Mr. Speaker, because I was a member of the committee that studied this bill, and since they are talking about fast-tracking the process at some point or other, I would like to ask my colleague to explain why it is such a long process, because it makes no sense at all that it takes so much time.
Earlier, I gave two examples: the case of the veteran who has been trying to obtain a pension for 30 years and the case of the applicant who has now received, I think, some 12 or 14 decisions, but is still awaiting the verdict.
In committee we were told that only 30 per cent of all cases brought before the Canadian Pension Commission were accepted while 70 per cent of all cases subsequently submitted for review were accepted. Why? The commission could not explain this, it never looked into it, wondered, etc. The question I have always asked myself is whether partisan appointments to this commission were the reason.
At a certain point, the Bloc Quebecois proposed that from now on-do not forget that these people are appointed for 10 years-the provinces be consulted, that the process become more transparent and that the government start appointing people for their competence and not their political affiliation. I was surprised that the Liberal Party opposed the idea at the time. I would like to hear the hon. member's comments on the issue.