Good evening to you all. I would like to thank you for your presence and presentations.
In the past few weeks, a lot has been said and many witnesses have been heard as part of the current study on this bill. What we have gathered is that the timelines are now too long, compared with the bill's stated objectives. As well, we should never forget that since the Conservatives came to power in 2006, over one-third of the board member positions have been left vacant. That has led to a significant backlog. A lot has been made about the fact that people submit claims even though they are not genuine claimants.
Moreover, by delaying the introduction of legislation to monitor the work of consultants, the government has not helped those claimants who might have filed badly prepared claims because they did not have the information or advice needed to find their way through the system when submitting their claims.
What do you think of the fact that, within eight days, public servants are to provide claimants with advice on how to present their claims? Should the bill not be more specific, so that claimants be referred to legal counsel instead? We know that, in the first days after their arrival, claimants do not understand our system. It is a difficult process, and public servants should remain neutral. They are not necessarily the ones who will give them useful information to prepare their claims. Do you share that opinion?