Defence Team

Description

Recruit, develop and support an agile and diverse Defence Team within a healthy workplace free from harmful behaviour; support military families; and meet the needs of all retiring military personnel, including the ill and injured. Strengthen Canadian communities by investing in youth.

Planning highlights

The Defence Team culture is a source of strength and cohesion. The department recognizes that to achieve maximum operational effectiveness, the environment must be inclusive and free of harassment, discrimination, and all forms of racism. A holistic Culture Evolution Framework will be developed that will inform, align, and coordinate culture change efforts with the aim of supporting these objectives. To be a Defence Team that is diverse and reflective of Canadian society, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will continue to implement its Employment Equity Plan for fiscal years (FYs) 2021-2026, which seeks to mitigate barriers experienced by designated group members and to increase diversity throughout the ranks. In support of cultural evolution efforts, the department is working on the modernization of training and education related to professional conduct by:

• Developing a conduct and culture training and education governance model encompassing Defence Team stakeholders;
• Enhancing conduct and culture training and education through monitoring and oversight of  products;
• Enhancing the conduct and culture training and education awareness program with the advancement of professional development tools;
• Enhancing the delivery of conduct and culture training and education products; and
• Expanding the conduct and culture training and education of subject-matter expert’s operational reach across the Defence Team.

The department will be transforming the complaints system by:

• Developing an end-to-end, comprehensive complaints process for all Defence Team members across all major complaint and grievance processes (e.g. sexual misconduct, harassment, hateful conduct, grievances), beginning with the initial consideration by an individual to submit a complaint through final resolution;
• Improving the ability of decision-makers to effect systemic change through the capturing of lessons learned and sustained quality improvement;
• Enhancing the transparency and simplicity of the complaints process;
• Increasing timeliness of complaints resolution, while enhancing consistency and fairness;
• Enabling better tracking of cases; and
• Promoting greater awareness of the complaints process and the resources available.

The Defence Team will continue to promote a healthy and inclusive culture with the following initiatives:

• The Inclusive Leadership Workshop for Defence Team executives;
• The Leadership Support Team that will support leadership by providing tools and best practices to create psychologically safe, collaborative and inclusive work environments;
• The Raise Your Voice learning platform will educate and raise the awareness to Defence Team members through conversations on lived experiences to identify and address racism and discrimination within the Department of National Defence (DND)/CAF; 
• Continuing to enhance the online learning hub that will guide and provide resources such as a glossary of terms to inspire courageous conversations;
• The Victim Liaison Officer (VLO) program that will provide victims the option to request a VLO to assist them in explaining the administration of offences under the code of service discipline. Training will be provided to professionalize the VLO program and will be supported by the interim VLO policy; and
• Character-based leadership workshops.

Gender-based analysis plus

The Defence Team will continue to expand the network of full-time Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Point to pursue the institutionalization of Gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) and increase capacity and accountability. During FY 2023-24, some areas of focus will include:

• Developing a GBA Plus Enterprise Approach as a department-wide strategy to provide concrete direction, clear accountabilities, and institutional support, monitoring and evaluation for the effective implementation and institutionalization of GBA Plus;
• Continuing to expand the Gender Advisor and Gender Focal Point networks, particularly through consultations and tailored training to help with capacity building;
• Continuing to remove barriers to recruitment, retention, career progression and promotion of members along Employment Equity lines;
• Developing new and reviewing existing appointment frameworks, staffing tools and processes with a GBA Plus lens to facilitate a representative, inclusive staffing regime and workforce;
• Conducting GBA Plus disaggregated data collection in order to identify recommendations and solutions for addressing health disparities; and
• Ensuring program design, initiatives and delivery are informed by GBA Plus, using data disaggregated by user demographics, where possible.

In FY 2023-24, the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC) will continue to comply with broader requirements related to GBA Plus, with a view to ensuring that its activities are aligned with the Government of Canada’s commitments to GBA Plus to help foster fair outcomes for diverse groups of men, women, and gender-diverse people. The SMRC will focus on further growing and advancing its internal governance and organization-wide capacity to apply GBA Plus to all SMRC initiatives, including to all subject matter expertise provided to the Defence Team.

Additional information on GBA Plus pertaining to its governance structures, human resources and planned initiatives can be found in the “GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table” in the Supplementary Information Tables section of this report.

Key Risks

There are many risks associated with the Defence Team Core Responsibility. One of the Key Risks is articulated below:

Defence Team Conduct - There is a risk that failure to address misconduct, adopt an inclusive culture and provide a psychologically safe environment for current and future team members, will negatively impact operational readiness and effectiveness as well as public trust in the institution.

The risk above can affect the department’s ability to achieve the Departmental Results of the Defence Team Core Responsibility.

As the Defence Departmental Results Framework reflects a chain of delivery from conceiving of the required armed forces, to developing them and then executing operations, the activities to mitigate the risks to the Defence Team Core Responsibility can also be found in other Core Responsibilities which deliver building blocks that enable the results of the Defence Team.

