November 25
OTTAWA – The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., Q.C., M.P. for Niagara Falls and Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement today regarding the Auditor General Fall 2014 Report:
“I thank the Auditor General for both his positive findings and advice in his Fall 2014 Report. The Department of National Defence and I accept this report and will address its recommendations.
“With respect to Defence’s role in responding to international humanitarian crises, we will continue to work with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development and other partners to enhance our response to humanitarian crises wherever they may occur. The Canadian response to the disaster in the Philippines is something that we should all be proud of. The Canadian Armed Forces has implemented improvements as the result of lessons learned and will seek ways to improve the assessment of localized needs for future humanitarian operations. In cooperation with our government partners, we look forward to carrying on a proud legacy of saving lives, alleviating suffering, and protecting human dignity.
“I am also pleased that the Auditor General found that both the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police have taken several positive steps in recent years to ensure relocation services are delivered appropriately to our men and women in uniform. I also appreciate that the Auditor General has recommended areas where we can further improve, and as a result, the Department of National Defence will evaluate its performance measurement processes for the relocation program.
“Lastly, I note that in his report, the Auditor General looked at the mental health services and support available to our veterans. The Government of Canada has made a concerted effort to bolster mental health services and support for the military community, including serving Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans and their families. These efforts have included hiring additional mental health professionals, augmenting treatment and education programs, technological advancements, additional support to families and further investment in mental health research. I agree with the Auditor General and the Department of National Defence will continue to work hard with our partners in Veterans Affairs Canada to further reduce the time required for the transfer of medical records between our departments. We are also tracking wait times for mental health assessments at our Operational and Trauma Stress Support Centres, assessing trends and seeking the underlying reasons for delays.”
- 30 -
Johanna Quinney
Press Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Office of the Minister of the Department of National Defence
(613) 996-3100
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: (613) 996-2353
Toll-Free: 1 866 377-0811
