Summary Hearings

Description of the program or activity

In 2022, the CAF’s longstanding ‘summary trial process’ was retired and a new ‘summary hearing process’ was introduced with the coming into force of the remaining provisions of Bill C-77, An Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts. The summary hearing process establishes unit-level disciplinary proceedings that are non-penal and administrative in nature. As designed, the summary hearing process is intended to simplify the disciplinary process at the unit level and improve the chain of command’s ability to efficiently address minor breaches of military discipline while maintaining procedural fairness. It represents a significant change to the military justice system and the manner in which service infractions are investigated, heard, and resolved. The creation of the summary hearing process plays a vital role in assisting those members who perform duties or have formal responsibilities pertaining to maintain the discipline to address misconduct at the unit level.

Why a privacy impact assessment (PIA) was completed

Although a PIA was undertaken by DND/CAF in relation to the introduction of the Justice Administration Information Management System (JAIMS) in 2021/22, it did not include a comprehensive assessment of personal information handling practices relating to the summary hearings process. New policies, procedures and business practices introduced to support the new process results in substantial program, providing an opportune time to undertake a program-level PIA in relation to summary hearings.

More information

Several risks were identified as part of the PIA – all of which have been fully addressed by the Office of the Judge Advocate General’s Military Justice Division in the course of the PIA process.

If you would like more information about this PIA, contact:

DND/CAF Directorate of Access to Information and Privacy
Email: ATIP-AIPRP@forces.gc.ca
Telephone: 613-901-6720
Online request: Access to information and Privacy online request