Veterans Affairs committee  I just wanted to say that a lot of times I've seen it where they approve you automatically at 10%, but then you wait about a year and a half to get the 10%. You have to go to a doctor and get reassessed, and then you wait another year and a half to get it to something like 32%. If you could cut out that middle process and get it all done at once, perhaps there wouldn't be some redundancy.

Veterans Affairs committee  I know a lot of women who don't even acknowledge they're veterans because they don't want to have to say that the reason they got out was they were sexually assaulted. They would rather hide their veteran identity and just leave that part of their life in the past. They don't even want to deal with Veterans Affairs because then they have to open those wounds too.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, not at all.

Veterans Affairs committee  You wouldn't be able to. It's only with the organizations they have out there.

Veterans Affairs committee  Her name is Duchess.

Veterans Affairs committee  After I left my abusive husband, I was all alone. I knew I could not be completely alone, so I went and got a three-month-old German shepherd puppy. I had a couple of veteran friends who said they were going to help me go here and there, but those things didn't come to fruition.

Veterans Affairs committee  I feel as if I know people whose service dogs saved their life. If they didn't have a dog, they would not be here. I have lots of friends who are like that. It's so simple, yet it seems so complicated.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm having a problem with the military trying to get my charges dropped. I have to pay the Department of Justice and say how I was wronged. It's the exact same thing with Veterans Affairs. There are so many things they could do. I've had I don't know how many case managers. I have had to retell my story so many times since 1996—and there are other people.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's very difficult sometimes. There are feelings involved. When I had my very first pension, it was 20%. I have had to fight I don't know how many times. You're talking to someone about the most difficult things in your life, and they're talking to you like VAC. Even when I was trying to get my cannabis, the doctor from VAC was saying that they noticed I was suicidal back whenever, so they were stopping my prescription.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Not only have I been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, but I have agoraphobia. I go through periods where I'm at home and want to leave so badly, but I'm afraid of what's going to happen as soon as I walk out that door. There are times when for weeks the only interaction I have is with the lady at the drive-through window.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes, and I can't predict other people's behaviour. I don't want to get hurt again. I say that bad decisions made me smart, so I know what I don't want now. It's easier to just stay at home alone and not go out, but then I miss so many opportunities. I could meet people. I could do things, but sometimes the fear is too much.

Veterans Affairs committee  I have experienced abuse of power in almost every system I have encountered since I got out of the military: police systems, health care systems, you name it. There's abuse of power everywhere.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think they're impacted by it greatly. It's hard. My youngest son, even though he's doing really well, still has anger issues and stuff like that. It's hard to be honest about what's going on because he doesn't want to be honest about what went on at home. He had a sick mom. He was 15 years old and had to drive me to the hospital because I tried to kill myself.