Thank you.
The relationship is a consultative one. They are in no way responsible to me. I'm a staff officer for the Chief of the Defence Staff.
The process that we follow for the purposes of readiness is to ensure that, on an annual basis, the Chief of the Defence Staff directs those who provide forces, and directs what forces are to be ready for what reason. And most of the time, that's an enduring equation. It doesn't change a great deal, but there are provisions for it to change, that is, we need to be ready to do search and rescue, to be ready to go offshore with a modest-sized organization like the DART or to reinforce support elsewhere, and to be ready over a longer horizon and be able to go do something like in Afghanistan.
I make certain before the chief signs that direction that the appropriate staff work and research is done to ensure that it's all within the art of the possible and, ultimately, I produce the documents for him to sign.
In terms of crisis response, again, we consult amongst those service chiefs and their staffs to ensure that our picture of what we think is ready is indeed ready at that level, and to give warning and seek advice as we start to put together plans. And ultimately, my primary relationship with them is through the Chief of the Defence Staff, because they are the principal advisors to the Chief of the Defence Staff on their respective services.