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Opening Remarks – Annual Report 2001-2002

June 18, 2002

I am pleased to present to you our Annual Report covering the period from April 2001 to March 2002 that was presented to the Minister of National Defence and tabled earlier today in Parliament.

The most significant event of the last year, one that will continue to have an impact on the work we do, is the tragedy of September 11, 2001. In the wake of the post-September 11 world, it is to the Canadian Forces that Canadians turned for security. Men and women of the CF have eagerly responded to the call and some have even paid with their lives. More than ever, Canada has an obligation to ensure that these men and women are treated with dignity and respect. It’s the very least our country can do for them.

How, then, is the military dealing with its duty to properly treat its soldiers, air men and women and sailors?

Over the last year, we received 1489 cases and resolved 1378 of them through the hard work and imagination of members of my Office. A common thread we have identified in dealing with these cases is the failure on the part of the chain of command to properly assess the impact of military or operational decisions on individual soldiers and their families. In other words, the chain of command has to do better in looking after the little guy.

We also concluded that the system is rife with discrimination and prejudice in its treatment of members suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD in a report that was made public on February 5, 2002. We, of course, did not realize how timely it would be. The deployment of troops who are dealing with the aftermath of September 11 will only increase the need to respond positively and effectively to those suffering from PTSD. We made 31 recommendations, which, if implemented, I believe will lay to rest the “disposable soldier” model that, to our everlasting embarrassment, often characterized the treatment of those with PTSD. That belief was always a myth, and it cannot stand the light of day or the heat of the truth. In any event, I intend to release, in the fall of 2002 a public report card on how the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces responded to the report. I hope it will be a positive report.

In view of our experience with complainants who turn to this office in need of assistance, we were not surprised when a recent quality of life survey undertaken by the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces found that over half of CF members disagreed to at least some degree with the statement that senior leadership cared about their quality of life. Worryingly, that perception appears to be shared by potential applicants. A recent report of the Auditor General found that from 1994 to 2000, the Canadian Forces managed to recruit fewer than half of the people it lost. And the loss has a cumulative impact on internal resources. For example, it costs about 1/3 of a million dollars to train a soldier from simple citizen to combat-capable infantry member. By improving the way in which it treats its members and employees, DND/CF will not only improve the rate of retention and recruiting but will also get a return on their investment. Positive change breeds positive results, breeds positive repute, breeds a better military.

The Office of the Ombudsman can be an ally in the drive to recruit and retain military members. The more the public is aware of what we do, the more we can help. Prospective recruits will view the Ombudsman as a sign of commitment by DND/CF leaders and managers to transparency, accountability and fair treatment. Those prospective recruits will also know that if they do join and experience problems, there will be an outside, independent body they can turn to.

In May 2001, I created the Special Ombudsman Response Team or SORT to allow for the investigation of highly sensitive, high profile cases likely to result in recommendations to the Minister of National Defence. The SORT’s specialized expertise may be triggered by the Minister of National Defence or by myself. The coming year will be an exciting one for SORT as it continues investigating high profile cases and in proposing solutions to some of the most pressing issues DND/CF faces in dealing with the welfare of members and employees.

The high rate of resolution of cases would not have been possible without the excellent cooperation received by the overwhelming majority of people and offices at DND/CF. In fact, this year I launched the Ombudsman Awards, which affords me the opportunity to formally express my gratitude to those who demonstrate excellence in ethics and conflict resolution. On the other hand, there is a small minority of people, usually in my very own backyard at National Defence Headquarters here in Ottawa and elsewhere who remain opposed to the decision to create an Ombudsman’s office, a decision of the Government of Canada. It not only makes our work harder but also does a disservice to the men and women of the Department of National Defense and the Canadian Forces who deserve no less than an independent avenue to help them seek redress for their problems. Last week I wrote to the Chief of the Defence Staff to ask him to reiterate to his staff the importance of supporting the Office.

Opposition from a small number of people will not, of course, deter us from our work of looking out for the needs of DND/CF members and their families.

Thank you!

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