Evidence of meeting #15 for National Defence in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was civilian.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Peer Support Advocate, United Federation of Canadian Veterans
Mine is also a legacy, so mine doesn't count in that question, but on the cases I have attended, the first thing I do is tell them this: “Let's take a breath. Let's get the medical stuff done and go through this. I'm here with you.” Usually within three to four days, they're making decisions.
Conservative
Jeff Kibble Conservative Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
Okay. Thank you. I respect that. I think it's very good that you're counselling people to do that, and I'm sure it's appreciated.
Ms. Le Scelleur.
Veteran and Ph.D. Candidate, As an Individual
Thank you for the question.
When it happened—it happened twice in the same evening—there was a person accompanying me. I disclosed to that person what had happened. I was deploying three days after that, and he did ask me what I wanted to do. I said that I couldn't do anything. If I disclosed or reported right then, I might be taken out of the deployment because of all the legal things.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
We'll have another round for everyone's questions.
Ms. Lapointe, you have up to five minutes.
Liberal
Viviane LaPointe Liberal Sudbury, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will cede my time to my colleague, MP Idlout.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
Qujannamiik.
First of all, I very much want to thank Ms. Lapointe for sharing her time with me. I very much appreciate it.
Thank you as well to our witnesses for their testimony. You really have gone above and beyond your duty. You have done so much for our country, not just in wanting to serve, but in continuing to be witnesses today and having to add a burden of offering solutions in the system. I think you've been placed in a very difficult position: both to be victims and to provide solutions to our study. I think we have to share so much how much we appreciate your willingness to be so courageous.
I'm thinking about other people who don't have to offer solutions when they are injured or traumatized, such as people who go into emergency rooms with broken arms. They don't need to offer solutions. They don't need to think about what needs to be fixed. They automatically get the service and the health care they deserve. We need to reach that point for victims of sexual violence. We need to reach that point where we don't need to ask victims to provide these solutions. I really hope that we do get to that point. With your great knowledge and your willingness to serve your country, I hope that we do move forward in that way.
Having said that, I would like Diane Rose and Hélène to answer my question.
My one question is in regard to the victim's liaison officer. I think we all need to make sure that it becomes part of the whole system. What will ensure that this position is something that can truly be of help to victims of sexual violence?
Qujannamiik.
Peer Support Advocate, United Federation of Canadian Veterans
First of all, it can't be a 25-year-old girl who just came out of university and says, “I understand what you're going through.” We need more of a mom figure there. As I've been told by my sisters, I provide that mom figure all too often, when they come walking up to me and I hold them and hug them. It's something that's needed.
A VLO needs to be able not just to understand the trauma, but to be that figurehead for the person, to know the system enough to guide them through it and to get them to mental health right away, because the faster you get to mental health, the faster you start healing, and the easier the case goes. It's very important to have that. Yes, just don't give me a 25-year-old girl who tells me she knows what I'm going through, because she doesn't.
Veteran and Ph.D. Candidate, As an Individual
For me, it's also about education. We still don't talk about this enough. I think it's not displayed enough...to get this information. I didn't know what was possible when I was in service. I'm questioning now if the new people coming into service know what resources are available and what the VLO is.
I agree with Diane. It needs to be someone who is going to be representing experiences and also has knowledge about sexual trauma.
For me, education is still a big part that needs to be happening.
NDP
November 27th, 2025 / 9:55 a.m.
Liberal
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
With the brigade commander being the perpetrator in the system, Ms. Le Scelleur, you implied that your career path would be impaired or ended.
Did you think the consequences of reporting would put your life at risk, that you would be put in harm's way or that it would potentially have you killed?
Veteran and Ph.D. Candidate, As an Individual
I don't know if I would go up to that point. The fact that he was able to get my personal information and my phone number meant that he knew where I was living. It's all information that, for me, is critical.
I'm not saying that it would have gone to that point, but definitely that person was able to show up at my door.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Is that person still serving in the military?
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Chisholm, was there any fraternization of information between MPs, NIS or the liaison assisting officers and the chain of command, in your experience?
Master Warrant Officer (retired), As an Individual
That's a good question.
I think it's a fact that people need to know. In the SMSRC right now, the military police liaison officer position is vacant. The SMSRC counsellors—whom I still talk to—yesterday said they don't have that advice right now.
To know that conversations occur between the chain of command and the military police.... I believe commanding officers and the military police do their best to keep things separate.
Conservative
Cheryl Gallant Conservative Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke, ON
There's no sharing of information even between the lawyers and the chain of command.
Master Warrant Officer (retired), As an Individual
I think it's very difficult—in all the cases I dealt with in the SMSRC—to get any information from the civilian courts. Military police liaison officers were having difficulty getting a shadow file or any information, so much so that a serving member was doing weekend time and his chain of command didn't know he was in court.