Gender-based analysis plus

Section 1: Institutional GBA Plus Capacity

In 2020, the Directorate for Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis (DGEIA) was officially formed through the merger of the Directorate for Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, in the Department of National Defence (DND), and the Directorate for Integration of Gender Perspectives, in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). This new directorate will continue to optimize coordinated and consistent efforts to influence policies, directives, programs and operations to advance gender equality, increase diversity and inclusion, and promote and protect human rights. The Directorate added 6 additional full-time equivalents (FTEs) in 2021, bringing the total to 20 FTEs. This team reports directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the Deputy Minister (DM) through the Corporate Secretary and the Director of Staff of the Strategic Joint Staff.

The Defence Team continued to support an intradepartmental network of gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) focal points / gender focal points, as well as full-time gender advisors (GENADs). They received tailored training on the application of GBA Plus / gender perspectives in a defence and security context in institutional work and operational planning.

DND continued to raise awareness and build capacity to conduct GBA Plus analyses. GBA Plus training was provided to Defence Team members through the delivery of clinics, workshops and orientation sessions. DND and the CAF have also made progress to include intersectional analysis, in addition to gender equality, in training for both CAF members and DND employees. For example, throughout the period from October to December 2020, all uniformed members within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) ranked Master Sailor to Chief Petty Officer 2nd Class and Lieutenant to Commander, and all Command Teams were engaged through the “RCN Culture Change Engagements,” where the main topic was microaggressions and unconscious biases. After listening to some members’ lived experiences and testimonials, many members indicated that they now recognize that it is everyone’s responsibility to help identify and remove systemic barriers to our recognized groups. This has increased GBA Plus integration throughout the RCN’s activities.

The CDS continued as Chair of the Women, Peace and Security Chiefs of Defence (WPS CHoDs) Network and actively advanced the WPS agenda in support of UNSCR 1325 within the international community by increasing membership and issuing a charter for the Network.

DND and the CAF have been working to apply stringent GBA Plus criteria to a growing number of infrastructure projects in the DND and the CAF project approval cycle, starting in the design phase, where possible. Moreover, work is underway to apply GBA Plus criteria to the Real Property Planning Principles, which will help make GBA Plus a more implicit component of the infrastructure design process. For example, several capital real property construction projects have designated a percentage of washrooms as gender-non-binary, contributing to inclusive work environments for CAF members and public service employees. Gender-non-binary washrooms also increase the sense of personal safety of personnel who have felt unsafe using gender-binary washroom facilities. In addition, initial GBA Plus analyses have contributed to potential changes in building design focused on physical safety for all persons and improved design for mixed-gender housing. This includes walkability assessments and updated layouts for sleeping areas and washroom facilities.

Under the Department’s Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program, applicants for a Targeted Engagement Grant must apply a GBA Plus lens when preparing their proposal by providing an explanation of the potential benefits and negative impacts of the proposed design and implementation plan of the project, including supporting data and evidence where possible. Indeed, this section is now valued at 20 percent of the score determining whether an application is funded. The expectation for integrating GBA Plus into a research project or event is that the topic/problem be considered from multiple perspectives (e.g. gender, age, language, CAF rank) using an intersectional approach in two ways: first, to determine who is included on the research or event team, and second, to determine how different persons have been able to influence the outcomes of the event, research or idea. This has led to more diverse thinking in the area of defence innovation.

The CAF continues its efforts to increase recruitment in order to better reflect the Canadian population. Recruitment advertising campaigns have been developed using GBA Plus to respond to the interests of diverse groups in order to increase recruitment for those groups and deliver a more representative CAF. This includes considering the ways in which gender, geographic region, age, culture and race may intersect so that our marketing and recruitment campaign better communicates how members of those groups can achieve their career goals in the CAF. To ensure we are actively moving towards our Employment Equity objectives, including increasing the proportion of women in the CAF to 25.1 percent, the CAF has consulted with underrepresented groups – specifically, women, Indigenous peoples and visible minorities – for the development of the new recruitment campaign.

In a period of upheaval resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, institutional capacity to conduct GBA Plus and apply the findings was as important as ever. DND and the CAF conducted GBA Plus on a wide range of internal policies, as well as policies and measures external to the organization. Most notably, GBA Plus was used to guide the CAF operations (LASER and VECTOR) that were part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 response measures. Government of Canada COVID-19 response measures, such as shutdowns (resulting in economic and social impacts), have affected certain groups in Canada disproportionately, particularly women, youth, racialized persons, Indigenous persons, remote communities and immigrant populations. GBA Plus findings were used to adjust internal response policies and prioritize operations.

