This also goes back to your question about when the ADM was appointed to this position.
Unfortunately, this culture of secrecy not only exists in the pension adjudication and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board; it exists through the entire consultation process, for whatever it may be—the new veterans charter, the bill of rights, or changes to programs and policies. The stakeholders, the veterans receiving those services, are rarely if ever informed until after the fact. There's far too much attention being given to representatives from six organizations. It's wonderful work that these organizations do, but even if their entire membership were consulted, they represent less than 17% of the entire veteran population, and they've admitted on many occasions that they don't have time to consult their membership.
What we're talking about is a culture within the department that doesn't feel it needs to consult with its stakeholders, because they're too large in number. But the point is we're the customers. I think the department should start listening to the customers.