Mr. Chair, members of the committee, good afternoon.
My name is Jacques Denis Simard. I am the director general of Maison La Vigile, and I am the founding president. We obtained our letters patent in 1999.
Between 1999 to 2012, we worked with other therapy centres in the Quebec City area. Since 2012, we have had our own therapy centre with our experts and workshops for those in uniform.
During my career, for eight months, between June 1970 and February 1971, I was a member of the Royal 22nd Regiment in Quebec City.
Afterwards, I worked for the Sûreté du Québec for 33 years, from 1972 to 2005.
In 1988, I was discharged from my police duties to work as a responder for the Sûreté du Québec's peer-administered employee assistance program in Eastern Quebec. During that time, I recognized the urgency of having a therapy centre to help our men and women in uniform specifically because of the many distress calls and cases that we had to handle.
I will now give the floor to Ms. Dussault, after which I will tell you about the services provided by Maison La Vigile.