Madam Chair, thank you very much.
I have just a brief point in addition to my earlier points with respect to what we heard from the former ombudsperson and the wishes of the complainant. The complainant very clearly expressed a wish that this not be brought forward as a complaint, that her identity be protected and that any conversations happen on the basis of strict anonymity.
The ombudsperson also made reference to the fact that he was going to the minister to “obtain top cover” for whatever his next steps would be. Defective as that system may be in retrospect as a whole, in the sense that we have to focus on independent institutions—institutions outside of the chain of command that protect the identity of the victim, such as the sexual misconduct response centre and other institutions that the committee may turn its mind to—it would also be disillusioning to the complainant and to other complainants to know that, in this particular case, even that step of obtaining top cover, as it was intended by the ombudsperson, would not be protected, because any and all emails, texts, reports and correspondence would be brought forward, redacted as they may be.
As I said earlier, the aggregate effect of that exercise could be—and with high risk levels may be—to ultimately lead to the identity of the victim and complainant being exposed, which is not at all what this committee should endorse or stand for.
Thank you, Madam Chair.