National Defence committee  Well, I think it's apparent. We see what's in the environment. As the sexual misconduct response centre was being stood up, I was still receiving these calls and complaints. I'd have to go back to verify the numbers, but even though the sexual misconduct response centre was open, we did over 100 in the first year they were open.

National Defence committee  My worries about the sexual misconduct response centre started long before that. I thought it was ill-conceived. I thought it was improperly rolled out. I don't think it had the right mandate, policies or procedures in place when it opened its doors. There were restrictions. Certain levels were allowed inside, and then they weren't allowed.

National Defence committee  I'm not sure I got the question.

National Defence committee  There are none that I'm aware of.

National Defence committee  Well, this goes back to transitioning members. I was the deputy ombudsman at Veterans Affairs before I came over to the Canadian Armed Forces, and I've seen the tail end of what transition looks like. When I came into the position of the Canadian Armed Forces ombudsman, I took that on with the idea that if we could fix the front end, maybe we could have a better result at the back end.

National Defence committee  That which you're reading, sir, has to do with systemic reviews, when you look at policy, procedure or a clump or group of complaints coming out of a similar area. I can, on my own motion, investigate any policy or procedure. When I have individual victims approach me, the rules are different.

National Defence committee  As a special adviser to the minister, I thought it prudent on my behalf to let him know that this allegation was there and it was substantiated. I thought it was the right thing to do. He is the person who oversees the chief of the defence staff and has direct control over the position.

National Defence committee  What is assured in confidentiality is the protection of the victim's identity. I did not give the minister the details of the allegation. I tried to show him some evidence. He refused to look at it.

National Defence committee  I am not going to confirm or deny anything about that allegation.

National Defence committee  They knew as much as the minister knew.

National Defence committee  I've gone about as far as I'm going to go in talking about that allegation.

National Defence committee  That is correct.

National Defence committee  This was the first time I was given evidence of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

National Defence committee  As I've travelled across this country, I've heard a lot of things. I'll give you a quick example. I met with a 32-year serving member, an NCO in the Canadian Armed Forces, who told me a story about the first 10 years of her time in the Canadian Armed Forces. It was absolutely brutal, but that person found a way to fix themselves.

National Defence committee  They would have gotten no evidence from me, because, again, I did not have the complainant's authorization to share that evidence.