He is the head of the institution in question and has been in office for five years. The media has been very generous in reporting cases of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. Close to him, some of his immediate subordinates are themselves the subject of allegations. I heard the minister testify that because the ombudsman did not disclose the identity of the person who made the complaint, he could do nothing in those circumstances.
What he said goes against all my knowledge and interpretation of the role of a leader, be it military, political or otherwise. Certainly, people of a certain age or profession receive complaints from time to time that are made anonymously. Police officers, courts, and lawyers receive them, as do, certainly, public servants here and there in the public service. An anonymous complaint doesn't mean that it's unfounded. It doesn't mean that we should look the other way and ignore it. There is a certain natural justice that needs to be established, because the person who is the subject of the complaint needs to know about it and perhaps even respond to it. There is something we need to do rather than sit back and do nothing.
It left me wanting more when I heard the minister say that he couldn't do anything about such a complaint. To date, I have yet to hear from the minister, despite the rosary of complaints that we've received against a number of senior members of the Canadian Armed Forces, complaints that are damaging the morale, reputation—both at home and abroad—and the effectiveness of the Canadian Armed Forces.
I haven't heard the minister say what he's going to do to fix the situation and put measures in place to give victims confidence. I've heard absolutely nothing so far. We're waiting to see what will happen, what will be decided, either by him or his government.
I never said I was asking for his dismissal or resignation. I asked him to take note of these complaints, because that's his primary role. By law, he is responsible for the direction and control of the Canadian Armed Forces.