[Col Charron] Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, it's Colonel Eric Charron, the 17 Wing Commander, Base Commander of CFB . It's incredible to think of everything that's transpired since last week when myself and my command team partner Chief Warrant Officer Faucher joined you with a static video that we posted online.

So this week, we’re evolving to the next stage, making it a bit more interactive. Our sequence of events, so each of the three of us are at the front, we'll provide some opening remarks. Joining me, the Acting Wing Chief, Chief Warrant Officer Savard, and also our Wing Surgeon. Certainly a lady whose own leadership and her team have been the key in this health crisis – Surgeon Major Patti Louttit.

So we'll each have opening remarks. Then we'll go through a series of questions that were provided to us in advance. And finally, as more questions roll in through the discussion, we'll be happy to take those facilitated by our Public Affairs Officer Lieutenant Rebecca Major, who is emceeing in the background.

So, first of all, ladies and gentlemen, this is not the spring break that any of us had planned. I think that's probably the understatement of the century, if not the millennial. If anything, the last 24 hours has reminded us that, as Manitobans right now as Winnipeggers, winter can hit back at any point at this time. Some may say it's not what we needed, but, try to see the beauty in it, try to see the pristine whiteness in some of it. I know I was able to coax my teens to join myself and my wife outside yesterday, do a first round of shoveling and low and behold, we've got a second round of shoveling waiting for us today.

Not awesome, but, listen, we had some good fun, and some good family moments there. And I'm wishing you're able to do a lot of the same things. With your younger ones, perhaps a bit of time to get out of the house, fight that cabin fever, stay close, play in the backyard, but a little bit of fresh air and get those energy, those legs and those arms moving.

Some of the big items that have taken place recently. So, orders are coming down our chain from the various levels. The ones that are very pertinent to us, of course, is from the Chief of the Defence Staff and then the Joint Operations Command in Ottawa, the RCAF, the Commander, and then our own divisions here.

So, 17 Wing under the Second Canadian Air Division, receiving updated orders on a regular basis, and then of course, at the wing level myself with my team generating more orders to give specifics as to what awaits, what tasks are coming our way. So without reading orders to you, cause that's not why you joined us today, what is important to know is that the CDS is expecting to make a very formal announcement but has certainly shared it in advance and allowed us to share with you, ladies and gentlemen, that the current working conditions that is, working from home, if you're not a critical person in a critical service, that needs to be at the wing, at the base to do that, to perform that service in person, then we are staying home.

This includes myself, I can not consider myself critical. Essential perhaps, but certainly able to do a lot of my command control right now from home, as a lot of my team members are doing. So critical services only, we are not coming back to normal operations Monday. This applies to regular force, to reserve force, and of course our public servant colleagues and partners, you are to continue staying home until further notice.

Some have asked, how long is this going to last? How long? Some are even asking, when can I come back to work? We can go further into those questions later, but for now, what you need to know is that certainly we're not expecting any return to work before Easter, and there's expectation, of course, with all that spread transpiring in the world and in our own country, that things could last longer than that.

From a very specific 2 Canadian Air Division and 17 Wing perspective, we ceased our training last week with a few last little bits that were finished off, so it completely stopped on Saturday. There's no more training going on, and that is the case across all of the . The only training that still carries on is training that can be delivered by distance learning, either with instructors joining from home and students coming in and doing collaborative tools like whiteboard sharing stations.

For that we encourage certainly those that are part of the Air Force Officer Development program that are always waiting, been waiting to get through a lot of their functional training to start this program, perhaps now is the time to look at that distance learning portal and start getting that professional development done.

APS will stop. That's the Active Posting Season. We can certainly speak a bit more about that later. In short, the last orders are still valid ones. There are no house hunting trips before the 30th of April, so none whatsoever that are taking place. Members that received posting messages before the stop, those have been continuing with some of their actions. I know Chief Savard has got a detailed question coming later, so I'll stop there and we certainly are happy to entertain more questions about the active posting season. Whatever information we have, we're keen to share with you.

I do want to remind you, so those of you that are trying to recognize, where are they this time? Well, we're in Building 90, in the fitness room in the basement. So, some of you are probably missing the gym. I know I am, and we've set up a home gym at home and we're following some great programs online, more on that later.

Close to us here, of course to Building 90, one building that is still in operations is the MFRC’s daycare. So the daycare due to its location, due to the service it offers service members and their spouses, they are still open, and the province has agreed to a higher limit. So instead of the 16- person occupancy by children, the ceiling has been set to 50 that is five zero. At this point because this week was spring break, there's a very low number and there's only 16 kids that are there this week.

Next week it goes back up a little bit to 24. So ladies and gentlemen, looking for perhaps some options where one of you has to go back to work, one of you is an essential service perhaps working on the front in healthcare, that option is there for you. Speak to the daycare as well, they may have some temporary arrangements where they might be able to help on some occasional daycare that normally is offered during routine times.

So let me end my opening comments by just giving a bit of a positive message and then I'll give the floor to the Wing Chief. Ladies and gentlemen, we're facing unusual, extraordinary times. But we are not just looking to the front of our nose looking for what's just in front of our hands in front of our face here.

