Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Ladies and gentlemen, as many of you are aware, I've decided to retire from this position as of October 31 of this year. The reasons for this departure are both personal and professional. Therefore, this will likely be the last time I appear before this committee or any parliamentary committee for that mater. Sorry about the smile.
I am proud of the work this office has done over my four and a half years as ombudsman. During this time, we have published 14 reports, as well as a comprehensive submission to the Minister of National Defence on the defence policy review.
Our office has made a difference. Our recommendations are well reflected in “Strong, Secure, Engaged” and in recommendations that your committee and other parliamentary committees have made over that time. Many of the recommendations have been implemented and over time, I'm confident that more will be. I stand behind all of the recommendations I've made over my four and a half years and I am confident that, right now, they are the best way forward.
As I have said quite publicly, some have not been implemented, based on personalities rather than practicality, and this is sad. The second that we let personalities interfere with what is right for those who wear the uniform in service to Canada, we lose the plot.
As I have stated in my farewell message, I have pushed as hard as I can and as hard as I think the system can take. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces have my recommendations. They know which ones are implemented and which ones aren't. If personalities are set aside, we'll know what to do with them and the defence community will be better for it. In the end—and I know we will end up where we need to be—the interim years of inaction and a lack of implementation will mean more heartache for our members. Eventually, we will get there. We have no choice.
I remind the incoming ombudsperson, whether that person is acting in this position on an interim basis or is appointed through the regular Governor in Council process, that this is not a popularity contest. Follow the evidence and trust no one. As an office of last resort, when people get to us, it's because they've already been severely chafed by the system and have nowhere else to turn. Impartiality, confidentiality and objectivity are the core tenets of my responsibilities. They are not to be taken lightly and your actions will be observed and judged accordingly. Accountability starts and ends at the top.
Finally and most importantly, I am incredibly proud of the 65 public servants of this office, who serve the defence community on a daily basis. We have members who have been on our team since we turned on the lights 20 years ago this year. They're professional, respectful and devoted to the work they do on a daily basis. I am in awe of their ability to focus on the task at hand and do it with a grace and humility scarcely matched anywhere else in government. To them, I say thank you for everything.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much.