National Defence committee  I certainly think it's a viable solution. Anything that can help members and families afford housing is a great solution. We have to remember that housing on base—if it's available, which is another issue—is capped at 25% of their gross salary, which is a good thing. At the same time, if rents rise but it's still capped at 25%, where is the money going to come from to maintain that infrastructure on base?

National Defence committee  It's not accessible housing for families with special needs or disabilities in the family. There's a whole range of issues there, but to be honest, I think it's a bit tone deaf right now.

National Defence committee  Well, certainly we can table it. Everything is published now. I think one of the main issues related to housing in that particular report was the idea of how there is a need to modernize the definition of “family”. We all know that families are changing since we had our 2.5 children and mother-father type of thing.

National Defence committee  Certainly we're allowed because it was sent anonymously...or not so much anonymously. I was sent pictures of different conditions in various barracks, whether it was in Trenton or other areas, that were horrid: toilet facilities not up to standard by any means, mould on various walls and ceilings and so on.

National Defence committee  I think wellness checks are something we would all do. If we had a family, we would do a wellness check, in a sense, of our smaller family. It is the right thing to do, but it is just one indicator. You have to remember that groups like the chaplaincy—which is a confidential service like ours—and the military family resource centres and social workers there have a very good understanding of what's happening in the family and what's happening out in the communities.

National Defence committee  That is my point. It is something they are working on. They are working on that global accommodation strategy. When I ask their various members and various audiences across the country, everybody talks about one silo at a time. What is needed is a strategy that takes all of those various aspects together and is agile.

National Defence committee  In terms of supply, we should be looking at all sorts of different innovative practices in gaining greater supply. That could be public-private partnerships with various landlords or organizations to build supply or supply that supply. I think that would be ideal. I think the main issue is that we have to be a bit more innovative in our solutions.

National Defence committee  Absolutely. In every base and wing we visit in different communities across the country, we always try to visit with the municipalities, whether that's the mayor or different representatives, to understand what they're doing to make sure there's supply for community members as well as military families and members.

National Defence committee  The Canadian Armed Forces is taking it seriously, but do they have all the resources and different partners to really, more than anything, build that supply? Do they get the attention of the Treasury Board in making sure the different benefit packages and compensation packages allow for proper compensation and allow people to live?

National Defence committee  I think so, absolutely.

National Defence committee  Certainly, the RHUs—the residential housing units—on base are getting some updates, but more capacity and availability are needed. That's kind of the basic premise. Also, in a number of pictures of the barracks that were sent to us by military members, what I saw was absolutely horrid.

National Defence committee  The simple answer is that, yes, they deserve the proper compensation so they can live and live appropriately. There are a number of initiatives the CAF and the government itself have put in place to allow members to better afford.... They corrected the huge inequity and unfairness with the PLD, the post-living differential.

National Defence committee  Primarily, it's coming from the meetings with different members and families as we visit different bases and wings across the country. I'm hearing it a lot more, and when I bring up the issue and ask, “Do you know someone who is at risk of being homeless or at risk of accessing a food bank?”

National Defence committee  Certainly, as I said, a wellness check is the right thing to do. It's something I would have done as well if I were in that position, but you have to think: If you were homeless, would you have the confidence and comfort level to come forward with an embarrassing situation and tell people and tell your boss that you're homeless or that you have to access a food bank?

National Defence committee  I think they did the right thing, but they have to recognize that they're not going to get all of the information just by asking people.