Senator Pate: In fact, you got ahead of me, and you know my supplementary question. Part of the reason Madam Justice Arbour recommended the transfer and why she wanted legislation is the fact that many civilian police forces have refused to act upon those cases that have been referred.

Can you share any further information about the type of legislation you’re proposing and how it will ensure that civilian forces have to take seriously the reports that are put in by the military?

Making sure that victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment have access to strong victim support services is also critical. Whether or not they choose to pursue an investigation, I believe it’s important to make sure that those services will be available to every member of the Armed Forces when they —

Hon. Kim Pate: Welcome. Thank you for joining us today, Minister Blair. For decades, as you know, governments have pointed to the need to address violence against women as an impetus for criminal legislation that too often results in making sentences longer, harsher and more punitive. These approaches have not meaningfully prevented violence against women, including in the military.

What concrete measures has the government taken to implement the Calls for Justice of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry, as well as the recommendations of the Mass Casualty Commission and the Arbour report on sexual misconduct in the military? How will the government seek to address and redress the root causes of violence against women? What is the timeline for the full implementation of these recommendations?