What's New: Town hall meeting on the military grievance process
October 21, 2014
Mr. Bruno Hamel speaks during the joint town hall meeting on the military grievance process.
The Director General - Canadian Forces Grievance Authority (DGCFGA), Colonel François Malo, and the Military Grievances External Review Committee (MGERC), represented by the Chairperson Bruno Hamel, hosted, on October 21, 2014, a joint town hall meeting on the military grievance process at the Royal Canadian Air Force Officers Mess in Ottawa.
The meeting provided a good opportunity to explain the roles of the DGCFGA and the MGERC within the military grievance process, including their distinctions. Thus Col. Malo and Mr. Hamel talked to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members present at the meeting about the recent changes to the military grievance process. The presentations included topics such as the amendments to the National Defence Act, the new provisions found in Chapter 7 of the Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces and the efforts to make the grievance process more efficient.
The meeting also allowed for direct exchanges about issues and concerns related to complaint resolution, as well as a discussion about trends identified by both organizations through their review of grievances.
Back in September, the invitation to the meeting was sent to all members of the CAF in the Ottawa region, regardless of their rank and role in the grievance process. The initiative was very well received and the meeting got a very high turnout, with nearly 130 participants.
This town hall meeting goes along with, among other things, the formal and informal briefings held periodically by the MGERC, where all ranks are encouraged to participate in grievance related discussions. Indeed, the Committee makes periodic visits to CAF formations/units to learn about taskings and activities and to see, firsthand, CAF members in the environment in which they serve.
Colonel Francois Malo talks about the recent changes to the military grievance process.