Internal services

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• Description
• Plans to achieve results
• Snapshot of planned resources in 2024-25
• Related government priorities

Description

Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:

• Management and oversight services;
• Communications services;
• Legal services;
• Human resources management services;
• Financial management services;
• Information management services;
• Information technology services;
• Real property management services;
• Materiel management services; and
• Acquisition management services.

Plans to achieve results

Management and oversight services

Defence will continue to support corporate priorities with independent and objective oversight and advice from the conduct of evaluations, internal audits, and examination of disclosures related to potential conflict of interest, allegations of wrongdoing, and administrative investigations. These activities will provide insights on the effectiveness and efficiency of programs, risk management and governance. Commitments will be prioritized to focus on priorities in support of timely decision making for the improvement of programs. DND/CAF will consider GBA Plus in annual planning updates and provide recommendations for program or situational improvements.

Communications services

The Communications and Public Affairs teams will provide strategic communications advice and expertise and will work collaboratively to ensure the Department continues to communicate openly and transparently on the institution's progress and outcomes to Canadians.

In FY 2024-25 departmental communications will focus on the following priorities:

• Advancing SSE: Canada's Defence Policy by actively communicating Canada's plans to modernize NORAD, as well as other GoC strategies, procurements programs, and initiatives;
• Professional Conduct and Culture by communicating Defence's efforts to build a diverse workforce, foster a respectful, supportive, and healthy work environment across the Department, and by ensuring evolution efforts in DND/CAF are well understood and well-communicated to establish a cohesive approach;
• Diversity and Inclusion by communicating tangible and measurable progress towards creating a representative, diverse and inclusive workforce at all levels of the organization through the recruitment of persons of diverse race, age, ethnicity, and nationality; Indigenous identity; sexual orientation and gender identity; and disability status. Efforts will also include teaching, sharing, and using best practices in communications that inculcate diversity and inclusion in words and imagery;
• CAF efforts towards reconstitution, retention, and recruitment by prioritizing tasks and resource allocations to support people, their readiness and resilience, as well as Defence's ambitious modernization goals. Implementing strategic recruitment advertising and marketing activities to increase CAF awareness, CAF personnel numbers and attract a diverse workforce. An essential component of communications effort is to inform Canadians and permanent residents about how CAF personnel serve Canada in missions at home and abroad, which can inspire qualified applicants to join the CAF; and
• Enhancing the operational and institutional communications to improve how DND/CAF operates in the information environment by updating public affairs policy with respect to operations; updating military public affairs doctrine; advancing the management and integration of CAF imagery; and working with relevant offices of primary interest to ensure the public affairs function is integrated in the planning and execution of plans and strategies at all levels of operations. Readying, supporting and deploying military public affairs, imagery and training teams to highlight CAF operations, exercises and activities.

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Legal services

DND/CAF aims to accomplish ambitious objectives with limited available resources and to implement comprehensive legal reforms within a narrow window of opportunity, while ensuring effective coordination with other government departments and military justice system independent actors. The work prioritization is shaped by the legal support provided daily for recurring transactional activities or that is required on an ad hoc basis due to current events. Notwithstanding these challenges, DND/CAF will continue to provide legal services through a series of ongoing initiatives, including:

• Supporting efforts related to the implementation of military justice-related recommendations from the Report of the Third Independent Review Authority, by the Honourable Morris J. Fish, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada;
• Supporting efforts related to the implementation of military justice-related recommendations from the Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review, by the Honourable Louise Arbour, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada; and
• Supporting the work towards the advancement of other military justice system activities, by advancing efforts to supplement and enhance the changes made to the military justice system through the Act to amend the National Defence Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, formerly Bill C-77, or related to the implementation of recommendations of other external reviews as determined by the MND.

Following the coming into force of the remaining provisions of former Bill C-77, which came into force on June 20, 2022, along with the required Queen's Regulations and Orders amendments and the publication of the Military Justice at the Unit Level Policy, there is still work to achieve modernization of the military justice system. Defence will continue to provide legal services in support of the efforts to supplement and enhance the changes made to the military justice system through Bill C-77 by contributing to the development of additional regulatory amendments and by supporting the development of necessary policy instruments and training with the broader CAF community. This enduring effort to enhance the performance of the military justice system also includes the provision of legal services in support of the development of legislation, regulations, orders and directives pertaining to other military justice activities. This includes the analysis and potential implementation of recommendations of other external reviews as determined by the MND, to ensure that the military justice system remains responsive to the needs of Defence and helps ensure that CAF members are protected by a military justice system that keeps pace with Canadian concepts of justice.

