Thank you. Thank you all. Thank you to the committee for your interest in this issue and for giving me an opportunity to express myself.
Like Kathleen, I also sometimes feel baffled that we're still talking about this topic, but when I reflect on it, I'm not surprised. Like Kathleen, I put on the uniform at 14 and took it off at 50, when I was medically released following an injury in Afghanistan. I was reserve, regular force, back to DND civilian, reserve and regular force; so I had a 33-year career, around 40 if you count Sea Cadets, in uniform.
The class action lawsuit literally opened a Pandora's box for me. Prior to that, I would say I had an incredible career, and I still feel that way. However, I think, to move forward on this issue.... Like Kathleen, I'm more interested in moving forward, but sometimes it's necessary to delve into the challenges and the things that are difficult to hear to find the solutions.
While Canada did an incredible thing in 1989, being the first western nation to open all combat trades to women, it resulted in people like myself, Colonel (Retired) Eleanor Taylor, a friend of mine; and other women like Sergeant Kathleen—I didn't get your last name, so I'll call you Sergeant Kathleen—having incredible careers. I'm not going to say it was easy, but the challenges made me stronger.
I'm interested in answering any questions you might have about my lengthy career that might help us in moving the culture and really identifying this problem for what it was.
The Canadian Armed Forces has a crisis in leadership.