We are looking to when this condition is resumed to normal and one aspect that I want all families to look forward to is that right now we are still planning on running the summer camps right here through the MFRC, through the Personnel Support Program, and with that, of course, want to be able to reopen the pool come the summer months.

This may have to change as we get to July if the conditions have not improved, but right now, certainly there are plans there to make sure that we can resume to normal and if you need that break, if your kids are going to be in dire need of a little bit of socialization, perhaps with some restrictions, perhaps with some conditions, perhaps with lower numbers. Those are conditions we'll have to look at, but we want at least to give you a sense that that might be possible. Adjudant-chef Savard, please.

[CWO Savard] Thank you, Sir. Chief Warrant Officer Savard, many points that you've already touched on, especially with the members being at home and understanding now that they have to stay at home a little bit longer, for the welfare of the CAF and our readiness posture.

So, think about your family. Think about the welfare of your family and how they're doing right now. Ask them questions and not just try to entertain them, but just see how they're feeling on a personal level. Same with your colleagues. I mean, if you have a colleague that is a single colleague and what not, ask them questions and then get FaceTime with them and just to see how their environment is.

A multimedia is out there. Social media is out there. So there's many people FaceTiming more and more out there, people have the data plans to do it and they should continue to do it. Supervisors, I know there's many supervisors probably watching this, going, Hey, how do I get in touch with my members easily and verify that they're doing really well? Well, just use the phone, use the cell phone and use some of that FaceTime. But you keep in touch with them.

And if you're a subordinate out there that's wondering what's going on, the CAF app is out there that gives you lots of great information. Plus your supervisor is there as well, just as a person to talk to. And if you are new to the area and what not, then there's a lot of different resources - Family Information Line, the MFRC page itself is there for lots of information. The Winnipeg PSP page is there that's getting online for fitness videos and stuff like that.

So if you're feeling a little, you know, claustrophobic in your location, then, you know, touch bases with that. There's lots of information out there, even the new spiritual resiliency page for 17 Wing is there. So, add that to your cadre of daily activities, and keep something in mind that, wake up in the morning and have a plan.

And I always have a plan besides just making my bed first thing in the morning. It's, “Okay, What am I going to check? Who am I gonna check on? And, I always have a plan first thing in the morning. Usually it's only three or four things, and then the plan increases as the day goes on, but I always try to sure those three or four things carry on.

Besides resources, keep your social distancing. I know people want to see other people still say Hi, keep the distances there. Whether you're out shopping, whether you're just walking in the park with your dog, just keep that social distancing even after you have to stay at home. And I think that's it for now.

Keep positive. That's one thing that I've used throughout my whole life is to keep positive. Doesn't matter what's going on in your scenario or your situation, but if you keep positive, people will see that and they’ll feed off it as well. Back to you, Sir.

[Col Charron] Merci, Adjudant-chef. J’ai donner la parole de notre chirugen de l’escadre, je vous rappeler que bien que mes homologues ici ne soit peut-etre pas complement bilingue aujourd’hui, je le suis, donc ca va me fait plaisir de prendre vos questions en francais aussi, on ne repetera pas tous les messages en francais puis que mes homologues n’entendera pas la capacité de le faire au niveau que qu’il aimerait la faire. Mais nous Empeche pas de vous fournirs vos questions en francais ca va fait plaisir de repondre en francais et si doit traduire pour mes homologues parce que ils sont les experts___ aussie plaisir de faire. Doctor Louttit.

[Maj Louttit] Bonjour et hello. So I'm then 23 Health Services Wing Surgeon and basically that just means I'm the senior medical person. I look after 23 Health Services, which goes literally our AOR (Area of Responsibility) is from Thunder Bay to past Moose Jaw, and there's another wing surgeon in Moose Jaw who takes care of Saskatchewan.

So, my primary purpose is to make sure that 17 Wing members have good healthcare and are kept up to date on the situation that's going on. We're certainly in a very unsettling time, with this pandemic and the changes are coming everyday very fast, and we're accommodating to those changes.

We've got a fantastic team. I can't say enough about our people and what they've been able to do. We’ve got civilians, contractors, and public service people, and not one person has asked to stay at home, they're all asking me, what can we do, where should we go? And you can be absolutely assured that we will stay until we can and we will look after your families and we'll look after your military members. We'll try and get you as much advice as we can.

I think if anybody's watched the news conference from the Public Health , you need to listen to Dr. Roussin, he's a very calming influence. He is still, even though we're now saying community transmission, is still saying we can beat this, we can so call “flatten that curve”.

There is a lot that people can do and if you do nothing else but stay at home when you don't need to be out, keep yourself healthy by going for walks or bike rides, but you need to stay that two meters away from people, you need to not go out when you don't need to and you need to stay at home when you’re told to.

So I'm very happy that Colonel Charron has said that we're not coming back to work on Monday because a lot of people are going to be coming out of self-isolation shortly from their travel. That doesn't mean you can get up and go around and get out of the house and do whatever you want. It means that you are now able to go get your groceries when you absolutely need to and that really is it.

So the best thing you can do for Health Services so that we can do the best for you so that we can look after the military members, is to stay at home. Even if you're only mildly unwell, you can call us. The numbers have been on the wing wide emails and we'll make sure that the MFRC Facebook page has them.

