Statement from the Minister of National Defence in response to the 2017 Fall Report of the Auditor General of Canada
Statements
November 21, 2017 – Ottawa, ON – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan, issued the following statement on the 2017 Fall Report of the Auditor General of Canada:
“I thank the Auditor General and his team, on behalf of my department, for the completion of these reports, and I welcome their findings and recommendations regarding the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC).
“As Chancellor of RMC, I am very proud of this valued national institution and its long history of producing well-rounded leaders with the post-secondary education, military training, physical fitness, bilingualism and ethical foundations needed to succeed as commissioned officers in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
“I agree with the recommendations provided by the Auditor General, and I am confident that they will assist us greatly in our continuing efforts to ensure the best possible environment for Officer Cadets to learn and develop as leaders. An action plan will be developed to address all of the recommendations.
“As the Auditor General has indicated, the cost per student of an RMC education is higher than that of other civilian universities. It should be noted that RMC is the only degree-granting institution in Canada where graduates must not only complete academic work, but military, physical fitness, and bilingualism components as well. The unique nature of the Military College program adds to its costs. That said, I agree with the Auditor General that more can be done to improve efficiencies while maintaining the excellent programs delivered by RMC.
“We remain committed to the success of RMC. In fact, the Chief of the Defence Staff ordered a Special Staff Assistance Visit (SSAV) to the College last year, which yielded recommendations similar to that of the Auditor General’s. I am pleased to note that significant progress has been made in implementing many of the SSAV recommendations.
“The students who attend our military colleges are future leaders of the women and men of the CAF and they will indeed play an important role in ensuring that Canada remains Strong, Secure, Engaged. That is why we are investing in programs and initiatives that will enhance support to RMC Officer Cadets so that they can continue to bravely and professionally serve our country.”
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Associated links
- 2017 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada – Royal Military College of Canada – National Defence
- Special Staff Assistance Visit - Report on the Climate, Training Environment, Culture and ROTP Programme at the Royal Military College of Canada – Kingston
Contacts
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-996-2353
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