Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are in the process of finalizing revised direction on visits by dignitaries, parliamentarians and federal parliamentary committees and associations to their establishments. The objective of this revised direction is to provide an interim update to existing policy until a new defence administrative order and directive is issued, and delegates the approval of visits to all organizations that report directly to the Deputy Minister and/or the Chief of the Defence Staff.
This policy is expected to supersede elements of the Canadian Forces administrative order 61-16, promulgated on July 24, 1987, on visits by members of the royal family and Canadian dignitaries to Canadian Forces elements and installations, and a 2010 direction from the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff requiring the Minister of National Defence to approve visits of dignitaries and parliamentarians to National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces establishments.