Veterans Affairs committee  Perhaps I'll begin and then ask Steven if he could respond as well. We're not giving this active consideration at the present time. That's not to say we will not give it active consideration in the future. As I mentioned in the earlier response, some of these are highly sensitive conversations, and we want to be able to protect the confidentiality that exists between the veteran and the case manager, especially—and these are veterans with very complex needs and issues—to ensure there is a degree of safety in that relationship and that it does not get reported out by any means, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Veterans Affairs committee  We've done a complete review of all of the files, and I should identify and underline, as I think we said earlier, that this was a case—it was inappropriate and unacceptable, as the minister said—in which a veterans service agent, an employee, was raising the issue unprompted. It was an isolated case, from what we have been able to determine, a single case in which an employee raised the issue unprompted, of their own accord, with a veteran.

Veterans Affairs committee  There was no third intervention. A supervisor spoke with the veteran twice.

Veterans Affairs committee  Notes were taken, but no call has been recorded.

Veterans Affairs committee  If I may, that question should be put to Mr. Harris. Having said that, I would just like to point out that there are all kinds of exchanges that take place between veterans and their agents. Many of the topics discussed with veterans are confidential. So these are not discussions that lend themselves to being recorded.

Veterans Affairs committee  There is a difference between calls where the veteran reaches out to the department and calls, like this one, where they are calling an employee with whom they have a relationship similar to that with a doctor. The employee works very closely with the individual. These types of calls are not recorded.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think that absolutely it could be done. The question could be posed to the veteran, and if they're open and willing to receive that.... I think that in this case, for everyone and most especially for the veteran, we want to ensure that all of the review and investigation is complete before that's done.

Veterans Affairs committee  Absolutely. I think that contained in that understanding is the seriousness with which this issue has to be reviewed and reported on, as the minister identified.

Veterans Affairs committee  The first role of the employee is to make it very clear that it's a consideration the veteran should be engaging in with their health professionals and their medical professionals. That's an issue we cannot engage with them on in terms of the determination or the consideration the veteran may be going through with respect to MAID.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, our case managers and our veterans service agents are in situations of being in direct and regular interaction with the veterans they serve. These are conversations, as I think Mr. Harris indicated, that transpire regularly. There are a lot of phone calls by the veteran to their case manager or their veterans service agent and by the veterans service agent or the case manager to the veteran to make sure they're doing okay, to make sure they have the supports they require, to ensure they are getting access to not just health supports but also social supports and supports with respect to employment, connection to community and everything else.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's right, and in many cases if something troubling transpires between a veteran and their case manager or the veterans service agent, which might require the case manager or the veterans service agent to come back and reflect on it, they can then either reach out personally or raise it, as the minister and as we have indicated, with a supervisor.

Veterans Affairs committee  I can assure you, Member, that this is part of this review. It's to do a complete and thorough review of the files of this veterans service agent to see and ascertain where this issue may have been raised. What we have been able to identify thus far is that there is the case that is before us, a very troubling case.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, to the first question, absolutely.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think that the implication of the first question, and the answer to it, is yes to the second question—

Veterans Affairs committee  My understanding is that it's all of the files related to this employee.