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Annual Report 2000
Table of Contents
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON
On or before March 31 of each year, the Chairperson must submit, to the Minister, the Commission's report on activities for the preceding calendar year as well as its recommendations, if any. The Military Police Complaints Commission was established on December 1, 1999. For this reason, its first annual report was limited to activities conducted in December 1999 only. I am therefore very pleased to present the first report covering a full year's activities.
The Commission is a civilian oversight authority. It was established to render the handling of complaints involving the military police more transparent and accessible and to ensure that both complainants and members of the military police are dealt with impartially and fairly. Therefore, when the Commission examines a complaint, it does not favour either the complainant or the military police member; its main concern being to objectively seek out the facts. Professionalism, integrity and independence are values highly regarded by the Commission.
At the conclusion of this first full year of activity, my entire team and I can look back on the past 12 months with a well-earned sense of satisfaction. On December 1, 1999, after three months of intensive preparation, the Commission was already operational, albeit in offices that fell short of meeting its needs and with a minimum of staff, some having come from temporary employment agencies. Building a new organization from a base of legislative text is a significant challenge in itself, but constructing an entire organization and its administrative components while conducting day-to-day business is, in many respects, a true achievement.
As the Commission is a civilian oversight body, independent of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, it did not begin operating with an in-depth knowledge of military matters. It was necessary to become versed in military culture, to understand the structure and organization of the military police, to equip ourselves with the key policy, directives and procedures manuals and to decipher the acronyms that abound in military police reports. In this respect, I thank the personnel from the office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal for their unconditional and steadfast support.
While the Commission was getting organized and establishing its systems and methods, it was already responding to queries from the public, receiving reports from the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal and addressing complaints. The Commission did not hold public hearings in 2000, but it did exercise its jurisdiction in the monitoring On or before March 31 of each year, the Chairperson must submit, to the Minister, the Commission's report on activities for the preceding calendar year as well as its recommendations, if any. The Military Police Complaints Commission was established on December 1, 1999. For this reason, its first annual report was limited to activities conducted in December 1999 only. I am therefore very pleased to present the first report covering a full year's activities. The Commission is a civilian oversight authority. It was established to render the handling of complaints involving the military police more transparent and accessible and to ensure that both complainants and members of the military police are dealt with impartially and fairly. Therefore, when the Commission examines a complaint, it does not favour either the complainant or the military police member; its main concern being to objectively seek out the facts. Professionalism, integrity and independence are values highly regarded by the Commission.
At the conclusion of this first full year of activity, my entire team and I can look back on the past 12 months with a well-earned sense of satisfaction. On December 1, 1999, after three months of intensive preparation, the Commission was already operational, albeit in offices that fell short of meeting its needs and with a minimum of staff, some having come from temporary employment agencies. Building a new organization from a base of legislative text is a significant challenge in itself, but constructing an entire organization and its administrative components while conducting day-to-day business is, in many respects, a true achievement.
As the Commission is a civilian oversight body, independent of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces, it did not begin operating with an in-depth knowledge of military matters. It was necessary to become versed in military culture, to understand the structure and organization of the military police, to equip ourselves with the key policy, directives and procedures manuals and to decipher the acronyms that abound in military police reports. In this respect, I thank the personnel from the office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal for their unconditional and steadfast support.
While the Commission was getting organized and establishing its systems and methods, it was already responding to queries from the public, receiving reports from the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal and addressing complaints. The Commission did not hold public hearings in 2000, but it did exercise its jurisdiction in the monitoring of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal's handling of conduct complaints, in investigating an interference complaint and in the conduct of an investigation by the Commission in the public interest. To this end, the system of ethics applicable to members of the military police was tested, and it must be said that the Commission carried out its responsibilities honourably.
Concurrently, during the year, I increased the number of visits to military bases and military police units, giving speeches to a number of groups representing the military police and Canadian Forces, in general, whom I thank for their efforts in offering and organizing these visits and meetings. These occasions allowed me to be better informed of the concerns and expectations of those in the military milieu, to ease their apprehensions and to help foster a favourable image of the Commission. Thus, the year 2000 was enormously demanding for the Chairperson and her team members, who were often called upon to adapt to a most challenging work schedule. However, the results obtained aptly reflect the collective commitment and efforts contributed. The Commission succeeded in filling virtually all of the positions in its organization with competent individuals. We moved into newly renovated, modern and functional accommodations and acquired equally modern and efficient equipment, all of which has contributed to the establishment of a work environment that is both pleasant and stimulating. Operationally, the Commission gained practical experience in all areas of activity related to its mandate, allowing us to look to the future with confidence.
Even though the Commission has noted or has been advised, from time to time, of situations that have attracted our attention and which might eventually be examined more closely, this report contains no recommendations. Given the still limited experience of the Commission, it would be premature to put forward recommendations based on observations that have yet to be sufficiently validated through time and experience. Moreover, this report provides an ideal opportunity to explain, in greater detail, the characteristics of the system regulating the professional conduct of military police members, the process for handling complaints and the role and powers of the Commission as a major stakeholder in the system, particularly as the Annual Report will eventually be available on the Commission's future internet website.
Louise Cobetto
Chairperson
Military Police Complaints Commission