You can call that number and if you're not super ill, we will tell you to stay at home. If you need to come in, we will see you. If there's a reason why we need to see you, you will be able to come in and we're going to take appropriate precautious to make sure that you're seen appropriately. You might be seen in one of two buildings because we’ve got a building where we're seeing possible COVID-related illness and we've got a building where we're seeing other people such as people who are still going to be releasing, people who still need a SISIP medical people who still need, MELs (Medical Employment Limitations) looked at. We're doing absolutely as much as we can by phone to keep everyone safe, but we will see people in person who we need to.

The other very important part that we do is we make sure that operations continue. And it's sometimes a bit of a dual role and it sometimes causes some angst amongst everyone. Our, maybe it's not our primary role, but it's certainly right up there that our purpose is to make sure that we support operations and make sure that the people that need to get out the door get out the door and we will do whatever we have to and bring people in to make that happen.

And that is where, you know, if people are essential, we'll make sure that if we can mitigate the self isolation, if we can do things different with that, we will do that. If you're not essential, you're not coming back to work. So that's about all I have to say initially, I'm absolutely happy to take any sort of health service-type questions for the military members.

There's lots of resources out there, we need to keep our mental health up. That is going to be an issue going forward and our mental health team is still working as well and there are all kinds of virtual platforms that we're exploring that will be available to us. So don't feel like you are not going to be looked after. There are a lot of vulnerable members out there from the mental health team and transition center and you're not going to be forgotten and we're going to see you.

[Col Charron] Thanks Doc. Perfect. So ladies and gentleman, we'll move to the next sequence here of our video with you. The ones that, the questions that you've sent in advance.

So in the order that we've received them, happy to share with you and we'll be splitting the role here in terms of who answers, the first question we received was:

Q1. Is there any word from higher about the possibility of increasing the home equity assistance program through BGRS. I can't imagine the following year being very friendly to home sellers with so many in the general population being laid off

So of course it's a question that occupies front and foremost the mind of members that are about to be posted or expecting to be posted.

It's an important question and as such, we flagged it up to our higher headquarters. And right now the Royal Canadian Air Force Family Sponsorship Director, this a position filled by a full Colonel in Ottawa, is looking at this to discuss it with the chief military personnel and the folks that oversee the regular relocation program every year to make sure that if policies need to be amended, policies need to become more flexible, that that will be a consideration. So certainly thank you for that question and it has been passed up.

The second question is one with a medical background, so do you have it to read? I will read it and our Wing Surgeon will answer.

Q2. With 23 Health services only dealing with urgent issues, will part 1&2 medicals be waived for promotions, postings and taskings? What about removal of Temporary Categories? Particularly Temporary Categories that are at the limit before converting into a Permanent Category?

[Maj Louttit] So promotions have been dealing for medical for several months, and there's a variety of CANFORGENs and QR&Os that talk about that. The bottom line for promotions is you do not need medical approval to promote your subordinates. What you need is to ensure that they don't have medical employment limitations that will not allow them to do their tasks at their next rank. That is honestly the only part that has anything to do with medical at this point. S o promotions can still happen. In fact, I think we're doing one within our unit. They do not need to have anything co-signed, signed off, form signed by medical.

TCats (Temporary Categories) don't expire. They continue on until we lift them so that is not a problem. We can reassess MELs within that timeframe if they need to be reassessed, because we're going to need so many people, likely for the foreseeable future in terms of the things we're trying to do. MELs will not be a problem for helping out, for deploying, for doing whatever tasks are asked of us. They will be looked at and if you can do a task within that MEL, you are going to be asked to do that task.

PCats (Permany Categories) as well. That is mostly going to do with releases and people are very uncertain about that. There are going to some releases that can you continue if we can guarantee that your civilian healthcare is going to be available. If it's not, then there should be a CANFORGEN coming down shortly that's going to explain how we're going to, extend out those releases. So, if something needs to be done because there's an operational requirement or your move is still happening, it'll get done. It may not be done the same way you're used to do, but it will get done.

[Col Charron] Thanks for that. Maybe go into Chief Savard now for the next question please.

[CWO Savard] All right. The third question is

Q3. In what order will the postings be delegated? I know you had said about the essential people first but I am asking for the non-essential ones.

So this was the question that was brought up. But first, before I even start going into the question, our career managers are very busy right now in Ottawa.

With the limited situation, or, sorry, very limited staff and the abilities for them to work out a solid plan, so be patient with them. It's constantly changing because of the pandemic situation. So they will need time to formulate a plan. So it's, we're always getting information on a daily basis, what's happening.

But of course, it's always going to be family first, you know, for non-essential. So if you have a family, reassure yourself that if you're anticipating a posting or if you have a message that, yes, you cannot go on a house hunting trip until the 30th of April. Potential changes for that as well too.

But just be patient. We're looking at the families because the families have to get established at a new location. They have to, you know, get to school set up. They have to have their wives or their spouses, find a new job and get settled into that new area as well too. So the career managers and the CAF itself is always thinking about the families first for non-essential people.

So that was the main question is what about the non-essential people? But you know, the BGRS is also limited. They're very limited in what they can do because they're also, uh, working from home as well. So they are working hard just to get everything for you to move on to the next location to help the CAF and to live a normal life. But great question and more information will come out throughout the next few weeks.

