As of July 2018, we've established 16 centres of excellence across the country and invested in 48 brand new civilian positions. Those are people who we have trained within National Defence to provide CAF members a safe place where they can go and ask questions in relation to the issues they are dealing with.
Those specialists have been trained to deal with all the issues or refer people to the right location, whether it's about harassment, discrimination, racism, a pay issue, an alcohol issue, or if it's about mental health. With the team in those locations, we've established protocol with SMRC, with the mental health facilities we have on each of the bases, and even further so that they can even refer to local services such as shelters.
They guide those CAF members in absolute confidentiality because those civilians don't have that duty to report. If it is specific to sexual misconduct and we see there's a need for assistance or guidance, then they are immediately transferred to SMRC. They guide the file and it comes back to us.
It is one way we have added brand new capabilities and services to CAF members to clarify issues and guide them on how to deal with them.