Thank you, Mr. Chair.
It's a pleasure to be here again in front of this committee. My name is Bernard Butler. I am the director general for policy in the policy, communications, and commemoration branch at Veterans Affairs Canada.
I am joined here today by my colleague, Rick Christopher. Rick is the director of program management in the service delivery branch of Veterans Affairs.
Our objective is to support your review of the processes and activities of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, including any recommendations that could improve the current appeal process.
Essentially, our objective here today is to support your review of the processes and activities of the Veterans Review and Appeal Board and to assist you in any recommendations that could improve the current appeal process.
Today, we, Veterans Affairs Canada, will provide you a technical briefing on the disability benefit application, decision-making, and redress processes that take place with regard to a disability benefit application at the departmental level. We will endeavour to help the committee better understand the department's processes and at which point a departmental decision could make its way to the Veterans Review and Appeal Board for review.
Mr. Christopher will start with a high-level overview of the department's disability benefits adjudication process, and he will conclude with the departmental review process and how that links with the Veterans Review and Appeal Board, including the role of the Bureau of Pensions Advocates in the redress process.
After that, we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.
I'll now turn to my colleague Rick.