National Defence Committee on May 25th, 2015

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

Mr. Chair, thank you for the question.

My task and my mandate is to address the 10 recommendations in Madame Deschamps' report, and in so doing to identify best practices and lessons learned, as you have alluded to.

We've gone out fairly quickly on that accord. In discussions with the men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces across the country, our desire is start the discussions about this underlying sexualized culture that Madame Deschamps has reported so people understand what our expectations of them are as members of the military.

I can't actually put a date on when we will have all of the recommendations addressed. In both our discussions with the Americans and the Australians, they have said we must take the time to truly understand the issue before we come out with full options. I can only offer that we are moving as fast as we can.

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

But we do have a serious and ongoing problem. We heard a story last week about a sexual harassment prevention officer attending the Royal Military College and herself being, in her own words, harassed by the cadets who were there who clearly didn't understand, or perhaps didn't know anything about, the notion of sexual harassment or the kinds of things that were being described.

I need to be able to say, and I think Canadians want to know, is it still, is it yet, safe for women in the military? I have to conclude, based on this report, that this is not the case.

How are you and your CDS and the minister—I know they're not here, but they were invited—going to be able to assure people that their sons or daughters and those already serving will be safe from criminal acts and harassment, and that complaints will be taken seriously? I don't need to read all of what Madam Justice Deschamps wrote. I mean, it's pretty clear that the reason things aren't reported, they're not taken seriously, they don't do a proper investigation.... The military police don't even know what “consent” is in many cases. We have a very serious problem from bottom to top.

Is there a crisis recognized? I think you said there's no consensus on how serious this is, but I think the alarm bells are going off in a lot of people's minds.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

That's time, Mr. Harris.

A brief answer, please.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Chair, on a point of order, Mr. Harris is asking General Whitecross to comment on what the CDS or the minister might say—

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

No, I'm asking for her opinion on this serious problem.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

That's fine, just as long as the general realizes that it's just her opinion that counts.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

A brief answer, please, General.

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

Yes, sir, Mr. Chair.

The work we're doing across the country to identify or to start the discussion on this underlying sexualized culture also includes discussions with the chain of command on the standard applicability of both policies and military justice throughout the Canadian Armed Forces, including victim support.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Thank you.

Ms. Gallant, please, for seven minutes.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

General Whitecross, you mentioned that you're going across the country to the bases and wings, and that the breadth of the problem is inconsistent. There's a wide range of perception as to how often sexual harassment or sexual assault occurs. Are you seeing any pattern in some parts of the country, or with certain ranks, that are more accepting than others are in terms of recognizing that there is a problem?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

In our discussions across the country, we are getting anecdotes obviously from men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces who want to come and speak to us. We make ourselves available. We make social workers and padres available after each session should there be a need for that. In the discussions there is an acknowledgement from every member of the chain of command of the seriousness of this issue, and that we must tackle it, but as Madame Deschamps has alluded, there has been no scope or extent of the problem.

Regardless of what that is, the problem is serious and one is too much. I know we say that often, but I truly believe that one is too much and we must address this issue regardless.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

General Whitecross, the Chief of the Defence Staff asked you to lead the strategic response team for sexual misconduct. Can you elaborate on what experience you bring to this issue based on your military career, and especially anything that will help you to address a solution to this problem?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

I'm a very proud senior member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and not just in rank; I'm also one of the senior women in the military. I'm very proud of my service to my country and of the leadership I have provided. I'm also a mother. I have children of my own who are in their early twenties.

This topic concerns me greatly. It concerns me to the core of who I am as a military member and to the military ethos that I truly believe in. Because of that, I can guarantee to you that I am committed to seeing this through and to effecting change throughout the Canadian Armed Forces.

Thank you.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

General Whitecross, I understand you're leading the strategic response team. Could you detail who else is on this team and what experience and qualifications they bring to the team?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

We have about 25 members right now, men and women, military and civilian, who come with disparate backgrounds. We've split them up depending on their backgrounds.

We have a group that is looking predominantly at education, training and policy so that we can make sure that they are in line and that they are dealing with the education and training of our members from the day they enter the recruit school to the day they take off their uniforms.

We also have a group that is looking predominantly at performance measurements. As Madame Deschamps said, there has been some great work done internationally and domestically by our partners and other militaries in that venue and we want to try to learn as much as we can so that we can incorporate these as fast as possible.

One of the things that we haven't done that we are looking at very seriously right now is victim support, what that looks like, and how we can best accomplish that.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

General Whitecross, many media and other critics, including some here in this room, have claimed that the Canadian Armed Forces are categorically rejecting eight of Madame Deschamps' recommendations.

Can you confirm that the Canadian Armed Forces are indeed looking at how to best implement all 10 of the recommendations?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

Absolutely.

Mr. Chair, we are carrying out on every one of the 10 recommendations...we have an action plan identified for all of them. The big issue here in our line of operation in our very first work that we're doing is trying to understand the complexities, understand what is available on the national and international spheres so that we can take best practices and lessons learned from other organizations so that we can incorporate them into a Canadian context.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

General Whitecross, you had mentioned that in order to meet recommendation number three, the establishment of an independent centre for accountability for sexual assault, you visited and spoke with people from the United States, Australia, and France. What insight have these visits provided you?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

I'd just like to mention, Mr. Chair, that I haven't been to France. We will be going to France in July. In fact, there are a couple of other European countries that we will be visiting as well, because they've opened their doors for us to come to speak to them. We went to Washington, and in fact, just this weekend I got back from Australia. What we've learned is their centres are different. Some are predominantly focused on victim support and victim care, where others are predominantly more policy and training focused.

Our needs for the Canadian Armed Forces are to take the best that we can from all of the information we're getting from all of the centres so that we can bring them back into a Canadian context and do what is right for the men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

As an addendum to the previous question, I understand that there are some significant structural differences that mean exact models can't be implemented as you've discussed. Can you elaborate on what a possible Canadian Armed Forces centre would look like?

[MGen Christine Whitecross]

I'm sorry but at this point it would be inappropriate for me to do that, because we haven't finished our studies of the other organizations.

I would like to add that there are domestic organizations that we really want to talk to as well: the Vancouver Police Department, for example, rape crisis centres, and other organizations here in Canada. I think after that is done and we have a better understanding of the scope and the complexities of them and what we can bring to our Canadian context, then I'll have a better answer for you.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

Thank you, Ms. Gallant.

Ms. Murray, for seven minutes, please.

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Chair, I'd just like to echo Mr. Harris' comments of disappointment that this meeting was scheduled at a time that neither the minister nor the Chief of the Defence Staff could be here. The contradiction in their responses to Madame Deschamps' report created uncertainty in all our minds as to a real commitment to take action. As Madame Deschamps noted, leaders' acknowledging the importance and seriousness of this issue I would say was compromised by the contradictory responses, and we would like to have been able to ask those questions.

[The Chair, Conservative, Peter Kent]

That is noted.

I will just repeat for the record, Ms. Murray, that their willingness to appear was conditional on availability, and I thought, as chair, that we should take full advantage and immediate advantage of the availability of our two witnesses today.