Departmental Result 3.1 – Canadian Armed Forces is growing towards its end state of 101 500 personnel

The CAF will continue to modernize the end-to-end process of attracting, recruiting, selecting and providing individual training for new members up to operational functional point, where new CAF members are employed in their chosen military career. Plans to meet recruiting objectives include:

• Modernizing the recruitment process to include a re-designed applicant centric digital portal that will simplify and significantly shorten the application process;

• Working with defence partners to reduce the time to enrol in the CAF by increasing capacity at key process choke points such as security clearances, medical exams, and CAF aptitude testing administration;
• Carrying out the CAF Recruitment Advertising Campaign, consisting of a multi-pronged effort to develop awareness and attract Canadians for a career in the CAF. The campaign will target potential applicants and influencers, and see a return to a more balanced use of virtual and in-person attractions events;
• Tracking and enhancing the collection of performance metrics to better understand the return on investment of recruiting campaigns;
• Prioritizing efforts to recruit members who more closely reflect the diverse nature of Canadian society, including the development of training programs that cater to the needs of Indigenous Peoples;
• Maximizing the output of training at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School; and
• Creating a satellite Basic Military Qualification campus at Canadian Forces Base Borden, Ontario to provide surge capacity in order to sustain and grow the CAF.

Operation PARADIGM is an effort to train up to an additional 1000 infantry non-commissioned recruits in Developmental Period One (entry level CAF employment training), per year. Recruits will be exposed to the best aspects of early military life, including mentorship and regimental affiliation and identity. Instructors will benefit by limiting time away from home and family, as well as preventing gaps in the Field Force.

The Defence Team will support the CAF Recruitment Advertising Campaign by leveraging the Army Reserve community. Promoting awareness of the CAF by increasing events at local armouries, youth sporting events and affiliated cadet organisations. The Canadian Army will also expand their recruiting trial to provide a realistic job preview early in the recruiting process to better prepare applicants for success during basic and occupational training. Further, the Canadian Army will create a component transfer cell to streamline transfers from the Primary Reserve to the Regular Force and vice-versa with an aim of improving the administrative process for currently enrolled members.  Regular Force occupational management will also provide more flexibility to members wishing to change trades by increasing the yearly maximum numbers that can transfer from one occupation to another within the CAF.

In FY 2023-24, DND/CAF will:

• Pursue the development of a CAF Recruiting Strategy, which began in fall of 2022 is expected to continue and will include a deliberate focus on improving the CAF’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples as it pertains to recruiting. Priorities include addressing dissatisfiers and encouraging a recruiting system that is fully considerate of the unique cultures of Indigenous communities across Canada;
• Conduct a review of the Canadian Military Colleges, led by an external education specialist, to fulfill Recommendation 29 of the Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review;
• Examine long-standing culture concerns at the military colleges, and develop an action plan to assess these concerns and augment current efforts. This will include a plan to measure progress and enhance the graduating student exit survey;

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.1 Canadian Armed Forces is growing towards its end state of 101,500 personnel*	% of the Regular Force Establishment that is filled	95 – 100 %	31 March 2026	96.5%	93%	91.6% **
	% of Reserve force positions that are filled*	At least 95%*	31 March 2026	81.47%	79.78%	76%
	% of occupations with critical shortfalls	At most 5%	31 March 2024	17.9%	50.5%	61.7%***

Notes:

* The 101 500 personnel represent the CAF Regular Force and the Reserve Force. The Reserve Force represents Primary Reserves.

** The CAF's ability to attract, recruit and train personnel has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and as such, the progress in growing the CAF has been hindered. CAF individual training continued to be hampered by pandemic-imposed restrictions, which lead to course cessation and cancelation, limits on travel, and further strain on the already short staffed training cells. However, strict adherence to protective health measures allowed for a low COVID-19 occurrence rate among students and staff and the continuation of training, although at a reduced rate of production. In response, the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School continued to develop unique and effective solutions.

*** Given the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the CAF's ability to attract, recruit and train personnel, the intake into the CAF has been less than CAF attrition resulting in the inability to sustain and grow the health of occupations. It is important to note that these statistics are a snapshot in time and do not provide a full understanding of the occupation’s health. For example, an occupation may look distressed due to establishment growth or the splitting of an occupation, or it may be a small occupation that saw attrition near the end of the year. In all cases, these occupations may be historically healthy or easy to recruit to, and as such they may be of minimal concern from a military personnel generation perspective.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 3.2 – The health and well-being of the Defence team is well supported

To effectively deliver on the defence mandate, the Defence Team will ensure the needs of military members, their families, and defence public servants are met. 

A strong Defence Team is one where its members feel safe, supported, and accepted. The Defence Team will continue to prioritize comprehensive support to survivors in a way that meets their individual’s needs and takes deliberate steps to ensure affected persons are supported so that they can report incidents or seek assistance without fear of reprisal or harm. The Defence Team will continue working with affected persons to expand existing supports and address gaps while enhancing justice and accountability, in the aim to improve the department’s institutional culture. 

