Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
National Security and Defence

Issue No. 44 - Minutes of Proceedings - May 27, 2019

OTTAWA, Monday, May 27, 2019
(81)

[English]

The Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence met this day at 11 a.m., in room W110, 1 Wellington St., the chair, the Honourable Gwen Boniface, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Boisvenu, Boniface, Dagenais, Gold, Griffin, McIntyre, McPhedran, Oh, Pratte and Richards (10).

In attendance: Christina Yeung and Ariel Shapiro, Analysts, Parliament Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Tuesday, April 30, 2019, the committee continued its examination of Bill C-77, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 43.)

APPEARING:

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence.

WITNESSES:

As individuals:

Christian Leuprecht, Professor, Department of Political Science and Economics, Royal Military College of Canada (by video conference);

Lieutnant-Colonel (Ret'd) Jean-Guy Perron;

Lieutenant-Colonel (Ret'd) Rory Fowler.

Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:

Commodore Geneviève Bernatchez, Judge Advocate General;

Lieutenant-General Charles Lamarre, Commander, Military Personnel Command;

Lieutenant-Colonel Geneviève Lortie, Director of Law, Military Justice - Policy;

Colonel Stephen Strickey, Deputy Judge Advocate General, Military Justice;

Commodore Rebecca Patterson, Director General, Canadian Armed Forces Strategic Response Team - Sexual Misconduct;

Denise Preston, Executive Director, Sexual Misconduct Response Centre.

It's Just 700:

Marie-Claude Gagnon, Founder.

As individuals:

Sergeant (Ret'd) Jessica B. Miller.

Diane Crocker, Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology, Saint Mary's University (by video conference).

Canadian Bar Association:

Eric Charland, Member, Military Law Section (by video conference).

As individuals:

Lindsay L. Rodman, Marine Corps and Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran (by video conference).

Major Carly Arkell, Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The chair made a statement.

Mr. Leuprecht, Mr. Fowler and Mr. Perrson made statements and, together, answered questions.

At 12 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 12:07 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, P.C., made a statement and, together with Commodore Bernatchez, Lieutenant-General Lamarre, Commodore Patterson and Ms. Preston, answered questions.

At 1:18 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 1:37 p.m., the committee resumed.

Commore Bernatchez, Lieutenant-General Lamarre, Commodore Patterson, Ms. Preston, LCol Lortie and Colonel Strickey answered questions.

At 2:58 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:29 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Gagnon, Ms. Crocker and Sergeant Miller made statements and, together, answered questions.

At 4:33 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:39 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Charland, Ms. Rodman and Major Arkell made statements and, together, answered questions.

At 5:47 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Mark Palmer
Clerk of the Committee