Madam Chair, thank you once again.
Just sitting back and reflecting on comments over the course of the last hour, my question at this point is this: What would Canadians want us to do, and what does this problem mean to them? Yes, they are concerned. They're concerned because there are misconduct allegations against two former chiefs of the defence staff. Yes, they're concerned, because they realize there's a systemic issue with respect to gender equality, sexual harassment, potentially sexual assault and also diversity and inclusion more broadly within the Canadian Forces. They also have respect for the Canadian Forces—their deployments overseas, their service at home and their service during the pandemic. They believe in the Canadian Forces as something that's quintessentially Canadian, but where systemic and serious problems persist.
Over the course of the last hour, we've basically been told in no uncertain terms by two members of the Conservative Party that they believe there's a cover-up, without having introduced any evidence to that effect. The only way to read this motion now is as a dragnet or a fishing expedition that is to consolidate the conclusion of a cover-up. This is after we had just agreed to have a number of witnesses appear or reappear who have the information—in the follow-up to the session we had with the former ombudsperson—to give additional testimony and to give their version of the story. Hopefully they would also give their views of how the Canadian Forces can and should be changed to eliminate this culture of systemic sexual harassment and, more disturbingly, data that supports the prevalence of sexual assault in large percentages within the Canadian Forces.
There's serious work to be done. There's work to be done that, yes, needs to focus on the investigation of these two cases. That work needs to protect the victim and the complainants in this case, but also to be forward looking and ask, especially now that it's happened for the second time, how we can make sure we can change the system to preserve this extremely valuable institution called the Canadian Forces. They have done tremendous historical service and tremendous current service at home and abroad, as I've said. They also represent a very distinct and by many accounts valuable and necessary employment opportunity for Canadians. Canadians should be able to aspire to a role in the Canadian Forces without any trepidation or fear of being harassed or otherwise mistreated.
That's really where the committee should direct its attention. For the last hour, we've debated something that is much more political in nature than what we should be looking at as a committee, I think, across party lines. We should try to move forward and develop solutions.
Thank you, Madam Chair.