The Minister of National Defence remains committed to implementing the intent of IECR's Recommendation 5, which recommended that Criminal Code sexual offences should be removed from CAF jurisdiction. The Department will uphold supporting consultation with federal, provincial and territorial partners to develop the appropriate means of implementation, including:

• Supporting intergovernmental engagement, including through a Federal and Provincial/Territorial Ad Hoc committee as well as bilateral channels; and
• Analyzing feedback from DND/CAF entities, victims' groups, military justice system independent actors, and federal and provincial/territorial partners, and incorporating the results into the development of an implementation plan for Recommendation 5.

Continuing to progress the GoC 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 at the unit level, including updated time standards and performance monitoring indicators. DND/CAF now anticipates the rollout of JAIMS 2.0 to commence in the fall of 2024, a change that reflects a more complete understanding of the new military justice system in the years since its implementation.

In FY 2024-2025, Defence will support the CAF Legal Advisor (Department of Justice) and to assist DND/CAF representatives responsible for giving legal instructions throughout the litigation cycle, with particular emphasis upon monitoring the implementation of settlement agreements including the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct (Heyder-Beattie), and Racism in the CAF (Frenette).This dedicated oversight helps Defence meet its legal and ethical obligations while contributing to a positive culture and workplace. The coordinated, strategic perspective enables DND/CAF and the GoC better manage legal, financial, and reputational litigation risks.

The department aims to provide oversight and accountability on class action litigation management by coordinating activities and compliance across the Defence Team – and with other departments where required – related to the increasing number of complex class actions. These cases deal with workplace harassment and discrimination, compensation and benefits, and other health and safety issues.

Human resources management services

In FY 2024-25, Defence will continue to build a strong public service workforce that is reflective of the diversity of Canada, equipped to meet the demands of dynamic Defence environment and supported by modern HR service delivery.

• Defence will provide strategic guidance and advice to managers and leaders to support efforts to build a workforce that reflects Canada's diversity and values of fairness, equity, inclusion, and safety. A new Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion plan will be launched in FY 2024-2025, which will outline key objectives to hire and promote Employment Equity groups. To streamline efforts to address outstanding recommendations on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion issues that relate to the public service workforce, an Internal Services Strategy on Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be tabled during the first quarter of FY 2024-2025. This will contribute to systemic effort in processes, programs and policies;
• Defence will support departmental decision making with timely access to data on self-identification and workforce availability to ensure evidence-based practices in the areas of Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion;
• The department will progress with investigating and evaluating emerging trends shaping the future of work by conducting research and analysis on current issues. This body of work, including a Future of Work Framework to be established in FY 2024-25, will inform decision making around the medium and long-term risks and opportunities facing DND in the evolving work environment. Specific areas of interest to be explored in the framework include demographic and workforce trends, hybrid work and changes to the workplace, as well as the impact of digital tools and processes used at Defence;
• Defence will continue to support PSPC with ongoing efforts to reduce the backlog of pay cases, with the ultimate objective of ensuring timely and accurate pay. To achieve this, the department's compensation team will design, develop, and implement proactive personalized client-centric services to support employees and managers. The service design philosophy will be to put the client first, build trust, and provide excellent services that lead to positive pay outcomes;
• Through a human resources end-to-end internal process review, Defence will modernize the recruitment approach with a view to implement lean and efficient staffing processes that support us in building an agile and modern HR organization that operates with high standards of accountability, expertise, transparency, and collaboration;
• Develop tools to support the removal of bias and barriers at the forefront of the staffing process, in support of the Public Service Employment Act amendments. This will facilitate the recruitment of the best talent by ensuring that objectivity and cultural sensitivity are applied throughout the hiring process; and
• Support evidence-based decision making by translating data into analytical products that provide descriptive narratives, visuals and intersectional analysis to support leaders in making data-driven decisions.

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Financial management services

Defence ensures the stewardship of the Defence budget through horizontal coordination across multiple lines of effort to ensure funding is directed toward top defence and government priorities as represented in the various financial tables within this document.

Through ongoing sound financial management, Defence supports public confidence in Defence stewardship of Canadians' tax dollars.

Information management services

Defence is committed to enhancing information management to bolster the department's capabilities, improve services to Canadians, and ensure secure information sharing with partners. The department will continue to support the GoC information and data management priorities included in the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) Policy on Service and Digital, the Standard on Systems that Manage Information and Data, as well as continue to prioritize electronic data management, governance and analytics to execute Defence policy initiatives. In FY 2024-25, the department will:

• Modernize information architecture. It is aimed at optimizing the structure, organization, and standardization of information assets;
• Harness cutting-edge industry applications to centralize, digitize, and manage information services. This will reduce reliance on paper-based processes that hinder speed, accessibility, and environmental sustainability;
• Explore advanced artificial intelligence technologies to enhance the efficiency of information management, organization and sharing. In the dedication to enhancing operations, readiness, and risk reduction, DND/CAF will conduct routine assessments of information assets, intensifying efforts to eliminate redundant, obsolete, or insignificant data;
• Establish criteria to monitor and report on data management maturity with a view to provide targeted guidance;
• Establish data stewardship roles, including data governors, data officers, and data advisors, and empower them to improve data governance;
• Implement and finalize the Data Quality Framework to address data quality within DND/CAF and ensure data used in decision making is trusted;
• Revamp internal analytics support services to meet the growing demand for analytics solutions. This initiative is imperative to enhance the organization's ability to make informed decisions based on data-driven insights; and
• Advance the design of an enterprise data hub prototype to address the pressing issue of DND's data accessibility. This initiative encompasses the development of facilitated search and catalog capabilities to streamline data discovery and utilization.

