Veterans Affairs committee  A veteran, of course, is a person who yesterday served in the Canadian Forces or served in the RCMP. That person has not changed by having simply been released from the Canadian Forces. The needs that person had yesterday are the same needs that person has today, and in fact, they are even greater today.

Veterans Affairs committee  I absolutely would.

Veterans Affairs committee  It is certainly a challenge for me. I think one of the most important things for me to do is to help people understand what an ombud's office does. We walk an extremely narrow lane. All I can do is [Technical difficulty—Editor] on where I see unfairness or inequity. That is all we can do.

Veterans Affairs committee  I need to refer to my notes on this. I'll probably ask Mr. Schippers to jump in and help me with this, as it was before my time. We did indeed make this recommendation to triage applications. I must acknowledge it has been partly implemented by the department. The department triages the applications of veterans who are 80 and over, or who self-identify as having a life-threatening condition.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  We are, of course, encouraged by everything and anything that goes to helping the department have the resources it needs to address not only the backlog but the processes by which decisions are made, by all the tools they use to make those decisions and all the supports and programs they provide to ensure that gender-based analysis is done on policies prior to their being put into place.

Veterans Affairs committee  The number one role of the ombud's office is to receive and respond to complaints from individual veterans. We continue to receive those complaints every single day. Where we see that there is a systemic issue, when we see complaints that come in that are similar or that have similar aspects, that will trigger for us a systemic investigation.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes. Absolutely. We have a list of investigations that are ongoing and investigations that we expect to conduct over the next period of time.

Veterans Affairs committee  That's a complex question, Mr. Chair. The way the department resources its medical and expert staff is certainly something that is outside of my mandate to respond to. I will agree, of course, that having served in the Canadian Armed Forces, or even the RCMP, gives you that perspective that you can get only by having worn those combat or RCMP boots.

Veterans Affairs committee  I do, very much. In fact, I would strongly encourage the committee to ask the department exactly those questions. Ask the department to tell you how many veterans are waiting for decisions on their first applications. How many of those veterans don't have easy access to health care?

Veterans Affairs committee  I think an example may help to clarify this or to give you a better understanding. The caregiver recognition benefit is for the caregivers of veterans who are the most seriously injured. What about the veteran who can use a spoon and a fork to feed themselves—which is one of the activities of daily living—but cannot go out of the house to go and buy the groceries?

Veterans Affairs committee  Let me take the second part first. Since I have taken up this role—and thank you—I have found that the working relationship that I have with the department and that my staff have with the department is for the most part collegial and mutually respectful. We do ask for data. At times, the department simply can't give us that data because they don't collect that data.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, exactly.

Veterans Affairs committee  The transition piece, because it is under the auspices of the Canadian Armed Forces, is outside of my mandate. However, as a veteran and a person who went through that process, I can tell you that I'm encouraged by what I have heard, that the Canadian Armed Forces and the department are working together to close that gap.

Veterans Affairs committee  I have not had any cases brought to me directly, so I'm not aware of any myself, but my deputy ombudsperson may be able to provide more information, so I'll invite Duane to offer his perspective.