Mr. Chair, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't surprised at the designation of the office, knowing the level the DND ombudsman and having read the report and the recommendations. In fact, the veterans ombudsman is the equivalent of an EX-2 or a DG.
My family is not going to starve. I took the job for the job itself, much like I've done my entire career. But having said that, it has created certain impediments, the knock-on effect of the more junior staff employed within the office of the ombudsman. Also, some of the delegations internally are being viewed as delegations that would be at the DG level rather than the level I would expect of the ombudsman.
Moreover, I can foresee, perhaps with my successor, not as much with me, where the people working at the ADM and DM level might view the position as being more the working level of the DG. I say that for my successor, because I fully intend to exercise the latitude the office warrants.
Finally, my concern is with the feelings of the veterans. I think they would have the same expectations that I would have coming into the job, that their ombudsman would be of no lesser stature than the ombudsman for the serving members.