[Col Charron] Thank you, Chief. The next question is asking us:

Q4. Has CFHA considered a break on rent?

So I would expect at this point, because I've seen the letter myself as it's first came to me for approval and I had to request some changes to be made before it got pushed out to all of the residential housing unit, what we used to refer to as PMQs for those of us who've been around long enough.

So there was a letter to you indicate that the expected increase that had been announced before this crisis to the rent of RHUs has been deferred by one year, so 1st of April, you should not have seen any increase in your rent. If for some reason it still went through, keep a copy of your pay guide and keep a copy of your bank statement that shows that a higher amount was taken out. And once we resume some normal operations, our clerks will be happy to help, of course with CFHA taking the lead there to make sure that you get that money back.

Even with the rent not increasing, some of you may be facing some specific situation where perhaps a member of the household that was working is suddenly laid off. We all wish that this is for a short period of time, but right now, whether it's a month or whether it's for the next year, you are the one who is not comfortable, you're the one who's feeling perhaps having to change your lifestyle.

And in that respect, the CFHA websites offers a form that you can fill out electronically and submit electronically that presents your specific situation and as you submit it, it will be a specific criteria to meet, and there's a possibility here to get some aspect of rent relief that will be tailored to your case.

So thank you for that question and do reach out if you're feeling the pinch on the financial side with rent being a big chunk of your salary. The next question I'll take that one as well:

Q5. Are members who are either high risk, or have immediate family that are high risk going to be permitted to continue practicing physical distancing once operations pick up again? Or will those members be held to the same standard as members and families that are in good health?

So, of course, it's a question that's a very pertinent and germane if you have somebody that you've been caring for either in your own home or that you have to try to keep helping. Perhaps they're in a retirement home and although most of them right now are completely off limits, there may be an aspect where you're dropping off from a bit of a care package at the front door to maintain that physical, that personal touch with a with that loved one that might be nearby.

So if you yourself through your health status or a family member is at risk, I can tell you that you would be among the last people that we want to have back on the base.

The only exception really that I can fathom through my 32 years of experience is if you are the one individual who is the only one left in Winnipeg, who could perform a critical function without which the Canadian Forces will come to a grinding halt. There's very few of us that fall in that category.

Again, I don't consider myself to be in that category. Most of us with mission command always makes sure that somebody can pick up whatever the reason for our absence. So rest at ease. If you have an ongoing condition, if you have somebody at home whose immune system is compromised, or perhaps is in an older age group who's more at risk, we will definitely be taking that into consideration.

Make sure that your supervisors are aware. This is where the two way communication is very important. Chiefs, I've already mentioned to it, the wellness checks that we expect supervisors to be reaching out to speak to you to ask how things are going. It's not a one way conversation, ladies and gentlemen.

It's not for them to just tell you this is the latest policy from the Colonel or from the generals or this or that. It's for you to raise some concerns that you have as well, so they can come back up the chain and we can address them. Because if you're having some concerns, you can bet your boots that somebody else, maybe you hadn't the same, but perhaps doesn't, isn't mustering the courage to bring it up, bring up those questions to us.

The next question I'll defer back to Chief Savard.

[CWO Savard] All right. The question was,

Q6: Are there any plans being considered for families who may not be able to sell their homes this posting season?

Great question, especially for rural properties and whatnot, all of Manitoba are dealing with this. All of Canada's dealing with this. So our posting season is going to be extended to till the end of the year 31st of December. Canada in itself are in the same situation where some people want to put their houses up for spring, non-military, and they're going to be delaying putting their house up or even buying the new house.

So I think it will work out well. Is there plans? I haven't seen anything yet. But APS, the messages that people received early, of course, house hunting trips was not until the end of the month. But if you received those messages early, I still anticipated being posted to those locations. Just, it's going to be a little bit longer to get there and just be patient. We’re taking that into consideration, and the people from higher are definitely taking that into consideration.

Keep planning your moves. Family and everything like that. Yes, there's probably going to be a reduction in moves this posting APS. But the ones that do have a posting message right now, continue to plan it.

The ones that don't, there's going to be a prioritized posting list. There's going to be specific cases that are one ofs, that might need for the career manager to handle. But overall, yeah, it's going to be a difficult time. But be patient with the career managers and, yes, there's going to be a posting season this year.

[Col Charron] Perfect. Thanks for that Chief. The last of the questions that came to us, ladies and gentlemen before we got started, is as such:

Q7. Sir, do you have any SA on potential Domestic Response Squadron taskings or timings? Have any requests for aid come in?

Somebody is asking for a little bit more situational awareness on a new organization that you've heard about, never heard about this unit before, a Domestic Response Squadron.

Well as you can imagine, the Canadian Armed Forces right now, it's doing what it does best planning and being ready, ready to respond to the Government of Canada, calling upon us to go and help Canadians. And of course, from a domestic perspective, one of the triggers for this is for provinces individually to submit a formal request for assistance to the federal government.

At this time, we are not under any immediate direction from the Government of Canada to respond to any requests for assistance. So we continue to plan, we continue to refine our plans so that we're ready to respond to anything possible. The types of tasks right now for which we're planning? You can expect humanitarian aid if it's to help deliver some food in some areas that are perhaps more difficult to get through by noral authorities.

