Associate deputy ministers in most departments are two in a box. You shadow the deputy. You do whatever the deputy assigns to you. Defence is a massive department so the deputy minister and I have gone through ADMs, branches within the department, and particular files. The ADM materiel, for example, is going to report directly to me. I will have line authority, day-to-day authority, over certain ADMs in the department and then a broader implementation role for major initiatives within the department. I do that on behalf of the deputy minister.
On April 4th, 2017. See this statement in context.