I understand that the CAF doctors have offered a reason that they don't make attribution to service.
I would ask the committee to ask Veterans Affairs Canada how many claims are denied because of attribution to service, in other words, when they are unable to draw the link between service and the illness through injury. I would ask the committee to ask Veterans Affairs Canada that question. I think it's an interesting question to ask.
I understand it is currently Veterans Affairs Canada that makes the attribution to service. It's what it has always done. It has access to service health records. That access has been simplified. When I'm out on the road, when I meet with military members and with veterans, I tell them about the importance of making that connection to service with their illness and injury. When they submit their disability claim, they should always get advice on how to do that.
I've said repeatedly that the veterans service officers in the Legion are trained to help people do that—making that connection to service in the disability claim, drawing that connection themselves in their own words and telling their story. Then, when VAC accesses their service health records, they can make that connection as well.
A lot of work has been done by the department to better understand the conditions of service on every single trade and occupation in the Canadian Forces. What Mr. Lick is asking for is—