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.
Liberal
Tim Watchorn Liberal Les Pays-d'en-Haut, QC
Thank you very much.
Do I have any time left, Mr. Chair?
November 27th, 2025 / 10:05 a.m.
Liberal
Liberal
Tim Watchorn Liberal Les Pays-d'en-Haut, QC
Mr. Chisholm, you haven't yet had a chance to comment on the system that has been set up in Quebec. Do you think this model could be beneficial to victims?
Master Warrant Officer (retired), As an Individual
I haven't done any research into the Quebec system, but just from our conversation today, anybody trained in specialized and trauma-informed care can benefit the victims and survivors in processing it properly.
Liberal
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Thank you.
Monsieur Savard-Tremblay, we're almost done for the morning.
You have two and a half minutes. I'll leave it to you to keep us on time.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
Since I am the one who will be closing the discussion, I will try to do so decisively.
I will start with you, Ms. Wood, then Ms. Van Leusden can add any comments, even if there isn't much time left.
I would like to return once again to the shortcomings of the courts in the civil justice system.
If prosecutors, police officers and civil court judges were given training and allowed to familiarize themselves a little with the military context, do you think this would fill those gaps, or do you think this still wouldn't be enough?
As an Individual
From what I understand, it's not just a matter of training or a matter of money. I believe the figure is 1.3 judges or professional court staff to deal with every one million people in Ontario. There are not enough judges and not enough courtrooms. It's more than just the military cultural awareness training that would have to go into it.
I'm sorry if I'm missing the rest of the question.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
That's fine, no problem.
Do you think that such training would be desirable, despite everything? It couldn't hurt.
Ms. Van Leusden, you can add your comments afterward.
As an Individual
It would never hurt. Of course it's worthwhile, and anything we can do to increase trust and efficiency is great, yes.
Director, Survivor Perspectives Consulting Group
Really, it's a question of resources. I do think having a specialized court is key. Again, partnering best practices on the civilian side with military understanding is also key.
At the end of the day, my goal is to make sure that survivors who choose to go through the system do so not only with full awareness but also with all the support they need. Regardless of the outcome, they would feel like they could put a period there. They would feel like they have some closure on that side of things. Right now, we're not there, so let's get there.
Bloc
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot—Acton, QC
That's fine, thank you.
I have no further questions, Mr. Chair.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Charles Sousa
Thank you.
I thank all the witnesses for coming forward and presenting. I know how sensitive it is. I appreciate your candour, your recommendations and your suggestions.
We all want to make this better, for the victims especially, and we want justice to prevail throughout, so we want the systems to work as best they can.
I appreciate the engagement by members from all sides and by staff, who are all very concerned about the well-being of not only the military but also those who are working for and serving us every day. Congratulations to all of you.
Ladies and gentlemen, time is almost near, so with your permission I'll adjourn the meeting to allow you to go to your next meeting.