Madam Chair, thank you very much.
I appreciate the motion. I, too, did not get it ahead of time. It is complicated and probably requires some thought. However, I want to raise a couple of general issues that I think have been echoed by colleagues across all sides of the aisle. Mr. Bezan himself said that it's International Women's Day. I think Mr. Garrison referred to the fact that it's important to put the rights and wishes of victims and serving members and their families front and centre in our consideration.
This is really an inquiry that goes, yes, to two particular incidents with respect to former chiefs of the defence staff. Most importantly, it goes to a challenge of system change that's required. This is not just an issue that involves a couple of bad incidents; it's an issue that involves a system that is defective. The minister was quite clear. The minister called for a complete and total culture change. He put the notion of trust front and centre in our considerations. I just want to echo that and to encourage all members of the committee to keep that in the forefront of their minds as we go forward.
How do we protect the wishes of the victims if we now go into an inquiry that goes into emails, texts and very particular correspondence, some of which at least may well be subject to an ongoing investigation? I appreciate Mr. Bezan's comment that these can be edited out or redacted or withheld, but what does it do with respect to the idea of trust in the system if, from the political track, we get an inquiry that really puts out everything that forms part of these discussions?
There is another thing to consider. We just passed a motion by Mr. Bezan, as amended by colleagues, that introduced additional witnesses, many of whom will be able to comment on the basis of documentary evidence or emails or texts that they've sent. A lot of the information that will be required will come forward that way. I'm questioning the usefulness of going to that level of detail when there is a risk of eroding further trust in the process, particularly as it relates to the rights and wishes of the victims and the question of system change.
Yes, we need to inquire about these two incidents, but we also need to turn our minds to what we need to do to transform the system as a whole across individual incidents to make sure they don't happen again. We need to ask how past, present and future personnel of the armed forces, women and men, are going to regain trust in this institution as an inclusive, diverse workplace that is based upon respect, tolerance and recognition of the service and contributions of all members, no matter their gender, no matter their background.
Once again, my call is for the committee to really put the system challenge front and centre, to put the rights of victims front and centre, and to look forward to a way to actually change the system and make it what it should be: an inclusive workplace that all Canadians can aspire to and want to aspire to.
Thank you, Madam Chair.