The Defence Team will continue to strengthen the CAF Professional Development System through a number of related initiatives:

• The CAF learning environment will be assessed and adapted to reflect emerging best practices that will include diversifying and matching learning styles and strategies, and increasing innovative practices including incorporation of micro-credentialing, while appropriately balancing online/virtual methods with in-person learning; 
• Qualification standards will be assessed against the renewed CAF professional ethos and other adaptations driven by: CAF cultural change and evolving Canadian societal demands; emergent capabilities including digitization; other force modernization initiatives; and the new vision of competency-based and character leadership. Each standard will be qualitatively assessed, and a prioritized multi-year plan developed to update these standards;
•  The Non-Commissioned Member Primary Leadership Qualification will be finalized and approved. This standard will reinforce the development of practical, task-based leadership, while adopting new strategies and tools to develop social and interpersonal competencies, including emotional intelligence. This standard will incorporate consultation across the Defence Team, and will continue to be adjusted to reflect CAF culture change initiatives; and
•  Infrastructure maintenance and development for each of the three CAF colleges (Royal Military College Kingston, Ontario; Royal Military College Saint-Jean, Québec; and the Canadian Forces College Toronto, Ontario) will be prioritized to ensure a safe, effective, and increasingly modern learning environment with appropriate facilities for fitness, dining, and housing to foster physical and mental health.

The CAF will evolve its appraisal and promotion selection processes through the implementation of a number of related initiatives:

• The Performance and Competency Evaluation system is expected to be fully operationalized by FY 2023-24. The system is an intuitive, user friendly digital solution that will enable the fair and transparent administration of performance evaluations. The system is designed to incorporate feedback, reduce bias, and measure the demonstration of inclusive behaviours;
• Career management processes will leverage the system’s implementation, improving the career progression and promotion of candidates across all ranks; and
• Psychometric assessments and 360-degree evaluations will be implemented for the selection process for the General/Flag Officer Officer cadre, senior officers, and those identified for potential key leadership positions.

The Defence Team in specific reference to the Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) will align, inform, unify, and guide the department’s culture evolution to ensure individual attitudes reflect institutional values and ethics. Through the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Center of Expertise, Miniscule "the" and it should be black (not hyperlink)   the Defence Team will continue to promote awareness and provide training regarding the prevention of harassment and violence. The Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention program has three lines of intervention: 

• Prevention: Workplace Assessments are mandatory for all workplaces within DND/CAF. These assessments identify harassment and violence within the workplace, which includes racist, sexist, homophobic, ageist, or crude humour and/or remarks or other discriminatory comments or behaviours. The Workplace Assessment proposes preventative measures to mitigate the risk of harassment and violence in the workplace. Each workplace is responsible for implementation of the measures that will support a more inclusive and diverse workplace. In addition, the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention team is conducting an in-depth GBA Plus analysis to ensure that policy, program and tools are inclusive;
• Respond: In order to mitigate risk of further harming principal parties, the Designated Recipient Advisors’ Unit provides continuing professional development through training and awareness discussions with partners about how to support principal parties in cases of discrimination. The Designated Recipient Advisors’ Unit provides a safe space and support for the principal party to discuss their lived experience and the impact of discrimination with their employer. The process brings awareness to the employer and allows for a collaborative approach by identifying preventative measures to reduce risk of discrimination within the workplace; and
• Healing: The collaborative approach between the principal party and the employer allows for open discussion and identifying solutions to reduce risks of discrimination within the workplace and help the principal party feel safe. It also helps to rebuild employee trust.

The Harassment and Violence in the Workplace Matrix provides examples of inappropriate behaviours.

In addition to the above, in FY 2023-24, the Defence Team will:  

• Continue modernizing the Universality of Service principle to better represent the evolution of CAF roles, operations, and to reflect the developments in Canadian human rights law;
• Begin implementing the renewed CAF release administration process, which will support the timely delivery of benefits to releasing Primary Reserve Force CAF members, with full implementation expected in summer of 2025;
• Deliver digital services through the CAF release Administration that will modernize current procedures and contribute to a more efficient, transparent and standardized process, including component transfers; 
• Complete the DND living accommodation policy review as recommended by the Office of the Auditor General Report 5 - Military Housing (2015) and the Standing Committee on the Office of the Auditor General Report 5 (2016) by spring 2024. In addition, this review will modernize living accommodation policies to reflect the current realities of CAF families;
• Following the launch of the Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy in March 2022, the ongoing focus will be on strengthening governance and coordination to enable a healthy and evolving work environment as a cornerstone of the Defence Team’s well-being;
• Continue to provide high-quality in-garrison health care to CAF members, which will include responsive health services for domestic and expeditionary operations. This will be achieved while maintaining readiness to prevent and respond to resurgences of COVID-19;
• A formal evaluation will be conducted to assess the provision of health services in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to identify ways to improve the performance of the CAF’s health system;
• Monitor the efficiency of mental health care delivery in the CAF to promote accessibility and reduce wait times, while continuing to evaluate pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic mental health treatment modalities to ensure care is evidence-based and current;
• Leverage lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and develop expertise in global health, to maintain a ready and effective Defence Team is prepared for and resilient in the face of pandemics. This will ensure the CAF is ready to contribute to this essential facet of human security worldwide;
• The Defence Team will develop a suite of initiatives to strengthen women’s health and healthcare for diversity, including by planning research and health surveillance to better understand the roles of sex, gender, and other identity factors as they pertain to the health of CAF members;
• A Spiritual Resilience and Wellness Cell will be created to implement and measure the effectiveness of spiritual and well-being initiatives;
• A process will be developed through which Indigenous persons who practise traditional spirituality can become chaplains;
• A joint religious area analysis and religious leader engagement doctrine will be developed, where chaplains will be trained and expected to liaise with Indigenous spiritual leaders to build relationship and trust;
• Canadian Rangers Patrol Group Headquarters chaplains will be leveraged to provide spiritual support to both local Rangers and the broader community; and 
• The Defence Team in specific reference to the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) will continue to implement the Optimizing Performance, Force and Family program in order to address the unique health and wellness needs of CANSOFCOM members and their families. It is expected Optimizing Performance, Force and Family will enable CANSOFCOM to maintain high readiness for its personnel and respond to operational demands.

The Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group will:

• Work with Veterans Affairs Canada to advance key priorities for transitioning members including digitization of services, information sharing, access to telehealth, and continuity of benefits;
• Continue to develop the Military Transition Engagements and Partnerships Program to increase access and awareness of external supports available to military members and their families. The Military Transition Engagements and Partnerships Program will lead the development of digital tools, and a network of representatives at all transition centres that will improve members’ and their families’ ability to access support from employers; educational institutions; business and entrepreneurial resources, among others;
• Continue CAF participation in athletic events such as Invictus Games and Warrior Games;
• Continue to deliver a broad variety of in-person and virtual services, promoted through CAFconnection.ca and referrals to partner websites addressing members’ mental, social, physical, and financial wellness;
• Expand the CAF’s physical fitness programs to be more responsive to women and gender-diverse military personnel. Key efforts will include:
  • Hiring and training of women’s wellness and fitness professionals to develop and deliver in-person and virtual exercise and nutrition programs tailored to the specific needs of applicants and/or recruits which would account for pregnancy/postnatal, and menopause.
• Optimize supports for ill and injured members and their families as they work to reintegrate into their military duties or transition to civilian life. The CAF Transition Group will continue its work to implement the Path to Reintegration, an updated framework for supporting ill and injured members through return to duty programs, engagement with health services, vocational rehabilitation, and access to the full spectrum of transition services available to medically-releasing members and their families at their transition centre; and
• Complete the rollout of military-to-civilian transition services at bases and wings across Canada, bringing Operation TRANSITION to full operational capability, with 28 transition centres across the CAF, fully staffed to provide a suite of transition services with integrated internal and external partners working in the same physical location to enable a more efficient, standardized, and individualized transition experience for military members.

The Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC) will continue to provide services and programs to support the health and well-being of Defence Team members who have been affected by sexual misconduct. In FY 2023-24, the SMRC will:

• Continue to implement a research agenda to identify individual, contextual, and cultural factors that may enable perpetration of sexual misconduct;
• Continue to analyze and conduct research to enhance guidance provided to individuals reintegrating into, or releasing from, the CAF;
• Continue to implement an Independent Legal Assistance Program to provide victims of military sexual misconduct with access to legal information, advice, and representation independent of the CAF/DND;
• Continue to administer the Community Support for Sexual Misconduct Survivors Grant Program, and prepare to launch a second call for applications. This effort will provide funding to community-based service providers to support those impacted by sexual misconduct in the Defence Team;
• Continue to expand the SMRC’s 24/7 Response Line and the Response and Support Coordination Program to military families initiated via Budget 2021, to broaden the client base and geographic reach of the Response and Support Coordination program to regional centres across the country;
• Continue to advance the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program;
• Continue to lead the implementation of the Restorative Engagement Program, which provides class members of the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action with an opportunity to share their experiences of sexual misconduct with defence representatives, as well as providing an opportunity for defence representatives to learn about sexual misconduct and its impacts. Both of these program elements continue to allow the experiences of the class members to be acknowledged by DND/CAF and contribute to meaningful culture change within the CAF. This process will continue to be facilitated by civilian restorative practitioners; and
• Collaborate with Statistics Canada on the release of the results of the third iteration of the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the CAF, which will be used to inform policies and training to promote culture change and support services for individuals affected by sexual misconduct.

Operation DISTINCTION is the CAF’s support for Government of Canada-led military commemorative events. Events are held throughout Canada and in key international locations to complement and enhance Government of Canada and Veterans Affairs Canada national commemoration objectives. In FY 2023-24 it will consist of the execution of key national commemorations such as 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, the 30th anniversary of Peace Keeping in Yugoslavia and the CAF support to the Swissair flight 111 crash.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.2 The health and well-being of the Defence team is well supported	% of military personnel who are medically fit for their occupation	At least 90%*	31 March 2024	89.84%	87%	87.1%**
	% of military personnel who feel that the Canadian Armed Forces provides a reasonable quality of life for service members and their families	At least 85%***	31 March 2024	56.7%	54.4%	34.4%****
	% of Canadian Armed Forces members who feel positive about their job****	At least 85%	31 March 2024	67.4%	65%	Results not available *****
	% of civilian employees who describe the workplace as psychologically healthy	At least 80%	31 March 2024	79%	66%	Results not available *****

Notes:

* Targets are revisited yearly, as further data becomes available, to better understand the realities and drivers of these indicators.

** The variance can be partly attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic having prolonged the processing of medical releases, and the assignment of Permanent Medical Categories.