Internally, the Defence Team took unprecedented measures to protect the health and well-being of its members. These included the development of health and safety policies (such as for personal protective equipment [PPE]), business continuity plans and business resumption plans in the context of the pandemic. This was all supported by GBA Plus guidance and tools, and direct assistance, developed and provided by DGEIA. A “GBA Plus and the Resumption of Activities in the Context of COVID-19” guidance note was drafted and distributed to all Level Ones (L1s)^{Footnote 1} based on available information and data on the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19. This data was received via DGEIA’s work with Canada’s Department for Women and Gender Equality (WAGE), research from the private sector and academia, DGEIA’s participation in the interdepartmental Equity-Seeking Communities and COVID-19 Taskforce, DGEIA points of contact in other government departments and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). By asking questions with the GBA Plus analytical tool, the Defence Team produced more responsive solutions and delivered better results for DND and CAF members. The guidance note was followed by a package of “Tools for GBA Plus Data Collection for Resumption of Activities” that L1s and L1As could use to collect and summarize relevant data from their employees/members in order to carry out a GBA Plus informing the creation and execution of their respective business resumption plans. The guidance note was shared with NATO and recognized as a best practice.

Externally, for CAF Operations, GBA Plus was applied to help prioritize areas of operation and the population groups that the CAF could best serve. In the first months of the pandemic, CAF personnel deployed to long-term care facilities in Quebec and Ontario, directly supported northern and remote communities, assisted the Public Health Agency of Canada in managing and distributing PPE, and helped Public Health Ontario with contact-tracing efforts. All of this was designed to protect and assist the most vulnerable in Canada, given that intersecting identity factors – particularly age, ethnicity and location – affected vulnerability to COVID-19-related morbidity and mortality.

Section 2: Gender and Diversity Impacts, by Program

Overview

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) currently have over 60 programs, each requiring a gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus). While all programs have undergone a GBA Plus, it is important to preface that not all of DND and the CAF’s programs meet the Treasury Board criteria for inclusion in this report. Furthermore, not all programs are currently collecting, tracking and/or reporting key impacts on recipients related to gender and other intersecting identity factors at this time.

Using the Treasury Board parameters for “key impacts,” DND and the CAF are committed to ensuring that in the coming years, all programs are able to ethically collect, track and report data on program recipients related to gender and intersecting identity factors, such as age, ability, sexual orientation, race and so on, where applicable. This impact-focused data will have performance indicators for programs that reflect the principles and processes of GBA Plus.

Each year, DND and the CAF will report on actions being taken to further the development and collection of data on intersectional gender equality. This will allow for a better understanding internally of how each program will impact gender equality and diversity in the future.

Core Responsibility 1: Operations

Program 1.1: Operations in Canada (CJOC)

Target Population: All Canadians / Canadians in Areas of Deployed Operations (for 2020-21, Canadians in long-term care facilities)

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	●	-	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	-	●	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	No statistics captured for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21	N/A	N/A

Other:

• In FY 2020-21 Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) within DND and the CAF responded to a request for assistance from various Canadian provinces to help in long-term care facilities. Teams were sent to the various long-term care facilities to evaluate the needs of the population at risk and determined priorities for the operation. These teams then made recommendations for appropriate assistance using an analysis of various factors in the population (GBA Plus application in effect).
• DND and the CAF also responded to several pandemic-related requests for assistance in First Nations communities. The same principles were used to determine how best to serve those communities.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 1.3: International Operations (CJOC)

Target Population: Local Populations in Deployment Location

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
In accordance with its Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, the United Nations has set a target of 25% women representation in its Military Observer and Staff Officer positions by 2028. The objective is 17% for 2020 and 18% for 2021.	17% for FY 2020-21	Canadian Forces Taskings, Plans and Operations	On target

Other:

In accordance with its Uniformed Gender Parity Strategy 2018-2028, the United Nations has set a target of 25 percent women representation in its Military Observer and Staff Officer positions by 2028. This will be achieved by increasing the percentage of women on United Nations missions in these roles by 1 percent a year. The CAF achieved the 17 percent target for FY 2020-21.

• The United Nations has requested that each infantry battalion element contain an Engagement Team (platoon-size), and this Engagement Team must have a minimum composition of 50 percent women. During FY 2020-21, the Department supported the United Nations in identifying and developing training for personnel deploying as members of Engagement Teams on United Nations operations in order to support this growth in women representation within formed contingents. The CAF has developed a Female Engagement Team (FET) Handbook and FET training. The CAF did not deploy a battalion on a United Nations mission for FY 2020-21.
• In FY 2020-21, as part of NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), CAF members have been promoting women’s and girls’ human rights, gender equality and the empowerment of women. The Canadian gender advisor (GENAD) supported the Iraqi Ministry of Defense Women’s Unit to help the women achieve an equal status with their male counterparts. Additionally, the NMI GENAD was directly involved with educating Iraqi military members at various rank levels about the importance of women’s participation in conflict and post-conflict settings in order to increase military effectiveness. This is ongoing.
• In FY 2020-21, Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine had a full-time GENAD who has been assisting the Ukrainian military in modernizing policies and procedures to support women members of their military in areas such as maternity leave, gender training and legal equality.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 1.4: Global Engagement (ADM POL)

Target Population: All Canadians, Security and Defence Sector, International Audiences

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Canada continues to contribute significantly to the development of the United Nations’ Engagement Platoon training courseware and handbook. United Nations Engagement Platoons map the demography of an area of operations to identify vulnerable areas and at-risk populations. Engagement Platoons comprise at least 50 percent women and leverage gender diversity to break down barriers to engagement with the local population, increasing awareness of issues impacting at-risk populations.
• DND and the CAF continue work to fully implement the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, which recognize the essential contribution of women to peacekeeping operational effectiveness and the critical roles of men and women in the protection of children.
• The provision of assistance to long-term care facilities affected by COVID-19 was particularly beneficial to senior women, who make up the majority of patient populations. Furthermore, the delivery of vaccines to remote locations has benefited the health of Indigenous women, mothers and caregivers in small communities with limited medical resources.

