Mr. Chairman, I couldn't agree more.
As I've said, the board must make efforts to become completely transparent. That's the nature of a democracy and it's one of the principles of natural justice. It's not that justice is done; it's the perception that justice is done.
Right now, there is an overwhelming perception within the veterans community that they're being cheated, and I have to say after three years that I've seen the evidence. I've challenged the department and the Veterans Review and Appeal Board to educate me to the contrary, but it's quite clear that it should be changing.
Interestingly, not only do other tribunals publish their findings, but when veterans, at their own expense, take their appeal to the Federal Court of Appeals, it will publish all the information. So there are ways around this.
The board also suggests that translation becomes a problem. There are ways around this. There is no excuse for that feeling amongst our veterans.
I would not for a second suggest that all the claims veterans make are justified. I have actually confronted veterans and explained the laws of the land to them.
However, I would submit that because of this feeling of being cheated that is so prevalent within the community, we've gone from where we no longer simply have veterans advocates but veterans activists. They are people who make it their sole job in life to attack and to discredit the department. Indeed, there have been individuals who have tried to discredit the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman--one who testified before you here.
To make matters even worse, we're seeing a day of protest on November 6. The fact that I had to do what I did on August 17 just to satisfy my conscience, and the fact that veterans are standing up and being counted on November 6, I find that very, very distasteful, but that's the state of affairs right now in terms of the natural justice they're facing.