Thank you for that.
When they first started the ombudsman, I was of the opinion that it should be limited to systemic problems, particularly knowing that there are gaps in the new Veterans Charter. And who better than the ombudsman to look at it, recognizing that the veterans associations and VAC are looking at some of those gaps? But the right decision may not be made.
So is the ombudsman going to be limited to just systemic problems, or is he going to get involved in individual cases, and who's going to make the selection as to which cases he's going to investigate? Is it going to be the individual's right, or is it going to be the individual making application to the ombudsman? If that's the case, and I'm just thinking aloud here, what process would they go through? Have you been to VRAB? Have you been through the levels of appeal? Have you exhausted your appeals with VRAB?
If in the opinion of the ombudsman and his staff the VRAB decision was correct, then one of the issues would be, is it worthwhile for him or her to investigate that? If there was an element of doubt, you could make a case that the ombudsman could get involved in individual cases.
But I think they have to walk before they run. There's enough work for the ombudsman there in regard to—God bless them—the new Veterans Charter. It was done quickly and pushed through Parliament. We got it through, and now we have to play a little catch-up on some of the systemic problems within the new Veterans Charter.