*** The 85 percent target was intentionally set as "aspirational"; it has historically been around 54 percent (2015–2020 average).

**** Additional research is underway to better understand this result. Preliminary findings suggest that a variety of related results have also decreased.

***** FY 2021-22 result is not available due to delays in data collection combined with the complexity involved in the annual calculation and explanation of this metric. Results for the approved replacement indicator (% of CAF members who feel positive about their job) will be reported starting in FY 2022-23.

****** This indicator is taken from the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES). There was no PSES administered in 2021-22 and therefore, no results available. The next PSES will be administered in FY 2022-23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 3.3 – The Defence team reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society

Notwithstanding the challenges DND/CAF currently faces, people remain the core of everything the Defence Team does to ensure that Canada remains strong at home, secure in North America and engaged in the world. Mission success depends on having a sufficient number of healthy, resilient, well-trained and motivated CAF personnel supported by talented and dedicated defence public servants working within the DND. This integrated civilian-military Defence Team is the heart of the institution.

DND will continue to build a Defence Team that reflects Canada’s values and supports the wide-ranging perspectives, cultural and linguistic diversity, gender balance, age and other distinctive attributes of Canadian society. A Defence Team with these characteristics will be more effective at achieving its mission and will continue to attract and retain the people it needs to ensure that it is equipped to tackle the challenges of the future. Investing in people, including military families, current and soon-to-be veterans, and youth (through student employment) remain the most important commitments the Defence Team can make to ensure it is diverse, inclusive, resilient and ready for the road ahead. By furthering mental health and well-being programs for public servants, DND will support employees that are ill or injured, both physically and mentally.

To empower employees to learn, work, and communicate in both official languages throughout their careers, the DND will continue to support in-house second language training and testing for public servants, and hiring processes will include assessment of competencies aligned with public service values and ethics, including diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

A Defence Team that reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society will be a team that is more effective and better able to serve Canada and Canadians, both at home and abroad. This means building a workforce that leverages the diversity and multicultural fabric of Canadian society. The military and public service workforce benefit from an inclusive, positive, fair, and supportive workplace. Diversity is the strength of Canada’s population and is essential to military operational effectiveness and long-term success.

To advance these objectives, the Office of the Judge Advocate General (OJAG) will continue providing legal services in support of the implementation of recommendations pertaining to military justice from the report of the Third Independent Review Authority, by the Honourable Morris J. Fish, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. The primary focus will be on recommendations which are the most critical to improving confidence in and the functioning of the military justice system, and which have been identified for implementation in the near-term, while continuing to advance medium and long-term implementation plans. The OJAG will continue to play a significant role in supporting implementation activities, such as:

• Continuing to advance working groups fundamentally important to the evolution of the military justice system with independent actors and other government departments, including the working group pertaining to the creation of a Permanent Military Court;
• Engaging in the in-depth study and analysis required for drafting legislative and/or regulatory change for the recommendations which are the most critical to improving confidence in and the functioning of the military justice system; and
• Continuing to work with the Department of Justice through the CAF and Department of Justice Steering Committee on the Legal Issues Related to Military Justice Modernization, with a view to building the requisite partnership model and interdepartmental coordination for implementation.

In addition, the OJAG will also continue to provide legal services in support of implementing Recommendation 5 of the Independent External Comprehensive Review by former Supreme Court Justice Arbour, which recommends thatCriminal Code sexual offences should be removed from the jurisdiction of the CAF.The Minister of National Defence remains committed to implementing the intent of Recommendation 5 of the Independent External Comprehensive Review and DND/CAF, and to continuing to work with federal, provincial, and territorial partners to develop the appropriate means of implementation.

The remaining provisions of an Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts (the Act), formerly Bill C-77 came into force on June 20, 2022, along with the required QR&O amendments. During FY 2023-24, and as part of broader Defence efforts to supplement and enhance the changes made to the military justice system through Bill C-77 and address regulatory gaps, the Judge Advocate General will contribute to the development of additional regulatory amendments. This will include continuing consultations and support to the development of necessary policy instruments and training with the broader CAF community in order to further support the significant changes to the military justice system brought about by the full implementation of Bill C-77. This enduring effort to enhance the performance of the new military justice system is aimed at constantly remaining responsive to the needs of the CAF and expectations of the Canadian public. Some of the specific initiatives to be completed during this period include

• Revising the military justice policy manual and associated training;
• Amending certain military justice regulations to improve clarity and reduce ambiguity in interpretation; and
• Supporting other DND/CAF stakeholders in advancing military justice related initiatives through the provision of legal services.

Continuing to progress the Government of Canada response to the Auditor General’s 2018 Report 3–Administration of Justice in the Canadian Armed Forces through the ongoing development, along with the department's Information Management Group, of the Justice Administration and Information Management System (JAIMS), a real-time centralized military justice management and data-collection system which will facilitate the administration of military justice. A new version of JAIMS that reflects the changes made to the military justice system through the implementation of Bill C-77 is being developed to ensure that JAIMS reflects the military justice system.

Finally, DND/CAF will develop and coordinate the Departmental Implementation Plan for all contemporary external reviews designated by the Minister of National Defence through the Director General External Reviews Implementation Secretariat and the External Comprehensive Review and Implementation Committee. This will serve to promote oversight, coordination, integration, visibility, and transparency in respect of the implementation of all external recommendations accepted by the Minister of National Defence.