Disaster relief. Why? Well, because we're very aware that at this time of the year, many parts of Canada, including Manitoba here, is susceptible to natural elements of playing havoc. Whether it's a freak snowstorm or something a bit more ominous, like a flood. And we know that Canadian Forces has reacted in strength and with great success in the past, at very large flooding events, not only here in Manitoba but in Quebec, New Brunswick and the same could be said about forest fires such as the ones in Northern Saskatchewan and British Columbia that occurred in recent years.

So we're prepared for all eventualities. So one of the contributions that the Royal Canadian Air Force is certainly renowned for is an air task force and airlift. So you can imagine that every element, every capability that the air force has in its tool bag is being considered right now for a potential employment, if called upon anywhere across Canada. And not only are Royal Canadian Air Force members ready to provide air capabilities, but we are also soldiers first.

And that means that we are ready with basic soldiering functions to perhaps provide some of the ground-based assistance that may be required. So these requirements will be compiled and then would be distributed down from Ottawa to the region closest affected and yes, your CFB Winnipeg is ready to be part of that relief effort, ladies and gentleman.

In the meantime, some of our main missions at 17 Wing have stopped, as I mentioned earlier. Training, there is no individual training taking place anymore, but 17 Wing is not just training. 17 Wing is the Mission Support Squadron who are preparing with business continuity. How do we keep running the business? How do we prepare for some of these mission sets that I described to you before.

Operational Support Squadron as aircraft's perhaps, you know, start moving, we would be ready to host them and get them off on the rest of their mission. Even our Royal Canadian Air Force Band, ladies and gentlemen, is not sitting at home idle.

They're reaching new heights of excellency on their instruments. And recently they posted on the RCAF social media page an excellent rendition that reminded us that we just celebrated 96 years of the Royal Canadian Air Forces history. So on the day of anniversary, I played a little bit of the theme song and there was even in the song, the words being sung by our very talented trio. The fact that they were able to all do this from the safety of their own homes, separately, with their master conductor, Captain Matt Clark, conducting at a distance. But waving the baton as vigorously as he does in person, and the synchronization, it was just as if they were in the same room together. So I certainly encourage you for a little bit of a morale boost to listen to that online.

So I'll stop here and I’ll turn to Lt Major to see what questions might've come in while we were speaking up to this point.

[Lt Major] Sir your first question: Q8. My wife and daughter are currently in Saskatchewan assisting family that needed childcare when they come home. I understand that they will need to self isolate for 14 days. Unfortunately, that means I will also have to self isolate. Is there anything in place for us to stay on base or elsewhere in case we are needed for a mission? That way we won't have to wait for 14 days or do you have a different suggestion.

[Col Charron] Did you, did you want to start?

[Maj Louttit] I'll start with that. So, part of that answer is the member who's family is coming back, doesn't have to self-isolate, like they just have to self monitor, which is a different situation. So they have to be as much as possible, stay two metres away from those two members coming back from Saskatchewan.

But they don't need to necessarily self isolate themselves so if they were required for something on the wing, they could still come out and they self monitor, which means they'd watch for symptoms, watch their temperature, that sort of thing.

[Col Charron] Perfect. And with respect to emergency accommodations, 17 Wing always has at its disposal, whether it's for a family who lost a member and the member is here, families traveling from outside of town and comes to Winnipeg. They come in certainly large numbers, perhaps don't have the financial means to stay at the local hotel, or it's going to be a prolonged period to try to sort out to the affairs of the deceased family member. So we do have very few residential housing units, with multiple rooms that are available for that purpose.

I don't see the case that you're describing based of course, on what the Wing Surgeon has done, as a case that would require this facility. But it is there, it is available. And if we get to a point where we have to look at bringing members onto the base and hosting you here, if you're concerned about putting your family at risk, because you can be going on a heightened readiness level or very busy and long hours, we certainly would look at that both in our single quarters where we are looking at specifically wings in the building that are specifically in an isolation status right now and ready to host such members. Lt Major, back to you.

[Lt Major] Our second question:

Q9. Will requests for shields be accepted for those of us working directly with the public?

[Maj Louttit] Yeah. So, there's little scientific evidence that that actually is protective. So you'll see lots of people wandering around with masks, the masks are surgical masks that you'll see out are designed to keep you, the member or the person who's wearing the mask, from transmitting to others. It does not protect you from getting infected by somebody else because you get infected by touching things that somebody else has sneezed on or coughed on. It's not from you.

It could be from somebody coughing on you, but it's far more likely from touching something and the mask is not going to help you to do that. So the other problem within that, they give you a little bit of a false sense of security that you thought, this piece of armor on you that somehow is going to protect you from this virus.

And again, it will not. So we need those surgical masks to protect the people who need them, who are the health care workers. And if you're one of those healthcare workers, or you're someone who's going to be in contact with potentially ill people, they will get the PPE they need.

[Col Charron] So to be clear, PPE is personal protective equipment.

So if there's any member of your family right now, military member that’s being placed on a higher readiness than a normal, than their normal job calls for, the expectation, of course, everybody in my leadership chain, going up and going down, would make sure to have those that are clearly laid out as a prerequisite.

