the administration of these kinds of services to VAC, and VAC bills the RCMP for that administration of services annually.

Veterans Affairs committee  The biggest thing I've heard is to have better awareness of trauma, of PTSD. That probably requires, as I said earlier, trauma training. I gather there are services out there that provide that, but certainly having that kind of education and training for those workers is important.

Veterans Affairs committee  The short answer to that is yes, yes, yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, I have submitted a supplementary brief that does include the wording that I read out to you earlier, and I can certainly add to that anything else, because it's my understanding that there seem to be other class actions out there as well.

Veterans Affairs committee  I cannot take credit for that. That was Christine Wood, who spoke to you on April 17. Those were her words. I've gone back and listened to and watched a lot of the sessions that have taken place for this women's study. Clearly the sense that I have, the impression that's left with me—and I'm sure with the rest of the RCMP Veteran Women’s Council—is that it does behave more like an insurance company than like the resource it was intended to be.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's obviously a very big question. I guess it really comes down to.... Again, yes, they're a service provider. They're not paying out insurance claims. At the intake, having people who can assist.... Certainly for RCMP and other veterans, I have to give a shout-out to the Royal Canadian Legion, which has service officers all across Canada and does help veterans, free of charge, to put their claims together, to make sure they have everything they need and to actually get them through the process.

Veterans Affairs committee  On the first about whether it blocked women, yes, it did. It did. People talk, so if somebody has a bad experience, other women, other members, are going to hear about that and hear about it fairly quickly. It's our information that one-third of claimants were not accepted under Merlo Davidson, and even those whose claims were accepted did not get assessed at the level they expected.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for your question. I'll try to answer it in French, at least in part, if you'll allow me. I have a copy of the settlement agreement. Article 8.02 of the agreement contains two points. The first specifies that the funds veterans will receive will not be reduced by the minister or the government.

Veterans Affairs committee  All right. The second sentence in that article basically says that nothing in the settlement agreement will prevent the minister from making the reductions they're allowed to make under that act. From my perspective, what we are looking at is a very important clause or article in the settlement agreement that is inconsistent.