Harassment and discrimination prevention activities related to appropriate conflict and complaint management practices (awareness, outreach and training) will continue. Harassment and discrimination complaints will be addressed in a timely manner through simplified formal harassment complaint procedures that are consistent with the requirements set out in Part II of the Canada Labour Code introduced as Bill C-65.

The department will continue to take steps to address the Deputy Minister Corporate Commitments on Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism and meet all legislative requirements. This work includes ensuring greater reflection of diversity and valuing inclusion, updating workplace programs and policies, and effecting culture change. The CAF Employment Equity Plan 2021-2026 is the Defence Team’s deliberate response to increase representation rates of designated groups by eliminating employment barriers. The plan was created using evidence-based recommendations and research which identified barriers to employment for designated group members and has integrated clear reporting questions to demonstrate progress or challenges in achieving the commitments. Specific examples include, maintaining an understanding of the wellbeing and mental health of marginalized group members, and leadership support to local, regional, and national Defence Advisory Groups. Key actions within the Plan include, but are not limited to, developing and fostering positive relationships with local communities and organizations for women, Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities, and conducting a GBA Plus of recruiting initiatives.

The Defence Team will: increase recruitment and retention of equity-seeking groups as well as identify opportunities to support diversity and inclusion broadly across the department by:

• Partnering with equity-seeking communities to attract and retain new talent that reflects Canada’s diversity;
• Reviewing hiring processes to ensure they are culturally sensitive and barrier-free;
• Developing and implementing an end-to-end complaints process for all Defence Team members spanning all major complaint processes which includes sexual misconduct, harassment, hateful conduct and grievances;
• Enhancing the Diverse Selection Board Inventory that supports the candidate assessment process;
• Applying an evidence-informed approach to future workforce planning to ensure the Defence Team workforce is representative;
• Removing educational barriers to eliminate arbitrary or unnecessary education criteria from hiring processes;
• Developing diverse talent through the Executive Development Program, specifically those from equity-seeking groups;
• Improving the mentorship program to better support marginalized groups and foster diverse talent;
• Continuing to implement civilian employment equity and diversity and inclusion action plans in order to meet legislative requirements, increase representation, remove barriers and biases, and strengthen reconciliation efforts; and
• Continuing to work toward bringing women’s representation in the CAF of 25 percent by 2026 through recruitment and retention strategies specifically targeting occupations where women are underrepresented. These specific strategies will include targeted marketing and attractions activities, women focused awareness events, and priority processing for women applicants.

In regard to fostering inclusive leadership, the Defence Team will: 

• Increase the representation of equity-seeking communities in the executive cadre to further build a diverse and inclusive executive cadre reflective of Canada’s diversity; and
• Destigmatize discussions on racism—particularly anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism—by facilitating group discussions on unconscious bias and systemic racism with senior leaders.

The Defence Team in specific reference to the Canadian Army is developing an Instructor Development Program to reinforce culture change with the intent to create a more inclusive, diverse, respectful, safe and team-based work environment. Instructors will receive awareness tools for self-growth and soft skills to create a safe and positive space to promote learning. Pilot serials of this program were conducted during FY 2021-22 and efforts are underway to train up to 600 personnel in FY 2023-24.

Leaders at all levels of the Canadian Army will be responsible for guiding and mentoring personnel regarding professionalism and acceptable conduct with CAF Ethos: Trusted to Serve providing the foundation for these efforts.

Indigenous Summer Programs will partner with Indigenous leaders to provide a blend of military training and Indigenous culture to hundreds of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis participants through programs across Canada: Bold Eagle, Black Bear, Carcajou, and Grey Wolf.

The Defence Team in reference to the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) will continue to support culture change. The Unit Culture Advisory Teams and the Command Culture Advisory Board will help identify systemic issues and propose solutions as an adjunct to other initiatives undertaken by CPCC.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.3 The Defence team reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) that self-identify as a woman	At least 25.1%	31 March 2026	16%	16.3%*	16.3%**
	% of civilians in the Defence team who self-identify as a woman	At least 44%	31 March 2024	40.8%	Results not available	41.5%
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as a visible minority	At least 11.8%	31 March 2026	9.4%	9.5% *	10.8%*
	% of civilians in the Defence Team who self-identify as a visible minority	At least 13.5%	31 March 2024	9.6%	Results not available	Results not available***
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as an Indigenous person	At least 3.5%	31 March 2026	2.8%	2.8% *	2.9%*
	% of civilians in the Defence Team who self-identify as an Indigenous person	At least 4.2%	31 March 2024	3.4%	Results not available	Results not available***
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as victims of harassment	At most 11.9%	31 March 2024	16.7%	15.5%	20.8%****
	% of civilians who self-identify as victims of harassment	At most 10%	31 March 2026	14%	12%	Results not available *****
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as victims of discrimination	At most 9.2%	31 March 2024	11.8%	14.5%	14.8%******
	% of civilians who self-identify as victims of discrimination	At most 5%	31 March 2026	7%	7%	Results not available *****
	Annual number of reported incidents of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces	Target to be determined.*******	Date to be determined.	356********	431	444
	% of CAF members who agree that the culture in the CAF surrounding sexual misconduct has improved in the last 12 months	Target to be determined.	Date to be determined.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.
	% of CAF members who agree that the CAF currently reinforces a culture of mutual respect, trust, honour and dignity	Target to be determined.	Date to be determined.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.
	Number of Defence Team members who have attended the Respect in the CAF workshop	Target to be determined.	Date to be determined.	Results not available New indicator as of 2020-21.	1224	650*******
	% of civilians in the Defence Team who have completed mandatory harassment training	100%	31 March 2026	Results not available. New indicator as of 2020-21.	31%	78.6%
	Annual number of reported incidents of a sexual nature within the Defence Team civilian personnel	Target to be determined. *********	Date to be determined.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	Results not available. New indicator as of 2022-23.	24 ********

