One of the problems the organization had is that it didn't even know exactly what its shortfalls were or how to remedy them. It now has the analytics capability to know exactly where its people are and what is required.
These are very distinct challenges, the recruitment challenge and the retention challenge. You'll see in the new CAF journey that these are pillars one and two, and they're pillars one and two for a good reason: The entire rest of the organization hinges on them, and they are the component that is currently at the single greatest risk.
I would say the greatest challenge has been that, for 20 years, government has focused on operations and pushing out the Canadian Armed Forces on operations without putting.... The organization is too small to be able to do major operations, major maintenance and sustainment, and major regeneration at the same time, so government has had to focus on operations, operations, operations. It has not invested in regeneration, and it has not invested in or paid attention to maintenance and sustainment.
I would plead with you as a committee that that's where the eyes need to be on the ball, because there is now such a critical shortage, as I laid out for you, of some key personnel that you are now genuinely endangering the ability of this organization to respond to the requests of government when called upon in critical and complex operations.