Could I get those numbers from the officials? If you can undertake to provide that information to us, that would be greatly appreciated.
I have two specific cases I'd like to bring to the attention of the officials just by way of a snapshot of the examples.
One is the publicized case of Mercedes Benitez. She made her application in 2010. She has been waiting seven years for it to be processed. Her case involves a son who has an intellectual disability, so it's not TB or anything like that. Her application has been in process for seven years.
I have a case of another individual, Monica Mateo. She made her application in 2012. It's been five years since she made the application, and again it's not a contagious disease or anything like that with respect to her daughter. In fact, in her case, her employer has even offered to cover all expenses related to her daughter if there were excessive demands determined. Her employer has submitted her bank statements for verification. They are still waiting.
There is something wrong with our system in the way we are treating such individuals.
When the officials say that this is not an issue around discrimination and that people's rights are not being violated in accordance with our charter, the question I want to put to the officials and to the government is this: is not the process you are making people go through because of their disability deemed to be a violation of our charter? Any other person would not have to undergo this process. Only people with disabilities have to undergo this process. That is the argument the associations working with people with disabilities are advancing.
I'd like to have the officials comment on that.