Official Languages committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Members of the committee, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to take this opportunity first to thank you for inviting our team here today to discuss the National Defence official languages program transformation model and the progress made since our last appearance before you in December 2007.

Official Languages committee  I am the Chief of Military Personnel and Official Language Champion for the Canadian Forces. Today with me are Major-General Daniel Gosselin, Commandant Canadian Defence Academy; Colonel Louis Meloche, Director of Official Languages; Colonel Guy Hamel, Commander Canadian Forces Support Training Group (CFSTG) and Base Borden; and Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Whelan, Commandant Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.

National Defence committee  Thank you for your question. The answer is yes. We conduct exit surveys to confirm why personnel are leaving. The results are incorporated into our retention strategy, which is designed to determine why people we don't want to leave are leaving. We do this as part of our exit strategy.

National Defence committee  On the first issue, which is mental health, the policy is that if we have soldiers who have mental health challenges in Petawawa, their families will get support from military psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health practitioners. Outside of that realm, it is a challenge.

National Defence committee  There are two components to the question: the government aspect and the public aspect. I'll address the first. We work with other government departments, in particular the RCMP, and with Treasury Board to ensure that we pass on lessons learned so they can see what policies, programs, processes, and machinery we have in place.

National Defence committee  Yes, I can, Mr. Chair. To be very clear, we're talking about both health care and mental health care, which is a component of the overall health care case. My response will address the mental health issue. I want to remind members of this committee of the policy currently in place.

National Defence committee  We provide mental health care. They are seen by psychiatrists, psychologists, or mental health nurses if it is a condition that actually began with the individual in place--the Canadian Forces member. For example, I go to Afghanistan and come back and develop PTSD. If I'm back home getting help, we will not just support the family; we will provide mental health support through psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health practitioners.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chairman, I'm sure you're aware that at the end of the day I don't move on my own. I have to make recommendations to the minister and others, who then provide that direction. Clearly we had an intent with the college. I believe what happened just last year with the students who were there was a great success story.

National Defence committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The plan at the time of the opening was very, very clear—I was at the opening—both by the two respective ministers and myself. From a Canadian Forces point of view, the intent was to provide another opportunity for francophone students to be able to study near their homes and remain in Quebec.

National Defence committee  Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, we in the military have a saying: we recruit an individual; we retain a family. And we assist families as our men and women move out if they need support from the Department of Veterans Affairs. We also know that today the role that families play is more important than it was in the past when it comes to keeping individuals in the military and having a direct impact on that final decision.

National Defence committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As you know, there are challenges. There were challenges at Borden and on other bases. Today, I will speak only about the situation in Borden. Actually, there is a commander and a colonel on that base who report to me. Major General Gosselin commands the Canadian Defence Academy.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chairman, as I'm sure you're aware, the Canadian Forces takes very seriously, as does the department, its men and women in uniform. In particular, as was raised, when men and women go into operations, they need to know that if they come back home injured, they'll get the support they so rightly and richly deserve from the government and the country.

National Defence committee  If I may, Mr. Chair, I will address the issue of mental health and the ombudsman's report. The Canadian Forces and the department are working very closely with the ombudsman. When we speak of discrepancies, Mr. Chair, I don't know where that's focused at, because the comments made by the ombudsman did not focus on discrepancies across the country.

National Defence committee  Mr. Chairman, as I'm sure you're aware, the Canadian Forces, like other militaries around the world, is being challenged to recruit a number of trades and specific occupations, which we can provide to this committee if that's what you wish. It's no different with our U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand counterparts.

National Defence committee  Thank you very much, sir. As the chief stated, we sat with tous les MFRCs across Canada for two days at a symposium in Toronto. We asked them what it was they needed us to do for them so that they could support their families. With those individuals, we have begun to develop a holistic approach.