Status of Women committee  You're welcome. It was a pleasure.

Status of Women committee  In consultation at a local level and a regional level and a national level with various departments, we take part to the extent that we're committed in developing and encouraging employees to take whatever training is available.

Status of Women committee  The Public Service Alliance of Canada is the actual bargaining agent, but it's composed of 18 components, one of which is ours, which is the Union of Solicitor General Employees. But the agreement is between PSAC and Treasury Board. It's not between the components and Treasury Board.

Status of Women committee  Essentially, the RCMP, recognizing that the changes to Bill C-42 would affect a variety of different issues and elements, created a number of different working groups, one of which is the harassment working group. So it's a working group that's composed of several bargaining agent representatives, the remainder, of course, being RCMP managers' representatives with varying specialties and involvement.

Status of Women committee  The joint learning program is a Public Service Alliance of Canada initiative, not a component initiative. That said, all components at varying times will have certain levels of involvement, by either contributing to the writing of training programs or facilitating training programs, depending on their availability.

Status of Women committee  I'm saying that the JLP is a program and function of the PSAC. Our contribution as a component would be when assistance is required or requested in the design of a particular training program or when there's a need for facilitators for a particular training session. That would be our involvement as a component.

Status of Women committee  Use it?

Status of Women committee  The concept behind JLP is that it provides training jointly to management and employees, so to the extent that budget, timing, resources, size of the room, etc., permit, there will be, in theory, roughly an equal number of managers and employees on any JLP-delivered session.

Status of Women committee  Once again, just for clarity for the record, we're not referring to our employees, but the employees of the federal government who we represent. We certainly encourage all of our membership across the country to take advantage of any training, be it harassment or be it any subject that's being offered by the federal government or that department.

Status of Women committee  I'm a little concerned that my comments on Bill C-42 have been taken out of context. First, you have to stipulate that USGE and PSAC do not represent the regular members of the RCMP. As to what potential impact Bill C-42 may have on the resolution of regular member to regular member complaints, it's not my position to comment.

Status of Women committee  Yes and no. First off, the informal conflict resolution process is in most departments. I should point out that the RCMP, for example, still does not have an informal conflict resolution program that's been approved, it still doesn't have a well-developed process, and it's in the process of hiring a number of ICMS practitioners.

Status of Women committee  First and foremost, our role is to ensure that we have all the facts before us, because without all the facts, it's inappropriate for us to suggest a course of action for that particular circumstance. Once we have the facts, the next logical step would be to fully inform our member of the various means available to deal with the particular issue, and depending upon the severity of the issue, the duration, the time, and the environment, we will make one or another recommendation, such as I mentioned in my earlier testimony.

Status of Women committee  I'm sorry, could you repeat that?

Status of Women committee  Only three out of seven have agreed to contact with us so far, yes. I'm hoping that the appearances before the Status of Women committee, an airing of concerns, and your respective perspectives may encourage people to be a little more comfortable in coming forward.

Status of Women committee  I believe I provided a case summary of that to the clerk, and she would be better prepared to answer that than myself.