Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for your presentation.
Since I've been on the committee I think this is the second or third time that you've appeared before the committee, and I thank you for that.
One thing that's been abundantly clear when I've heard the testimony and presentations you've given is that between you and your case managers this could never be considered just a job. When you're dealing with veterans who have a lot of varying situations, health situations that have to be dealt with, you're as close as you can get to your client. In order to do that job efficiently, you have to have, first of all, a passion for it, and also a commitment to the well-being of the person you're dealing with. I want to commend you for that, because I don't believe for a minute that any of you can do this, the work you do, and ever consider it just a job, considering you're dealing with human lives. Congratulations for all that you do, and your case workers as well.
I do know that when the changes came about, as far as the budget goes, you all had input into them. The fact that the overall budget was only cut by 1% reflected your commitment to the work you do. Yet you've been able to, first and foremost, put the veterans first and maintain the service, and even improve the services you were delivering through different technologies, training, and ways of doing things. Congratulations again.
I think it's particularly notable because in fact the budget was only cut by 1%. As I recall, in the years I was here during the previous government, I think its overall budget cuts were somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10% to 12%. It was something; you could really see the effect throughout the department. Congratulations. I'm really pleased to talk about the work you do.
You and your case workers...I just wonder what you feel when you know you're doing your best, and you know what you're doing for your cases, and yet you hear some criticism that in no way reflects what you're actually doing. I urge you to continue that good work, and keep the criticism where it belongs, and keep moving forward.
Given the new Veterans Charter, the number of benefits available to our veterans, is a case management approach vital to ensuring veterans have access to programs and services they need? With the new tools you have, do you believe the current system is more or less efficient than the previous system? Could you take a moment to explain? Do you feel your new system is far better, much better than the old system, in the way you've changed things?