Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, and I'd also like to thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. I would ask that you keep a couple of things in mind in your further deliberations. Members of the Canadian Forces and members of the RCMP have an unlimited liability to serve. I would ask you to consider our government and nation's commitment to them.

Veterans Affairs committee  I followed your drift as well as the questions that were asked on Tuesday. Categorically, there are members of the Canadian Forces who receive EI as well as members of the RCMP. My wife was a member of the Canadian Forces. She went on two maternity leaves while she was a member of the Canadian Forces.

Veterans Affairs committee  I doubt I would have, never throughout my career. I don't think there was an occasion or an opportunity, because in my day we didn't have paternity leave. Now you have paternity leave in the Canadian Forces. So members who go on paternity leave receive the same thing as those members who went on maternity leave, and they probably receive EI.

Veterans Affairs committee  From the Legion's point of view, I'd say that we are asking for fairness.You're looking at a picture in time, a generation of people who, in the mid-1960s in the Canadian Forces, had their benefits changed and probably didn't fully understand how these changes would affect them when they retired at age 65.

Veterans Affairs committee  There are issues ranging from the changes that were made in 1965, and those have to be addressed. I'm not saying they don't have to be addressed. I'm saying maybe this pension plan that is in place today is a fair pension plan compared, as you have done, to other pension plans. We do have issues.

Veterans Affairs committee  I imagine it would be fairly easy for the Canadian Forces and the RCMP to provide a table. They have that, it also includes the benefits they pay, benefits and disability.... I can't remember exactly what it is in the Canadian Forces right now. They have a general table, for everyone.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's not even disability, but a pension calculation thing. The Canadian Forces benefits people would be able to provide it for the military, and the RCMP would be able to provide it as well.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you. I can only say from my own personal experience that when I retired 12 years ago I was briefed on what my reduced annuity would be because I got out before 25 years. But I was not told about a pension reduction at age 65 to do this bridging exercise.

Veterans Affairs committee  I don't think we're here to try to form a union.

Veterans Affairs committee  No.

Veterans Affairs committee  We who serve realize we have an unlimited liability to serve. When we in the Legion take our advocacy and policy issues forward, we take them to our national convention. These issues are raised from the ground level in our branches, such as what Mr. Labelle has done. He brought that through the Legion system as well.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, we have not, actually. It's not a bad idea to look at something from a broad perspective, from a pension as well as a disability issue and how they interact with each other, particularly in cases like that of Mr. O'Handley, who has had his benefits reduced because of receiving a disability award.

Veterans Affairs committee  I can say from the Legion's standpoint that we have not been consulted on the reworking of this manual. I read the comments that were made on Tuesday—interesting comments that this has been going on since 1966, but we still don't have a proper website or information out to provide people with the information.

Veterans Affairs committee  Mr. Stoffer, thank you for the question on double-dipping. I read Mr. Hawn's remarks that he made this week. I have never heard double-dipping referred to as basically receiving a pension as well as CPP at the same time. In my familiarity with double-dipping, it means that you were receiving a salary and possibly a pension at the same time, but not CPP.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, if I could, please, I'd like to also add in a few comments about Mr. Mallette. I commend you for bringing the position of your people here today. In 1966, when the changes to CPP were made, the Canadian Forces members and members of the RCMP didn't have representation to put their point forward about how the changes were going to affect them.