Well, the ombudsman cannot order any change. All we can do is make recommendations. Obviously, when we do make recommendations, we make them being fully accountable to the Minister of National Defence. Our recommendations are based on facts and not allegations. We have to be very credible in what we do.
When I go around the country and tell them what I can do for them, that I can help the system, individual people, individual complaints, but also systemic investigations, I sense that people have a sense that they've been abandoned.
Abandoned to a certain extent, as far as their loyalty and confidence in the system go.
They feel very frustrated, particularly with an issue like this one. The grievance system has been streamlined and improved since 1998 in order to come to two different layers and so on, which is, as Chief Justice Lamer mentioned, contrary to the military justice system, which is more of an adversarial system. Redress of grievance is a cooperative process between chain of command people to help them resolve their issues. Most of the issues are of a human resource nature within the system.
Obviously we will continue; my office is to serve all our constituents. We're there not to take sides but to really advocate for fairness. It is unfair when someone who is in charge of the control administration of the armed forces of this country tells someone, “I agree with what you are saying; you've been wronged, but there is nothing I can do for you.” By saying in the books that the CDS has final and binding authority...I would say he doesn't have final authority.