Notes:

* Meeting the representation goal for both DND and the CAF has been an ongoing challenge. DND/CAF are currently reviewing conduct, diversity and inclusion as a whole in an effort to improve the culture of the Defence Team and to reflect the values and diversity of Canadian society. Ongoing efforts include, but are not limited to, the Canadian Forces Employment Equity Plan 2021–26, the CAF’s deliberate response to increase representation rates of designated groups by eliminating employment barriers.

** Meeting the representation goal for both DND and the CAF has been an ongoing challenge, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic environment. For example, the next iteration of Women in Force, a Canadian Armed Forces initiative giving women an opportunity to learn about military life before they decide to join was also delayed due to public health measures. DND/CAF is currently reviewing conduct, diversity and inclusion as a whole in an effort to improve the culture of the Defence Team and to reflect the values and diversity of Canadian society. Ongoing efforts include, but are not limited to, the Canadian Forces Employment Equity Plan 2021–26.

*** The data for this indicator, provided by an organization external to National Defence, was not available at the time of the production of this report.

**** Increases in reporting do not always indicate an increase in instances. This can also indicate an increase in victims coming forward and trusting that the system will support and address their concerns and issues. This is reflected in the Your Say Survey results, in which the majority of participants (approximately 60 percent or more) agreed that the CAF works hard to create a workplace that prevents harassment and that leadership would respond appropriately if made aware of a harassment incident or ongoing situation. In addition, a better reporting/tracking system was created that supports and serves the needs of the complainants which in turn, allows them a safe environment in order to report these issues. There have been numerous complaints submitted over the past year based on alleged incidents which occurred a number of years ago. This indicator also looks at “self-reported,” incidences, and it does happen that individuals claim to have been the victim of harassment, when what they actually experienced may have simply been a form of “conflict” in the workplace and not harassment. Through the CAF Modernization process, the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture is working on developing a mechanism in order to align with the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention process and cultivate a one-stream approach for the entire Defence Team. Once this has been completed and implemented, it should create a better system of identification pertaining to statistical information for surveys such as the Your Say Survey.

***** This indicator is taken from the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES). There was no PSES administered in 2021-22 and therefore, no results were available. The next PSES will be administered in FY 2022-23.

****** Increases in reporting do not always indicate an increase in instances. This can also indicate an increase in victims coming forward and trusting that the system will support and address their concerns and issues. Overall, most members (more than 60 percent) agreed that the CAF works hard to create a workplace that prevents discrimination and expressed confidence that their unit would respond appropriately if made aware of a discrimination incident or ongoing situation.

******* A target will be established in FY 2022-23 when a sufficient amount of baseline data is available. Additional information is available on the Sexual misconduct website.

******** DND is still establishing how to approach the process surrounding Operation HONOUR, which has culminated, as efforts are under way to assess lessons learned and move to an improved approach. Targets will be established as the indicator matures. Training on sexual misconduct has been incorporated into all facets of CAF training, including at recruit school and in leadership training at all levels. In addition, a formal workshop called “Respect in the CAF” has been developed, with over 13 000 Defence Team members attending between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2021. The data presented here represents those who have participated in the workshop in each FY when it was presented. As the workshop is delivered in a classroom setting, because of the COVID-19 pandemic workplace management measures, no workshops were delivered between April and August 2020. Delivery of the workshop resumed in September 2020 with public health measures in place.

********* During the 2022-23 Departmental Results Framework amendment process, the indicator was updated to “Annual number of reported incidents of a sexual nature within the Defence Team civilian personnel”. The target will not be determined until three years of data have been collected (with 2021-22 as the baseline).

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 3.4 – Military families are supported and resilient

The success of Canada’s defence depends on its people. Families are a major source of support to CAF members and integral to the success of the military – they are the strength behind the uniform. Family members also make important sacrifices, whether it be through the challenges associated with relocation or the prolonged absence of a loved one. They will have access to the support and services they deserve, to cope with the unique challenges and stresses of military life.

