Chapter 3: Communication and Outreach
50. Communication and outreach activities play a vital role in building public confidence in Canada’s military justice system. From key stakeholders in the military justice process, as well as national and international strategic partners and organizations, communication and outreach activities form an integral part of the DMP’s strategic view to promoting Canada’s military justice system. In that regard, the DMP has made a concerted effort to engage a number of organizations to further enhance the legitimacy of Canada’s military justice system. This Chapter sets out those communications and outreach activities by the DMP over the course of the current reporting period.
3.1. CAF Chain of Command
51. The military justice system is designed to promote the operational effectiveness of the CAF by contributing to the maintenance of discipline, efficiency, and morale. It also ensures that justice is administered fairly and with respect for the rule of law. As the military justice system is one of several tools available to the chain of command in order to help it reach these objectives, it is imperative that the DMP, and prosecutors within the CMPS, actively and effectively engage the chain of command throughout the court martial process.
52. This reporting period, the DMP, accompanied by a DDMP, visited commanders and commanding officers in Victoria BC, Edmonton AB and Winnipeg MB. Key discussions during these visits touched upon the investigation and prosecution of service offences post C-77 implementation and the use of the summary hearing process to further unit disciplinary needs.
3.2. CFNIS
53. It is important for all prosecutors to maintain a strong relationship with investigative agencies, while at the same time respecting the independence of each organization. Good relationships with investigative agencies ensure that the prosecutor and the investigator exercise their respective roles independently but cooperatively, and help to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the CMPS as a prosecution service.
54. Over the course of this reporting period, the CFNIS Legal Advisor presented at the CFNIS Indoctrination Course for new investigators. These presentations and discussions enhanced the knowledge of the military justice system for the new CFNIS investigators, particularly in relation to the prosecutions of sexual offences. DDMPs also had regular, meaningful engagement with the CFNIS leadership.
3.3. Federal, Provincial and Territorial Heads of Prosecution Committee
55. The Federal, Provincial and Territorial Heads of Prosecution (HoP) Committee was established in 1995. The Committee is made up of the heads of each of Canada’s 12 prosecution agencies. This includes the heads of prosecution for the ten provincial prosecution services, as well as the Director of Public Prosecutions for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, and the DMP. The mandate of the HoP Committee is to serve as a national forum for the discussion of prosecutions and prosecution-related issues, and to facilitate the exchange of information and best practices on legal and managerial issues among the prosecution services of Canada. Since its inception, the Committee has helped promote assistance and cooperation among prosecution services and facilitated the coordination of national prosecution issues and the adoption of consistent prosecution positions on those issues whenever possible. The HoP Committee also serves as a national advisory body on prosecution issues in Canada, providing a venue where stakeholders can consult and seek the views of the Canadian prosecution community.Footnote 4
56. During this reporting period, the DMP attended the Spring session of the committee in Kelowna BC, and the Fall session in Canmore AB.
3.4. International Association of Prosecutors
57. This year marked the return of the Annual Conference & General Meeting, after two years of cancellation following the COVID-19 global pandemic. The conference was held in Tbilisi, Georgia from 25 to 29 September 2022. While this year did not include a specific presentation from the Network of Military Prosecutors (NMP), key members of the network, including the DMP, committed to reinvigorating the NMP at the next Conference to be held in London, United Kingdom, from 24 to 27 September 2023.