This is a problem that a lot of militaries internationally struggle with. We can learn from other countries, but I think this is a real opportunity for Canada to lead and to develop new ways to move forward. We've heard, for example, of better oversight mechanisms in other countries, like the U.S., as my colleague just mentioned, but I wouldn't say that there is a clear path to follow, necessarily. I think we have to find our own solutions.
We have a lot of the domestic subject matter expertise to move forward. Subject matter experts across Canada agree on the need for independent external oversight, and we all agree on the need for culture change.
The one thing that I'm contributing today is that changing the culture is not just about changing ideas and attitudes. It's also about changing some very fundamental structures in how the military has been built. The ideas we have about what makes up the “ideal soldier” are actually grounded in a long history of policies and systems that have been set up in a certain way. I think we need to change the material foundation, the very design, of the military and the ideas that go along with that.