National Defence committee  Thank you, Minister. And thank you, Chair. And sir, thank you for your question. I will look into any hesitation there was in charging down to Guelph to talk to Canada's youth about the Canadian Forces, because it's certainly important to us that the people understand the opportunities, and we definitely have a role to play in improving Canadians' understanding of the Canadian Forces.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. I can't give you a great explanation for that, so we'll have to get back to you on that. What I can tell you is that recruiting has been ramped up significantly in the last four years or so. The intake has been much greater. The volumes of people coming through basic training and then into trades training have gone up significantly.

National Defence committee  One is deeply in it. The other one, I think, is just going in.

National Defence committee  No, I do not. We're not talking about grievances that pertain to the role of the judge or the decisions rendered by a judge. These are grievances like those of any other member of the Canadian Forces, so I think we have partitioned very well the independence of military judges. To say that because a military judge is in a position of independence, any aspect of administrative concern should be treated differently than other members of the Canadian Forces because, perhaps, the Chief of the Defence Staff may use that grievance as leverage over a judge in conducting his or her business I think calls to question the fundamental motivation of a Chief of the Defence Staff towards the grievance system.

National Defence committee  Actually, he hardly ever says yes to me. He has taken this independence thing way too far.

National Defence committee  Absolutely, and in fact recourse to the Military Police Complaints Commission is one. It's why we established the commission: to make sure that in matters that affect the military police, if we don't think they're right or if someone doesn't think they're right, there is a recourse.

National Defence committee  I think it is the evolution of the committee, and it is determining how best to conduct its business, which has already taken place. We're trying to catch up with the intent of the committee by changing the name. You may say that it is a somewhat cosmetic change in Bill C-41, but I think it reflects the maturity of the Canadian Forces Grievance Board by making clear that it's not part of the Canadian Forces, but an external review board that we rely upon to give us impartial advice.

National Defence committee  The current membership will not change as a result of the change in names. They are not members of the Canadian Forces. Many of them are retired members of the Canadian Forces, or perhaps all of them are retired members of the Canadian Forces. I think the grievance board will have to decide the types of people that they're pursuing to help with the work that they're doing.

National Defence committee  Yes, it is.

National Defence committee  There may be other technical and legislative differences that come into play as well, but in a nutshell, I think you've summarized it.

National Defence committee  That is 90,000 uniformed, yes.

National Defence committee  I completely agree. In fact, in my experience folks are much happier with the summary trial process because, for the types of things we charge people for, people just want to get it over with. They want justice to be done; they want to get their opportunity to defend themselves; they have, in my experience, great confidence in the summary trial process.

National Defence committee  It seems to me that our summary trial process is enforcing the laws of Canada as they apply to the members of the Canadian Forces, and in those circumstances in which you would acquire a record for an offence under the laws of Canada, I see no reason that you would not acquire a record for having broken similar laws as a member of the Canadian Forces.

National Defence committee  Well, I've spoken about how I feel that it's not an abdication at all. I've spoken about the principle of delegation that we apply in many other respects that affect the lives and safety of men and women in uniform, and that in fact it enhances the safety of those men and women to empower leaders to make the right decisions in the right way at the right time.

National Defence committee  I understand the ones you are referring to.