The Veterans Affairs agents that have been helping us are absolutely wonderful. That being said, they really seem to have their hands tied when it comes to some matters. They would like to do more, but are unable to due to all sorts of administrative constraints. It is really difficult to be kept in the dark.
When we made the first call, we were told that we would get support, but we were not given any information on the process. We were not told that it could take up to a year to process our request. We find ourselves in a state of perpetual uncertainty.
It is almost as if keeping people in the dark were the department's operational culture, from area counsellors to pension officers. Area counsellors and pension officers are two separate services, one is based in Sherbrooke and the other in Montreal. We are told what the next step will be, and then asked to fill out a form and send it back. That is it.