Welcome to meeting number 10 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence.
Pursuant to the motion adopted on October 23, 2025, the committee is meeting to commence its consideration of Bill C‑11, an act to amend the National Defence Act and other acts.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members are attending in person, and some are remotely using the Zoom application.
Before we continue, I would ask all in-person participants to consult the guidelines on the table. These measures are here to help prevent audio feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including the interpreters.
I would like to also remind the witnesses and members to please wait until I recognize you by name before speaking. For those participating by video conference, click on the microphone icon to activate your mic. Please mute yourself when you are not speaking. For those on Zoom, at the bottom of your screen you can select the appropriate channel for interpretation: floor, English or French. For those in the room, please use the earpiece and select the desired channel.
All comments should be addressed through the chair. For members in the room, if you wish to speak, please raise your hand. For members on Zoom, please use the “raise hand” function. The clerk and I will manage the speaking order as best we can. We appreciate your patience and understanding in this regard.
As I welcome the witnesses and members around the table, we are pleased once again to have the Honourable David McGuinty, our Minister of National Defence, with us.
We have General Jennie Carignan, chief of the defence staff of the Canadian Armed Forces; Stefanie Beck, deputy minister; Lieutenant-General Paul Prévost, chief of professional conduct and culture; Major-General Rob Holman, judge advocate general, Canadian Armed Forces; and Martin Gravel, chief operating officer, sexual misconduct support and resource centre.
I will now invite the minister to make his opening statement.
Sir, you have five minutes and only five minutes. It's over to you, sir.