So, during the readiness training not necessarily at that point because you are at a safe environment on the base, but as you discussed working with some other people, perhaps going into some other communities, again, if called upon, because we don't have any such requests that are active right now, we would expect the higher headquarters to provide all of these personal protective equipment and keep you and of course your families safe. Okay.

[Lt Major] Ok next question, c’est un question francais.

Q10. On nous dit rester à la maison, courir à l’extérieur est ce vraiment raisonnable?

[Col Charron] [36:33]D’accord. Donc, écoutez ca, regarde, mesdames et monsieurs, la progression de la maladie, la progression des mesures aussi. Si on avait plus des mesures plus d’elastique…

[39:02] So the question was about physical activity outside Chief. Whether there's a difference between just doing your gym is one thing inside, but allowing people to go outside running, does that not seem different? So I don’t know if you wanted to add anything in English.

[CWO Savard] I’ve actually jumped up my physical activity outside just for that fact of staying cooped up just a little bit.

Yes, I still stay socially distant from everybody, but my dog was loving it. I don't know about today or last night. But no, I think it's a great aspect. Just stay away from everybody, right? Go out, do your exercise and then get back into it. But still be healthy, still be active.

[Col Charron] And I'll just finish on that question in English to say that, not only physical activities, one thing to go for a run, if you're a runner, of course, yesterday morning, Thursday, is typically one of my mornings to go for a run. Well, within a few steps before the snow would start falling, those of you that were up at that time notice that it was a nice cheer veneer of ice.

And after taking a few steps and nearly breaking my neck, decided that the safe thing to do was to go back home and to do different physical activity. What it has meant though it’s certainly been opening some new activities that brought my family closer together. My wife and I, for example, very busy lives that she's a teacher, still trying to do a online remote teaching for university of Ottawa.

And with my job as Wing Commander, you can expect you know, my social life was not always my home. And then suddenly we have time at the end of the day these days with me working extensively from home on the phone, on the other connection to the wireless, et cetera. My wife tried to prepare classes dealing with their various panels and discussion groups.

And now in the evening after dinner, after a family dinner all together the four of us, for my wife and I to go for a walk outside, just the two of us, between 8:00PM-10:00 PM at night. Again, very few people out there getting a bit of fresh air clearing the mind. And I have to tell you, we have no trouble falling asleep these days.

We’re certainly mentally very tired. But getting a little bit of time to stay in touch and what matters. Of course, our families at this point. Very near and dear to us. So don't forget about that. Is there something you want to add about physical fitness and outdoor activity?

[Maj Louttit] Yeah, no, the only thing I would add is that if you've actually been told to self isolate, you can go into your backyard and be kind of in that area, but the Province of Manitoba, does ask that you not go too far out, but that is only for that purpose. It's absolutely essential, I think that people get out, go for walks. Get some physical activity because I think it's helpful for your mental health.

As you said, though be very careful about the activities that you're taking up. What they have found is that people are taking up activities and hobbies that they're not used to. Such as things that you use, power tools and, that it's causing a lot of injuries. So they are suggesting that maybe now's not the time to figure out how to use a skill saw.

[Col Charron] Do-it-yourself projects, very good. Lt Major.

[Lt Major] Sir, Diane Brine just wanted to point out that lots of exercise if you get out and start shoveling also. So although you can't run in this weather, shoveling is still helpful.

[Col Charron] Very good, but watch your lifting technique, make sure you bend those legs.

[Lt Major] Sir, our next question is:

Q11. Is the no return to work on Monday also, does it apply to 1 CAD as well?

[Col Charron] That's fine. So every unit has to make its own decisions based on the operational importance of its missions. The CDS has certainly given a very clear direction about doing your utmost to follow the recommendations of the health authorities in the province where you live and those will have varied according to the progression of the disease, and we can go back to Dr. Louttit here to remind us of what those are for Manitoba.

The 1st Canadian Air Division, as some of you may know, is a division that's specifically there to take care of all of our operations in the air force. So they are 24/7. They have an operation center that is always staffed by people. You know, nice weather, bad weather, you name it. They have to stay longer because the replacement can't come in, they do that.

Now what their own commanders are doing is assessing the risk and assessing the need for each individual. Does that individual have to be there? What functions do they do? Can it be done remotely? Some of it ladies and gentleman can not be done remotely. For example, in operations, very often we have to move into the classified realm, information that is not for the open public and those systems are not readily available from your house.

There's a very extensive setup to try to have that installed in anybody's residence, and those systems are few and far between. When it does mean is that those individuals that need the classified reports definitely need to be there in person. Shift work, the aim of course is to spread the workload so that you don't have individuals doing, you know, 12 hours every single day and just a risk of burnout.

As a matter of helping out our 1st Canadian Air Division, members of 17 Wing whose jobs right now are at a bit of a pause - instructors for courses who’ve updated all the courseware they could, have corrected all the papers of students that before they went off, have offered and volunteered their services through their chain of command to go and help their brothers and sisters that are still working at 1st Canadian Air Division so that everybody can get the respite and spend the least amount of time that's required to get the job done.

[Lt Major] Next question.

Q11. Is there a plan to maintain social distancing for essential workers or protect them while having contact both with their coworkers and other members they may come in contact with as a necessary function of their position? Realizing that all members should be self-monitoring and should not come to the workplace if feeling unwell, but there's still the potential to be asymptomatic and still spread COVID-19.

