Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you for your question. Since 2020, we've reduced the backlog of applications by 77%. So now there are only about 5,000 files waiting to be processed. In addition, last year, the wait time for francophones was 19.3 weeks, on average, whereas it was 20.3 weeks for anglophones.

Veterans Affairs committee  Last year, they were more or less equal. According to the most recent data I have, the gap is about two or two and a half weeks between male and female veterans, because female veterans' files represent a smaller percentage and their processing time varies more.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  If you're talking about the fees that we pay outside of legal decisions, the answer is yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Yes.

Veterans Affairs committee  Unfortunately, I don't think we're in a position to talk about the board, because it reports directly to the Minister of Veterans Affairs, not the deputy minister. So we can't really talk about his files and his commitments.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thanks very much. What I'd add to the testimony is a couple of clarifying remarks. There are three particular categories for priority status for releasing Canadian Armed Forces members. One is based on medical release. These individuals were not affected by the issues in the data transfer with PSC.

Veterans Affairs committee  It's near-term.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think it's important to understand that Veterans Affairs and other departments that are implicated—like the Canadian Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence and others—are working together to try to make sure that we can find solutions for veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members who may have been impacted by the technical glitch with the Public Service Commission data.

Veterans Affairs committee  I'd like to clarify one point, Mr. Desilets: are you referring to the transition of female veterans to civilian life?

Veterans Affairs committee  In fact, it's not exactly a program but rather a process that's based on programs and people in the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Canadian Armed Forces, which support male and female veterans during their transition.

Veterans Affairs committee  The work is done in a partnership to ensure that everything's in place to support the veterans and their families. We're still discussing this today because this is a process that can be improved, still and always. It can't come to an end. We can't say we've done everything to help veterans during their transition.

Veterans Affairs committee  The Department of Veterans Affairs now works more closely with veterans and does preventive work with them, which helps to facilitate initial actions and to ensure the programs are implemented. We want to make sure that people don't tell us six years later that they didn't have a good experience.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think the commander did a great job of capturing it, but to the member's point, they're all linked. These are all important elements that serve in each of these programs. They're all safety nets. The key point and takeaway here is that the members are not asked to do this on their own.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think the commodore has indicated that he will try to get that information. The rest is part of a flow.