Thank you for asking that question. In fact, I have carried out all those mechanisms. I have spoken directly with the minister personally. He was very generous in providing me with two hours of his time back at the end of March, just before the passage of the new veterans charter, and I made this point very clear to him, that the ombudsman comes first, not the bill of rights.
In the case of Mr. Hillier, I also made it very clear to him, with all due respect, that he should not be the one writing it up. He said, “Well, who should be writing up the bill of rights?” The ombudsman should be, because it's a bill of rights that is supposed to ensure independence, impartiality, and fair and equal treatment for all.
It's the rights of veterans. Veterans Affairs should not be writing up the rights of their clientele. As you said, it's the fox running the henhouse.
I'm grateful for those mechanisms. They have still fallen on deaf ears, so I have a great deal of hope that the fact that this is a standing committee and that you ladies and gentlemen are all very passionate about this issue will mean you'll be able to make sure the process and the end results are impartial, effective, and independent.