As per CDS Directive for CAF FP&R 2023/2024, readiness is at the core of CAF's ability to carry out its missions mandated by the GoC. Access to data is identified as fundamental to facilitating decision making necessary to enable CAF to fulfil its mandate. Data Readiness is focused on the following FY 2024-25 priorities:

• Improving Allied Inter-operability;
• Improving CAF Readiness;
• Improving DND/CAF business practices; and
• Enhancing Advanced Analytics capability.

Defence is committed to enhancing information management to bolster the department's capabilities, improve services to Canadians, and ensure secure information sharing with partners. A central initiative involves the modernization of the information architecture, aimed at optimizing the structure, organization, and standardization of information assets. In FY 2024-25, DND/CAF will:

• Harness cutting-edge industry applications to centralize, digitize, and manage information services;
• Reduce reliance on paper-based manual processes that hinder speed, accessibility, and environmental sustainability;
• Embrace innovation by exploring advanced artificial intelligence technologies to enhance the efficiency of information management, organization and sharing;
• Enhance operations, readiness, and risk reduction; and
• Invest in the education of members to enhance their digital information literacy, skills, and awareness as part of commitment to continual improvement.

Information technology services

Defence will evolve its Enterprise Architecture practice, and as a result will enhance alignment and oversight of technical solutions within DND/CAF by working closely with TBS to ensure the department is aligned with GC Information Management/Information Technology directives and standards, such as the Directive on Service and Digital, Directive on Standard on Systems that Manage Information and Data GC EA Review Board reviews.

DND/CAF will continue to maintain and assess its IM/IT investments in its Application Portfolio Management program to ensure quality application and business data are captured. This will enable us to better manage IM/IT investments and for partners to provide necessary support services.

Defence will evolve to deliver Enterprise application services and digital platforms to allow for reusability and optimize technical diversity for enterprise sustainability.

DND/CAF will support the GoC IT Transformation through the delivery for key projects/initiatives that will retire legacy systems such as aging telephone infrastructure, consolidate hosting and networking environments, enable a mobile and hybrid workforce, and improve IT asset management, such as software licenses.

Defence remains committed to supporting the GoC IT transformation. This involves advancing the capabilities of the Microsoft 365 platform within the department to create a seamless work and communication platform. The Defence 365 Program will prioritize integrating data exchange among existing information systems, implementing security measures to allow for information storage and processing data up to Protected B, and enhancing the overall user experience of the platform.

Snapshot of planned resources in 2024-25

• Planned spending: $1,186,033,463
• Planned full-time resources: 4,969

Related government priorities

Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

DND is a Phase 3 organization and is aiming to achieve the minimum 5% target by the end of 2024-25, as set out in Appendix E to the Directive on the Management of Procurement. National Defence holds a unique mandate and acquires a wide variety and volume of commodities and services (in some cases highly specialized). As a result, it is expected that Indigenous Business Capacity in some key contract value areas will develop over time. To support this evolution, DND plans to undertake specific actions in accordance with an evergreen plan to support Indigenous Procurement to achieve the 5% minimum target:

• Implement a Contribution agreement under the IRP, which funded a membership for the 2023 calendar year and participation at the CANSEC defence trade show, organized by the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries, by the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Businesses (CCAB) and ten CCAB Indigenous organizations with an opportunity to gain valuable insight into defence networks and create possible partnerships for future projects;
• Continue to prioritize early engagement with Indigenous peoples in their areas of responsibility, including to support procurement obligations and objectives in modern treaties, Procurement Strategy for Indigenous Businesses, and the Inuit Nunangat Policy, and to align with the UNDA;
• Analyze our current departmental reporting regime to ensure that the reporting methodology is aligned with the data elements being sought in future reporting obligations to support the minimum 5% Indigenous Procurement target;
• Continue the bi-monthly Indigenous Procurement Working Group to inform policy development, reporting, and sharing of best practices;
• Incorporate Indigenous Procurement requirements in departmental planning guidance and publish a DND/CAF Indigenous Procurement Strategy in consultation with partners and stakeholders, including Indigenous Partners;
• Continue to ensure that all PG personnel take the mandatory course Indigenous Considerations in Procurement from the Canada School of Public Service; and
• Continue to include Indigenous Participation Plans for large procurements and share best practices in this space. This important foundational work toward economic Reconciliation is not reflected in the minimum 5% target.

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