National Defence committee  You're asking about the performance pay system. I just want to be clear that you're referring to a raise and a bonus. There is a performance pay system whereby all eligible Governor in Council appointees go through an annual performance management process. There is a set of agre

National Defence committee  Yes.

National Defence committee  Yes, the performance management note was a note from the clerk for the Prime Minister. The clerk provided all of the relevant information that applied through the performance management process in that note. As you know, I went to the Privy Council Office in March 2018, as the f

National Defence committee  Yes, I believe he approved that note, an order in council note.

National Defence committee  Did I autopen the note? No.

National Defence committee  Let me just remind you what was to be or not to be discussed. There was a complaint brought forward in March 2018 to the ombudsperson that he said existed to the minister, and we knew nothing else about it. We didn't know the nature of the complaint, the substance of the complai

National Defence committee  —of the complaint were not, because we did not—

National Defence committee  I would not claim to be an expert on what all the best next steps are, but I am someone who has spent many years now caring deeply and passionately specifically about these issues and about issues of supporting, empowering and protecting women. Over the past five years in partic

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, I actually did find it in my notes, so I would just like to put it on the record that, yes, in the mandate letter in 2015, there was a line that said, “establish and maintain a workplace free from harassment and discrimination.” Let me also concede that obviously the

National Defence committee  I would be happy to follow up on that. I would need to consult with the Privy Council Office on that note that they provided to the Prime Minister.

National Defence committee  I am not aware, and I certainly was not aware then, that the ombudsperson resigned because of anything that you're suggesting. This note that you're referring to—as I was trying to correct your colleague on earlier—was a note through the usual performance management system that

National Defence committee  Certainly I have had conversations over the years with the minister about General Vance, but not on this specifically.

National Defence committee  There are a few things. I treated what I was told about like it could be a serious allegation, but I didn't know how serious it was or was not. I had absolutely no information on it. I just want to make that very clear, because I know that that has been confusing for us all, as a

National Defence committee  Unfortunately, I don't have the mandate letter from 2015 in front of me, but I actually do believe there is language, not perhaps specific to the Deschamps report, but there is certainly language around efforts around inclusion. I believe it's even as specific as—I'm going on a b

National Defence committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. I think that given how difficult it has been, even of late, for all of us to keep partisanship out of these discussions, it's just a further demonstration of how important it is for there to be independent and objective people who are.... It is why the pu