National Defence committee  Thank you.

National Defence committee  Yes, I think that the integration of our prevention and health promotion methods were part of what we tried to do on Op Laser. An excellent health care system for those who are struggling and need help is important, of course, but it is equally important—maybe more important—to h

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, of course, we'd be happy to do that. I can give you a quick thumbnail. I think over 4,000 different members and family members used the Canadian Forces member assistance program last year, and I think about 3,000 or a little over used the family information line, bu

National Defence committee  Absolutely. It's a broad spectrum.

National Defence committee  Absolutely it is vital that we shift the culture. I like to think it has come along a fair way, which isn't to suggest that we don't still have work to do, for sure. Perhaps I will pass this one over to Lieutenant-Colonel Bailey to talk about as well. It isn't just programs lik

National Defence committee  Precisely.

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, I'm going to pass the question straight over to Lieutenant-Colonel Bailey, who is the expert.

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, that is an excellent question about how this unusual operation may have affected our people. As it happens, Lieutenant Colonel Bailey is really the expert on how we tried to prepare folks for this different circumstance before they went in, support them while they w

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, I think there are two main prongs to attack that particular problem. The first is to remind you that we do use mental health providers extensively in the civilian community—a civilian psychiatrist who sees military patients, for instance. Although a person may find

National Defence committee  I recognize that. You are absolutely right about that. One of the things I, and many of us, are very excited about is this almost seismic shift in use of telehealth and virtual health that COVID-19 has helped us push forward. I think that is going to be the way forward for som

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, of course, the information will be made public. I can't tell you exactly when. There are other factors to do with public affairs and when these things are released. I absolutely understand the interest in knowing that number, although I would take the opportunity t

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, in the context of this medium and the time constraints we have, I will fall back on the reminder that our treatments are, of course, evidence-based. We try to stay right at the leading edge of guidelines on managing different mental health conditions, including opera

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, I'm afraid I don't have visibility on that, so I can't comment on that either way. I would imagine that it is happening in most cases, but I'm afraid I can't speak to it.

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, that's a really important question. We are torn between wanting to recognize that, in many cases, part of the picture when someone dies of suicide may be their military experiences and recognizing that person and their contributions, of course. However, we do know—

National Defence committee  Madam Chair, that's an interesting question. I'm going to pass that to Lieutenant-Colonel Bailey with her experience in doing pre-deployment, as well as during and post-deployment mental health training.