National Defence committee  Okay, first thing, let's talk about “appropriate authorities”. Without the victim's permission to investigate, there are no proper authorities. I had an allegation against the chief of the defence staff. He reports to the minister. I report to the minister. I went to the minist

National Defence committee  I don't know if you're trying to infer something, but let me go back one more time, because apparently I'm not being clear. I had no avenues available to me, because the complainant asked for confidentiality, which I provided. I went to the minister because I thought we had a pr

National Defence committee  No, because I did not have the permission of the complainant.

National Defence committee  One of the cornerstones of ombudsing is confidentiality. It is the cornerstone. It is the lifeblood of the organization. What I did for confidentiality.... For everyone who came into the ombudsman's office, after they signed their public service declaration, there was another oa

National Defence committee  The survivor—

National Defence committee  Maybe 10 to 15 minutes—maybe—for that portion of the meeting.

National Defence committee  I didn't share the allegations with the PCO. I was there for another reason, I thought. They asked me for the allegation against the chief and I was shocked that they knew. I didn't give them anything. I told them they shouldn't know and that I had asked the minister for confiden

National Defence committee  I won't speak about General Vance, but I will tell you my feelings and sentiment about the investigation that went on against me. I wish we had time to sit and talk about unethical, nefarious and insidious behaviours, because I have a story that maybe someday will be told. I jus

National Defence committee  This is a no-brainer, in my opinion. As long as that structure stays where it is—administratively reporting to the deputy, and organizationally reporting to the chief—we are never going to get those people who need to come forward to come forward. In my office, it's the same thin

National Defence committee  Well, two things.... First of all, in response to whether it would be a court martial, I am not a judge advocate general. I don't know how the judicial system inside the Canadian Armed Forces works in detail, so I don't know what the outcome of any type of trial that would have

National Defence committee  I have absolutely no idea what connection you're making between the military justice system and me.

National Defence committee  Not at all; I believed my role was to advise the minister, which I did. As to what he could have done, you say that this would have ended up in a court martial. That's a supposition. No one knows that. We don't know the degree of the penalty that would have been imposed for this.

National Defence committee  Well, let me put it out there: Wouldn't you think it would be prudent that I go to the supervisor of the person in question when I have an allegation? My job as a special adviser to the minister is to do just that—advise him—and I thought this was of enough magnitude that it shou

National Defence committee  No, that wasn't the request for the meetings. That wasn't the purpose. I knew after PCO contacted me that the minister wasn't going to do anything. I had many other hot cases that required ministerial exposure and feedback. That's the reason for the meetings. The office wasn't st

National Defence committee  No.