I had mentioned threats to the security of veterans coming forward. I said that personally I've experienced that. There has been a situation going on for the past 18 months, since I made the first public call for an ombudsman, where there has been a notable increase in the scrutiny, auditing, harassment, and denial mechanisms that exist in the department.
I had to approach the ombudsman after all mechanisms in the department at the time had failed. The ombudsman was sympathetic, but clearly said his mandate does not help me for speaking out in favour of an ombudsman. So he made a few phone calls--the office made phone calls on my behalf. However, it's clear that the department was not obligated to deal with him in any form whatsoever. That's an example of how the veteran can fall through the cracks when the one mandate ends and the other one begins.