Bureaucrats fight creation of veterans ombudsman: Marin: 'These people need a place to turn to,' watchdog saysOntario's ombudsman is warning that ""self-serving"" bureaucrats are trying to scuttle a plan for a strong advocate to speak for veterans disillusioned with the poor treatment they receive at the hands of the federal government. The creation of an ombudsman's office at the Department of Veterans Affairs couldn't be more timely considering that a whole new wave of veterans from the Afghan war will need a strong voice to deal with their concerns, said Andre Marin, who is also the former Canadian Forces ombudsman. In a report produced for a Commons committee, Mr. Marin blasts bureaucrats with Veterans Affairs for claiming that the creation of an ombudsman would be costly and legally complex. ""What I've read of the transcripts of departmental officials is a no-can-do, not-in-my-back yard approach that stirs up imaginary obstacles that, if allowed to stand, will defeat the government's stated and important commitment to create an ombudsman for veterans,"" Mr. Marin states in the report obtained by the Citizen. Mr. Marin has been asked to make a presentation to the Commons veterans affairs committee, which is examining the creation of an ombudsman for the department. His report is part of that presentation but he has not yet appeared before the committee. During the election, the Conservatives promised to create an ombudsman's office for veterans. Prime Minister Stephen Harper repeated that pledge at a press conference in April. In an interview, Mr. Marin said the need for a department watchdog is a necessity since a new wave of veterans, some injured and requiring pensions, is now returning from Afghanistan. ""An ombudsman won't be short of any business,"" Mr. Marin said. ""And these people need to have the place to turn to that a real ombudsman's office would provide."" Mr. Marin said bureaucrats at Veterans Affairs have fought the idea of an ombudsman for the last decade and it appears they will be successful in their quest to get the appointment of a watchdog with few real powers. ""I think the otherwise honourable initiative by the government is clearly at risk of being scuttled by a hardened and entrenched bureaucracy, one which has opposed a veterans ombudsman for as long as I can remember,"" he said. The committee has heard that senior bureaucrats at Veterans Affairs are carrying out consultations and working out details of an ombudsman's office. But in June, the committee also heard concerns similar to those raised by Mr. Marin, from former Canadian Forces members. Sean Bruyea, who served in the first Gulf War, said the ombudsman must be powerful and independent and the current process of involving Veterans Affairs bureaucrats in developing the office will not work. The retired captain said such a process is akin to allowing the banks to oversee the restructuring of their watchdog agency. ""It is potentially scandalous, and it is certainly neither accountable nor transparent,"" Mr. Bruyea said. Mr. Marin said the bureaucrats claim there could be legal problems if an ombudsman conducted oversight of pension and benefit review boards. But he noted that his own office just finished a major investigation involving a quasijudicial review board with no such legal problems. ""If you take out the pension review board from the jurisdiction of a future Veterans Affairs ombudsman, then you've got nothing left,"" Mr. Marin said.