National Defence committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I know you also served in uniform so I thank you for that, and I appreciate the opportunity today.

National Defence committee  I believe the minister did know about those rumours. I've been very candid that it was his chief of staff who relayed them to me as I would expect, and I asked for them to be investigated immediately by the national security adviser.

National Defence committee  It's abundantly clear that political offices, political staff, are not equipped. It would be entirely inappropriate to have the political organs of the government leading investigations. As we discussed, in our system, what is necessary and appropriate is for any information that anyone acquires to be relayed to the responsible officials for full investigation and to ensure that those investigations are pursued.

National Defence committee  The perspective I can offer on that is from someone who spent 10 years in the Prime Minister's Office. Clearly, political staff are not equipped, trained or appropriate for these kinds of investigations. That's why we have senior officials. That's why we have structures in the Canadian Armed Forces and in the department.

National Defence committee  Actually, I've been very clear in my testimony that in March 2015 we were briefed by officials about the matter pertaining to the general's time at NATO, that he had been in a relationship with someone who was subordinate but not in the chain of command, and that he was at that time engaged to that individual.

National Defence committee  The only allegations I'm aware of are the ones I've spoken about. The issue related to how the general met his wife, and the rumour that was passed to me in July 2015 that I asked the Privy Council to investigate. Those are the only allegations I'm aware of. They were discussed, as I indicated to the member and to the committee, with the Privy Council Office and the Minister of National Defence's office at the time.

National Defence committee  In hindsight, knowing what we know now six years later, particularly with the allegations we've all seen—very disturbing allegations—I think that's a fair question. At the time, I can't speak to the committee's deliberation on other candidates. I have shared very candidly with the committee the issue that was known in March, which was related to the general's deployment in Italy and how he met his wife.

National Defence committee  Certainly in the case of something as serious as a rumour pertaining to the chief of the defence staff, I think it's entirely appropriate and expected that a chief of staff to a minister, or frankly any political staffer in the government, would undertake to relay that forward to ensure it was investigated and reviewed.

National Defence committee  As I indicated, when I received the rumour, I immediately relayed that information to the national security adviser and asked for an investigation. The Prime Minister was briefed, as was the Prime Minister's Office, on the results of that investigation some time after that.

National Defence committee  All I can say to the member.... I assure you, Madam Chair, I've never told someone I don't want to hear it when it comes to a rumour or an allegation of serious misconduct, harassment or anything else. I think how this rumour was handled in July 2015 was entirely appropriate in relaying it to senior officials and asking them to investigate.

National Defence committee  The national security adviser, as I spoke to earlier, is one of the most senior public servants in the country. As chief of staff for the Prime Minister, I interacted with the NSA daily, sometimes multiple times a day. It's an individual who, in my experience in government, is briefing the Prime Minister often daily—at least a few times a week—on matters of national security.

National Defence committee  As I said, in July 2015, if either the anonymous email that was received or the rumour I received that I asked the NSA to investigate.... If either of those two issues had yielded additional facts or frankly any additional questions or avenues that needed to be pursued, or opened investigations, I am very confident in saying that appointment would not have proceeded at that time.

National Defence committee  I'm not going to speculate on how or why the current minister has handled this matter. All I can speak to is how I handled a rumour, as I have, the rumour that was brought to me in July 2015. I think it's entirely not only appropriate but essential that this kind of information, whether it's a rumour or an allegation, be immediately relayed to the responsible officials for investigation and, if there are facts coming out of that investigation, that appropriate and remedial action is taken immediately.

National Defence committee  I think it's up to the current government to speak to the facts of the matter. I think it's up to them to explain why General Vance served as many years as he did, even if there were questions or allegations being asked. All I can convey to the committee is what was known at the time of the appointment in 2015, which I think I've spoken very candidly to.

National Defence committee  I believe the member is correct. This is an “at pleasure” appointment. I believe it can be changed at any time.