Thank you, sir. I’d like to talk about some of the steps that we have been able to take. I reached out to Madam Justice Arbour. I wanted to understand not just what her recommendation says but, frankly, what the thinking behind it was. We had an opportunity to talk quite extensively. It was a helpful conversation for me because we talked about some of the impediments that currently existed for people in the Canadian Armed Forces, and we were able to act quickly on some of those recommendations.

For example, there was a rule previously that required a member of the Canadian Armed Forces to exhaust all other avenues of remedies, such as grievance procedures, before they could go to the Canadian Human Rights Commission to lodge a complaint. We lifted that requirement so that Canadian Armed Forces members, like every other Canadian, could go directly to the Canadian Human Rights Commission to lodge a complaint.

I also needed to understand Justice Arbour’s recommendation with respect to duty to report. Justice Arbour had recommended that the duty to report would be lifted because it created an unfair burden upon many victims of discrimination and harassment within the Canadian Armed Forces. After I spoke to Justice Arbour, I went back to my people and said there were more circumstances. Justice Arbour had recommended it for sexual harassment and sexual assault, but we recognized there were other forms of discrimination, such as racism, that a member could experience, so we removed the requirement for duty to report for all circumstances, not just the ones recommended by her.

First of all, my concern is not only for recruitment because we have to get the best talent coming in the door, but I am also concerned about retention because we have extraordinary men and women in the Canadian Armed Forces. I want to make sure we provide them with the appropriate supports for housing, child care, health services, et cetera, but it is also important that we create a work environment that is respectful, inclusive and safe.

The priority is all of those things.

You mentioned the fleet. Making sure our people have the right equipment, access to the appropriate kit and in circumstances where there is an aging fleet, for example, either a motor vehicle or air platform —

Thank you, minister.