THE STANDING SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, DEFENCE AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
OTTAWA, Monday, June 8, 2026
(23)
[English]
The Standing Senate Committee on National Security, Defence and Veterans Affairs met this day at 4 p.m., in room C128, Senate of Canada Building, the chair, the Honourable Marty Deacon, presiding.
Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Al Zaibak, Boehm, Cardozo, Carignan, P.C., Dasko, Deacon (Ontario), Hay, Henkel, McNair, Patterson, White, Youance and Yussuff (13).
Other senators present: The Honourable Senator Duncan (1).
Participating in the meeting: Anne-Marie Therrien-Tremblay and Andrés León, Analysts, Library of Parliament.
Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the committee continued its consideration of Bill C-11, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and other Acts.
APPEARING:
The Honourable David McGuinty, P.C., M.P., Minister of National Defence.
WITNESSES:
Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces:
General Jennie Carignan, Chief of the Defence Staff;
Lieutenant-General Paul Prévost, Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture;
Major General Rob Holman, Judge Advocate General;
Martin Gravel, Chief Operating Officer, Defence Community Support Resource Centre;
Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan, Canadian Forces Provost Marshal;
Colonel Nooral Ahmed, Director, Defence Counsel Services;
Colonel Dylan Kerr, Director, Military Prosecutions.
As individuals:
The Honourable Marie Deschamps, Independent Authority, External Review Sexual Misconduct and Sexual Harassment CAF 2015 and Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada (by videoconference);
Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Rory Fowler, Lawyer.
The Honourable Marie Deschamps and Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Rory Fowler each made a statement and answered questions.
At 4:55 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 5:02 p.m., the committee resumed.
Minister McGuinty made a statement and, together with Major General Rob Holman, General Jennie Carignan, Lieutenant-General Paul Prévost and Martin Gravel, answered questions.
At 6:03 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 6:09 p.m., the committee resumed.
General Jennie Carignan, Major General Rob Holman, Lieutenant-General Paul Prévost and Martin Gravel answered questions.
At 6:57 p.m., the committee suspended.
At 7:06 p.m., the committee resumed.
Brigadier-General Vanessa Hanrahan, Colonel Nooral Ahmed and Colonel Dylan Kerr each made a statement and answered questions.
At 8 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.
ATTEST:
Ericka Paajanen
Clerk of the Committee