Through the Military Family Services Program, Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services will continue to enhance the well-being and resilience of military families at home and abroad by providing a wide variety of activities. It will also continue to remain flexible to deliver both in-person and virtual programs and services which include the following::

• Virtual Military Family Resource Centre, which is a confidential, personal, bilingual and free service offering information, support, referrals, reassurance, appointment-based virtual counselling, and crisis management to the military community, CAF members, veterans and their families. The Virtual Military Family Resource Centre also offers services for military families including:
  • The spousal employment network and career fairs;
  • Telemedicine licences for relocating families;
  • The Military Family Doctor Network which is a dedicated crisis text service for military families through the Kid’s Help Phone;
  • The Support Our Troops Summer Camp and Scholarships Program;
  • Educational counselling services for children and adults; and
  • Support for families of ill, injured, and fallen CAF members. 
• Research into the viability of a child care strategy for the CAF that will consider the unique care requirements of military families within broader federal, provincial, and territorial regulatory frameworks; and
• Seamless Canada, which aims to help alleviate stressors unique to CAF members and their families. The CAF will normalize and formalize its relationship with federal, provincial, and territorial partners in support of military families. Together with federal, provincial, and territorial partners, the CAF will continue to address the mobility challenges faced by military families as they transfer between jurisdictions, in particular in areas of healthcare, dependent education, daycare, and spousal employment. The focus for FY 2023-24 will be to establish a governance framework to support ongoing efforts and improve the use and professionalization of the Military Spouse Employment Initiative.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.4 Military families are supported and resilient	% of Canadian Armed Forces families who feel they meet the challenges of military life	At least 85%	31 March 2024	87.6%	87.6%	Results Not Available*
	% of Canadian Armed Forces members who are satisfied with the overall support their family receives from the Canadian Armed Forces	At least 85%	31 March 2024	67.4%	67.4%	58.5%**

Notes:

* Due to a low response rate, sufficient data from the 2022 Quality of Life Survey is not available to provide a reliable result for this reporting cycle. However, it is anticipated that sufficient data will be available to provide a result for next year’s reporting cycle.

** This result is consistent with the lower result for the “% of military personnel who feel that the Canadian Armed Forces provides a reasonable quality of life for service members and their families” indicator in Departmental Result 3.2.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 3.5 – Youth in Canada are provided with experience and opportunities that enable a successful transition to adulthood

Canada continues to be strengthened by the presence of the Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers programs in its communities. DND/CAF will remain committed to supporting and expanding the reach of the Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers programs so that more youth can benefit from these positive development opportunities. 

The CAF continues to refresh and optimize the Cadet Program and the cadet experience of today’s youth across Canada by implementing a re-scoped curriculum better aligned with resources, which includes leveraging best practices from operating this program during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Defence Team is focused on growth with an increasingly diverse membership and expanded reach into Canadian communities. This will provide the opportunity to reinforce the fundamental program aims of developing in youth the attributes of good citizenship and leadership, promoting physical fitness, and stimulating the interest of youth in the sea, land, and air activities of the CAF.

In FY 2023-24, the department will continue implementing the Management Action Plan in response to the Evaluation of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (Youth Program) conducted in 2020 which includes: :

• Improving program support and ensuring that sufficient resources, capacity and expertise are in place to achieve objectives;
• Improving program management and oversight by reviewing and finalizing policies, guidance and directives;
• Reviewing program scope to ensure consistency between resources, expected outcomes, and business planning;
• Improving communication strategies by promoting and increasing knowledge and awareness of DND’s youth programs;
• Implementing a performance measurement strategy to define and measure outcomes to support evidence-based decision-making; and
• Continuing to focus on regrowth initiatives following the COVID-19 pandemic by expanding reach in local communities, mitigating skill gaps with re-certification training, and creating opportunities that are accessible, agile, and affordable.

The Defence Team, in specific reference to the Canadian Army, will deliver an Indigenous youth leadership program, Eagle’s Nest. The Canadian Army will also support Junior Canadian Ranger Enhanced Training Sessions such as Camp Loon.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.5 Youth in Canada are provided with experience and opportunities that enable a successful transition to adulthood	% of the target Canadian youth population that participates in Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers	At least 2%	31 March 2024	2.06%	2.02%	1.73% *

Notes:

* The performance result was affected by the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March 2022, the CAF has been limited in its ability to deliver in-person training to youth which affects both attraction (new registrations) and retention (limited program delivery). The CAF’s ability to pivot toward providing virtual experiences for its youth participants to compensate for the inability to provide the normal in-person experiences prevented a larger attrition of youth participants. It is expected that it will take a few years to naturally recover from this unfortunate reality in terms of reaching pre-pandemic youth population levels and this target. The CAF remains focused on gradually returning to a pre-pandemic program delivery posture as PHMs permit. The CAF is also working to refresh and optimize the Cadet Program and the cadet experience for today’s youth across Canada by leveraging the lessons learned and best practices from operating this program during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned budgetary spending for Defence Team

The following table shows, for Defence Team, budgetary spending for FY 2023–24, as well as planned spending for that year and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2022-23 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2023-24 planned spending	2024-25 planned spending	2025-26 planned spending
3,814,885,600	3,814,885,600	3,785,129,629	3,849,850,064

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned human resources for Defence Team

The following table shows, in full time equivalents, the human resources the department will need to fulfill this core responsibility for FY 2023–24 and for each of the next two fiscal years.

2023-24 planned full-time equivalents	2024-25 planned full-time equivalents	2025-26 planned full-time equivalents
20,716	21,129	21,455

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.