Question Period Note: BUILDING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

What is National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces doing to build diversity, and foster inclusion?

• National Defence is committed to building a Defence Team that reflects Canada’s diversity, values, and culture.
• That is why, in 2019, we conducted an internal review of our diversity and inclusion policies to help identify opportunities for improvement.
• In December 2020, we also launched an official Advisory Panel on systemic racism and discrimination.
• The Panel is currently reviewing all existing programs and policies in order to provide recommendations on how the Defence Team can be more inclusive.
• We remain committed to doing the work necessary to build diversity and foster a culture of inclusion within the Defence Team.

If pressed on the recruitment of women, minorities and Indigenous Peoples:
* In all recruitment and training, the Canadian Armed Forces aspires to meet employment equity goals and ensure that its composition reflects Canadian society.
* This is why we launched a number programs, such as Operation GENERATION, to meet growth requirements, while ensuring employment equity goals.
* We are also actively offering training opportunities to Indigenous communities, and have created several recruitment programs that aim to increase Indigenous representation in the military.
* Through these initiatives, we continue to ensure the Canadian Armed Forces is a diverse and inclusive workplace of choice.

QUICK FACTS

• April 1st, 2021: All L1 organizations began implementing Civilian Diversity and Inclusion Action Plans for their organizations, identifying actions to demonstrate progress in representation, promotion rates and share and building an inclusive workforce.

• January 2021: DM announces Departmental Commitments in response the Clerk of the Privy Council’s call to Action on Diversity and Inclusion, whereby all senior leaders must demonstrate accountability for meeting the commitments.

• January 2020: The Minister of National Defence requested the Ombudsman begin an inquiry into racism in the Canadian Armed Forces. The Ombudsman’s office is currently reviewing the matter.

• June 19, 2020: National Defence committed to creating safe spaces for Black Defence Team employees and members to gather without judgement and without question.

• July 10, 2020: The Canadian Armed Forces issued a new hateful conduct policy approach, and launched a new tracking system that will allow for improved reporting and tracking of cases of hateful conduct.

  • This tracking system includes legacy cases as well as new ones to allow the organization to better understand trends and measures taken impact the institutional culture in a positive way.

  • As of April 31st 2021 the total number of reported incidents in the Hateful Conduct Incident Tracking System is 229 (dating from Jan 1997 to April 2021

• December 17, 2020: MND announces the creation of an Advisory Panel on systemic racism, discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2 prejudice, gender bias and white supremacy. The MND has asked the Ombudsman to orient his investigation, originally requested in July 2019, towards diversity issues within the CAF and DND including employment equity.

• December 2020: The Deputy Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff created the Anti-Racism Secretariat, to identify and provide advice on how to address existing barriers and inequities that prevent the full inclusion of Indigenous, Black and racialized Defence Team members.

Recruitment of Women Initiatives
* 2020-2021: launch of “Women in the Forces” landing page on forces.gc.ca recruiting website providing experience and background information for women interested in joining the Canadian Armed Forces.
* 2019-2020: 40% of local attraction and outreach events were focused on women.

Women, Minority, and Indigenous representation in CAF:

Current representation:
* Women: 16.3%
* Minority: 9.6%
* Indigenous: 2.9%

Goal:
* Women: 25.1%
* Minority: 11.8%
* Indigenous: 3.5%

Responsible Principals: Personnel Conduct and Culture, Military Personnel Command