Veterans Affairs committee  Obviously, there's an internal process at Veterans Affairs, and we're part of that. We're bringing forward comments and concerns, if you will, to both the table and the review of the entitlement eligibility guidelines and just in general to some of the changes we've seen in decisions over the past few years.

Veterans Affairs committee  No. I wasn't talking about the board. I meant lawyers like us who provide legal aid to veterans.

Veterans Affairs committee  In Australia, for example, people have no right to counsel. Only here do people have the right to legal advice.

Veterans Affairs committee  We didn't, no. Obviously, our job, or our lot if you will, is to represent veterans and be their voice. At the Bureau of Pensions Advocates, we need to know how to do our job properly. If the government changed its approach, we would obviously change how we do our job, but for now, that's how we do our job.

Veterans Affairs committee  No, it hasn't.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's been considered, I believe. The major issue at this point is that there aren't many cases that actually go to the Federal Court. The change, if you will, in the approach of the board to many of the issues that would otherwise have gone in years past to the Federal Court is partly an explanation for that.

Veterans Affairs committee  We do exit interviews after all hearings. We are pleased to tell you that we have probably in excess of 90% approval from the veterans we represent. That's been the case from practically the very beginning of the bureau. Of course, we have face-to-face contact with veterans on a daily basis, telephone contact.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'm afraid I am not aware of what the intentions are for using artificial intelligence for our work. Clearly, there is the issue of first-level decisions, which have to be sent out with a certain amount of efficiency. However, in our work itself, I can't see that there would be any necessary, immediate application for artificial intelligence.

Veterans Affairs committee  Good afternoon and thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members, for inviting me to appear before you today. I am Steven Woodman, the acting senior director of legal operations at the Bureau of Pensions Advocates. It is my pleasure to be here to speak about the bureau. The bureau has existed for more than 90 years in one form or another and is the only service of its kind in the world.