Yes, of course.
Evidence of meeting #144 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was caf.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #144 for Status of Women in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was caf.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence
It is true that Madame Deschamps' report had 10 recommendations, but many of them revolved around the responsibilities assigned to this independent centre. When the department set up the response to her report, it established the strategic response team on the CAF side of the house, which Commodore Patterson leads, and it set up the response centre that I lead.
However, the assignment of responsibilities to those two organizations was not consistent with what Madame Deschamps had envisioned, and we've come to realize now.... We sort of always knew it, on the ground, as we were enacting our roles, but when the Auditor General came in and did the audit last year, he made a number of very similar observations and recommendations to those Madame Deschamps had made, which had to do with this assignment of responsibilities.
That's the process that we're in right now, essentially, rewriting both of our respective mandates to essentially shift to the SMRC quite a number of responsibilities that CAF has been holding on to. That is significant from the point of view that now those responsibilities will be had by people who have subject matter expertise.
We will be informing policy. We will be informing training. We will be monitoring training. We'll be doing much more of what Madame Deschamps had envisioned. In doing that, we're meeting, I think, probably three or four of the recommendations, and that work is under way right now.
Liberal
Kim Rudd Liberal Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
I have one minute. This will be fast.
I have a grandson who's going into his third year as a reservist, and I tell you this is something that concerns me greatly. I'm hoping it's a generational change—certainly from his perspective, I believe it is—but then I worry when I hear that, when you're immersed in the culture, it kind of takes over.
I'm very happy to hear that there's a lot of advice from the outside, but I think we have to recognize that we do have a cultural shift to make and, as you mentioned, it's not easy.
I have a couple of quick questions. You talked about the 24-7 call centre. How many people are employed at that call centre?
Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence
Do you mean all together, or on the counselling team?
Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence
All together there are 26 public servants.
Liberal
Kim Rudd Liberal Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Okay, and did you say that 48 civilian counsellors are being trained right now?
Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence
No, the 48 are the people who work in Mr. Gauthier's program.
Liberal
Kim Rudd Liberal Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
They're being trained in this aspect of their work. Is that correct?
Director General, Integrated Conflict and Complaint Management, Department of National Defence
They've already deployed across the country.
Liberal
Director General, Integrated Conflict and Complaint Management, Department of National Defence
There are 16.
Liberal
Kim Rudd Liberal Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
You mentioned a provision for “face to face”. What does a provision for face to face mean?
Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre, Department of National Defence
It means that we will ensure.... As we're decentralizing this service, we will be establishing centres. We haven't made the decision yet as to whether they'll be located at bases or wings, whether they'll be in regional centres or whether they'll be even perhaps co-located with the integrated complaint and conflict management system, but they'll be located in centres where people can come and receive face-to-face service.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Karen Vecchio
Excellent. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank Dr. Preston, Alain Gauthier and Commodore Patterson. Thank you very much for coming and providing your testimony.
We will be meeting once again at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, location to be announced. We'll see you then.
The meeting is adjourned.