[Maj Louttit] So you absolutely should be two metres apart from anyone, even when you're working. So 23 Health Services right now, we're all wandering around with our arms out and we are not having meetings all in one room.

We're doing, even when we're in the same building, we're doing teleconferences. We’re using different means on our phones. We reconfigured our lunch area so that there's no more than three or four people in there who are always two metres apart. So the only time where you will have, even in Health Services, so anywhere in any building where you should never have anybody who's closer than two metres to you.

You should really not be sharing workspaces, computers, laptops, phones, your mouse - they all need to be wiped down and you should be two meters apart. There may be some situations, for instance, for us, it's examining a patient, where you're going to have to be less than two meters apart and that's the only time it should ever happen.

Sometimes aircraft, for instance and there's been advice given for those people as well. But if it's possible, if it's not going to cause operations to fail, you should be two meters apart.

[Col Charron] CWO Savard, your regular job is with the Mission Support Squadron where there's a very wide variety of people that work, can you give us some examples of what's being done? If somebody has to be called at work for some of the frontline task and repairing the vehicle and all that, what would you perceive would be done to maintain that physical distancing while doing those jobs?

[CWO Savard] No, it's a good question. And the doc already alluded to a lot of it. There is a lot of social distancing now. Whether they're going to fix a vehicle, they only go in, they still need two people in there to fix a vehicle just because of safety. But there, it's a huge bay. And so that particular bay is there so there's a lot of room.

Yes. All the tools are wiped down right afterwards and especially if they're going to be utilized again by different individuals. But yes, they are only in if required for emergency vehicle repairs and what not. Our supply techs and our kitchen staff, they're taking their distances.

We already found out that the kitchen last week they started to do takeouts only so that the kitchen staff are there and they're keeping their distances while they're preparing the meals for the members to take away. So the members are not even at the kitchen while they're eating anymore. So, that in itself is keeping those members safe and still isolated to get a meal, a hot meal every day as required and as needed.

But there's so many members out there, It's better taking the time to keep that distance at all times. And it doesn't matter what your trade is, what your job is, if you're in an office, stay away from people and it will help them along.

[Col Charron] Great. No, thanks for that chief, I really appreciate your examples. I think they give a concrete sense that safety was exactly in the center of the message of the examples that Chief Savard is sharing with us.

Some of our employees that have been continued to be required to be there on a consistent basis is of course our cleaning staff. The food services people also, a mix of military and civilian. So you don't just have to be in uniform to be following these health rules, but also to be doing a thing safely and to be providing, let's face it, ladies and gentlemen, if you were considering yourself perhaps routine before essential, suddenly some of those tasks of cleaning and of the feeding the troops that are still here, it becomes critical. You are key enablers. So don't let anybody make you believe otherwise. You've become extremely important to the success of our continued operations in the Canadian Armed Forces and that needs to be recognized. And, I definitely wanted to get that out there.

Okay. All right. So I did get a note as we're coming in of an email that's been propagated, so the Deputy Minister of the department, Mrs. Thomas has sent an email out, that would possibly be a joint email with the Chief of the Defence Staff typically they do joint emails, and this email confirms a no-return to work before 30th of April, so that's three zero April, the end of the month.

So I would expect without having the email with me here, that if this applies to the public service who respond to the Deputy Minister, that the same conditions were very much applied to military people. So if I see something otherwise, certainly I'll get the word out very quickly, but I would expect that that will stand as well.

So if I can wrap things up today and perhaps if you have some closing messages, of course, I'll give you a chance to come back in here. So we’ve made the point, we've tried to put some emphasis on the fact that some of the topics right now that are very concerning to you - the active posting season, for those that are posted. If you're not posted, perhaps of less importance. But I'm sure you have some neighbors that are, and we all care about our neighbors and we understand what it means to be posted as fellow military members that may have just been posted last year will be posted next year. We feel, we sympathize, and we empathize with those folks.

So the Commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force has been clear in his response down to everybody in his chain of command, including us here of course at 17 Wing, is the intent is to carry out as many of the planned postings as is responsible to carry on. So we will be working through the chain of command with a case by case for those who have not received posting messages yet, so that you can ask the questions. You can state your concerns and we can, you know, start feeding those up in terms of what makes sense, what perhaps is harder to justify at this point.

If you have specific cases that apply to you, perhaps you have a relative that lives here in Winnipeg, and that was going to be very sad to see you go somebody perhaps with an illness that's not doing very well and perhaps know that there's a means to keep you back, we will leave no stone unturned. I can make no guarantee at this point, no promises, but we'll certainly want to be able to consider those aspects.

Do download the Canadian Armed Forces application, so the CAF app. It's online, get it down on any of your devices, your iPad, your iPhone, your Android, you name it. Information is being sent that week, and it's another means to just stay in touch.

Our mission, all of us - family members, members in uniform, or public servant, is to be ready. I gave you some examples of some of the mission sets that may be coming our way and some may not. Maybe that the provincial authorities in Manitoba, for example, are able to very well handle the situation with the flooding this year knowing that there's a lot of external elements that come to play, but we would be ready to help. So supporting Canadians in need.

