I would clarify my earlier remarks if they were interpreted as being that we can't change the definition. Definitions certainly can be changed. They are changed in federal acts. The particular governance for the CPP is unique amongst many other programs. I just want to make the committee aware that if you are recommending changes that are considered major, they are subject to that governance protocol. Certainly the definition of disability within the CPP would be a major change. The provincial and territorial governments would have to be involved in making that decision.
To your broader question of what other changes we might look at, I did mention earlier that people with episodic disabilities can and do get approved. We want to make sure to avoid the kinds of situations you were talking about, where people have to go through multiple levels of appeals to get their benefits granted. If someone is suffering from a disability, they do get approved if their periods of wellness are not frequent enough or they don't have enough capacity to work or it's not reasonable to expect them to go on and off of work. We want to make sure that people have the best understanding of the program and the best opportunity to provide us with that information.
We have been testing some new methods. We're increasing phone communication between Service Canada personnel and applicants to make sure they understand what might be helpful when providing the evidence, so that they do meet the definition. We've updated our guidance and training. All of our decision-makers are medically trained personnel. Those are some of the administrative measures we're taking to try to make sure that the definition is applied consistently and fairly.