National Defence committee  Well, additionally, being a reservist, you're a volunteer. If you want to train during an evening or a weekend, you decide to do that. If you don't want to do it, you don't come to the unit and that's it. The reserves have always been like that. For the reserves to be very effe

National Defence committee  Generally speaking. In order to answer your question, may I read from my presentation? This massive use of reservists imitates the American model, and to some extent the British model. Indeed, in 2005, 46% of U.S. troops in Iraq were from the National Guard, transforming it, in

National Defence committee  Are you asking me the question as a reservist or, let's say, if I were the commander of the land force?

National Defence committee  There's no doubt.... And we are not the ones saying this. Regular generals, serving generals, are saying that the regular forces are overqualified in terms of all the things they have to study or go through. If that pattern is implemented in the reserves, then you have the reserv

National Defence committee  Could you repeat your question?

National Defence committee  I'd say our priority should be recruiting and pay levels. I'm talking about the system, not just saying we're going to increase the number of recruits. I'm saying you should look at the system of recruiting—the selection, the enrolment, the courses, and the planning. It doesn't w

National Defence committee  Yes.

National Defence committee  Okay, let's say I'm a young student. because most of the time we start with students, I come to a unit and I knock on the door and say, I want to join you guys, thanks. So you're going to fill out a thick stack of paper and you have to come once or twice or three times to the uni

National Defence committee  I agree with you. We're not disputing that. We're pointing out that during the seven years that Afghanistan has taken place, the militia units have been depleted of their leaders. Sixty per cent of the leadership of the reserve has been on full-time service, even class D in headq

National Defence committee  It's definitely a top priority to make sure the reservists who volunteer to deploy in Afghanistan receive training the same or very close to that of their counterparts in the regular force. Regarding Afghanistan, I agree with you.

National Defence committee  I would refer back to what we are recommending. I would choose the first issue, that of the confirmation of the primary roles of the Militia and an analysis of the structure.

National Defence committee  We could begin with that. What is the role of the Militia? If, as the member was saying, it is a role of immediate support to the Regular Force, then we would know it, and the system would have to align itself accordingly, if such were the desire of the country and of the politic

National Defence committee  You're talking about collective training or individual training or—

National Defence committee  First of all, coming back to the contract issue, a class C contract must be carried through until the end of its term. I believe that a class B contract can be revoked with notice. Secondly, with regard to the protection of reservists, let us talk about post-traumatic stress syn

National Defence committee  No, it hasn't slowed down. In fact, the requirement for training has increased. The level of requirement has increased. But to get back to your point of class B, we are not against people serving in class B; in fact, we find it's good for them. But on the other hand, there are p