Staying connected. So not just the CAF app, but whichever means is at your disposal. Communicate with your chain of command. Don't wait for them to reach out to you to get the information.

If you have something that concerns you, reach out before your next touch point and feed that up. You've heard some of the information that is out there, s ome resource that we've heard from the chief. The Military Family Resource Center page.

The Family Information Line, which I mentioned in our video last week - again, open 24/7. If it's just a need to speak to somebody to just get your concerns out to speak, and get some ideas, just get it out cause it's okay. It's okay to feel nervous right now. It's okay to feel uncertain but, not doing anything about it when you had the chance, ladies and gentlemen, we encourage you to take those opportunities. So this the Family Information Line available 24/7 is 1-800-866-4546.

The Winnepeg PSP page where our fitness instructors are adding video after video of different exercises. Some that don't require very much equipment at all. Others though have a very well established gym in the basement. They find some of the other videos quite useful for them as well.

The band as mentioned before, our own The Voxair is not publishing as a paper right now, but certainly the Voxair online is available and still trying to publish some articles, keeping people informed.

Our provincial/national health resources they are there. Don't go after some fake news. Don't go after some phishing email that would have you believe, and is going to try to tell you that there's some kind of panacea solution out there that's going to solve all of your issues. Rely on trusted sources, governmental sources, and sources that you can hang your hat on to know that they have your wellbeing in hand and not their own personal profit as a prime motivator.

The 17 Wing Spiritual Resiliency page, developing more and more content on there. And although our chaplains are the ones who are managing right now, you don't have to be a religious person to reach out to that. We are all spiritual beings in some way or another, and there are other messages on there that will certainly resound and stick to you here.

So high readiness. The pandemic, we're going to kick this together. And it's by sticking together that we will get through this, ladies and gentlemen. I'll give a last chance to the doc and to the chief and then we'll be signing off. Doctor Louttit, any closing messages?

[Maj Louttit] So I’ll just add a couple things to what you said for mental health. The mental health team is putting together an ability to communicate by email with all their clients and they're recognizing who they feel are probably higher risk and they are going to reach out to those people. So that's coming, so please, you know, keep that in mind.

If you've got a family member struggling, use the line to contact, you can use the phones to contact our two sick parades and clinics as well. There is also in Manitoba, online mental health. They're doing some cognitive behavioral therapy that you're trying to do online.

We should have access to that as well, or we're going to do it ourselves. But that is coming on as well. And that's something that would be very helpful. Lots of the apps out there. There's one called Calm app, Headspace app. Those are useful to use as well.

We know there's definitely science and there's some experience coming out of China that there are certain things that get worse with this type of a situation when you're in prolonged isolation. People who suffer from addictions, people who suffer from anxiety are going to struggle. Please keep tabs on those people if you know who they are. If you're that person, please reach out sooner rather than later. We'll absolutely give you a hand maybe, like I said, in a different format than you're used to, but we'll make sure you get some help.

Then the last thing, I just want to thank everyone. Everyone from, as you said, from the cleaners to MSS to our family members to people on the street, have been absolutely amazing in supporting us. The one downside to everybody wanting to help is everybody wants to be there with you and it's very difficult to know that or to understand that staying home is the best help you can do.

The longer the less people we have coming through our medical resources or medical facilities, the more ability we have to stay functioning for longer and keep everybody healthy. So I know everybody wants to get out and help out. The best help you can do is to stay home and just a shout out to all our families as well.

We're all getting the nice messages and I get a daily sort of pump up video from my granddaughter. So, it's pretty awesome. Thanks.

[Col Charron] Thank you Doc, and thanks for what you do.

[CWO Savard] Oh, doc, what can I say? You hit a lot of my points, especially with welfare and morale and yes, it's good to have those positive messages from people, but you can also give the positive messages as well.

So, just reiterate that – Keep in contact with each other. Yes, it's via virtual means right now, but people do get a little depressed during the long periods and it's going to be a long fight. This is not something that's going away in the next two weeks. It's going to take us months.

And yes, there’s going to be a light at the end of the tunnel eventually, that's gonna be a positive light. And we want everybody to be there when we do come out of that tunnel. So the more we wash our hands, the more we do social distancing, the more we do the right thing, the more of us that will be there to celebrate the happy parts of being a Canadian and whatnot. It's a great message from the doc and I have nothing else. So stay connected with each other.

[Col Charron] Thanks Chief. All right, ladies and gentlemen. So here we come to the end of our hour and certainly nothing prevents us from doing this again. As a matter of fact, if enough questions keep flowing as the days go on, urgent questions, we'll certainly do our best, myself, all of my team to respond to them quickly so that you're not waiting a week to get them.

But if this was a useful tool, if this is a forum, a live form that is of value to you, I commit to you, myself and my team to come back and do this again, as often and certainly as long as required. We are there for you absolutely.

Don't forget, military families, especially this message is for you. You are the strength beside the uniform. You would never stand behind us. You are right at our side through the thick and the thin. Be well, stay well.

Soyez sains, et demerrez sains mesdames et monsieurs. Nos familles militaires, vous êtes resilients. On conte sur vous. Vous êtes à nos côtés, certainement pas derrière nous. Merci mesdames et monsieurs, à bientot.