Military Training and Cooperation Program input to GBA Plus:

• All Military Training and Cooperation Program (MTCP) training activities have been designed and conducted with GBA Plus in mind. Furthermore, and with the aim of fostering diversity, the Directorate of Military Training and Cooperation (DMTC) released joining instructions encouraging participating nations to nominate candidates of all genders and backgrounds for MTCP courses.
• The MTCP captures data on participants by gender, and courses are clearly labelled as available to all genders. All training packages have been reviewed to include GBA Plus considerations, where applicable.
• The Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) (ADM (Pol)) recognizes that diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives differently and has worked to ensure that GBA Plus is considered in all of its work and applied where required.

Key Activities by Policy Group:

• Conduct of a policy group–wide survey on the understanding and implementation of GBA Plus to gauge where additional resources or training may be required.
• Incorporation of data on gender, diversity and inclusion into many of the products that are prepared for senior DND and CAF leadership in support of their appearances before Parliament.
• It is mandatory that a GBA Plus be completed for all Memoranda to Cabinet (MCs). ADM (Pol) has therefore instituted a rigorous process for incorporating GBA Plus into all Cabinet products.
  • For every DND and CAF MC that is prepared, an analysis of GBA Plus considerations is also prepared.
  • The Directorate of Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis (DGEIA) is invited to MC kick-off meetings, and ADM (Pol) works hand-in-hand with the subject-matter experts to prepare the assessment. DGEIA approves the assessment and the language incorporated into the MCs.

ADM (Pol) L1 GBA Plus Input:

• GBA Plus plays a key role in ADM (Pol)’s Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program. In addition to building the consideration of different perspectives into the foundation of the program, MINDS seeks to hear from, acknowledge and consult a variety of perspectives, and those funded by the program take diversity and inclusion seriously. To accomplish this, MINDS has undertaken the following:
  • All applications for MINDS funding are evaluated by the MINDS team and by the DGEIA against a number of criteria, including diversity and inclusion. Applicants are required to demonstrate that a GBA Plus has been conducted and how, by including relevant considerations as part of their project proposal.
  • The MINDS expert briefing series seeks to hear from a diversity of perspectives and has made efforts to increase the variety of voices it contracts.
  • MINDS offers scholarships for master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral students, including Indigenous master’s students, studying issues relating to defence and security.
  • MINDS supports nine multidisciplinary collaborative networks, with representation from across Canada, examining key defence and security issues, such as sexual misconduct, hateful conduct and extremism and the defence role in the Arctic.
• As part of policy development efforts, ADM (Pol) consulted and engaged with DGEIA on the following issues:
  • The GBA Plus implications of artificial intelligence and autonomy, as well as several space-related projects.
  • Ongoing work to fulfill the Minister of National Defence’s mandate to strengthen continental defence and modernize the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) to meet existing and future challenges as outlined in the Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE) defence policy.
• As part of its responsibility for intergovernmental affairs, the policy group provides advice and guidance that lends a unique perspective to issues as it considers key factors from an intergovernmental perspective – how decisions will influence the federal, provincial and territorial relationship; how key communities may be affected and may react; and how best to accomplish Defence Team objectives and Government of Canada goals for the overall benefit of the country. As the policy group carries out its responsibilities, the principles of GBA Plus play a significant role.
  • For example:
    • Supporting CAF families during 2020 postings and house-hunting trips in the context of the COVID-19 first and second waves, as well as ensuring that certain provinces and territories provided childcare to CAF as essential workers during that period.
    • Playing a key role in federal-provincial/territorial meeting of Seamless Canada, supporting the Chief of Military Personnel as they developed policies and briefing material relating to spousal employment, childcare/educational equivalencies and family healthcare files.
    • Supporting the Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs) and the Strategic Joint Staff as they worked on the Government of Canada apology for the lack of recognition afforded to members of the No. 2 Construction Battalion following their service during the First World War.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 1.6: Command, Control and Sustainment of Operations (CJOC)

Target Population: Canadian Armed Forces and Department of Defence Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• In FY 2020-21, CJOC had an established network to disseminate and share information regarding GBA Plus in operations both domestically and overseas. Regularly scheduled meetings were held. The impact was the sharing of initiatives in the application of a gendered perspective in operations and best practices in the application of GBA Plus.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 1.7: Special Operations (CANSOFCOM)

Target Population: All Canadians

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) within DND and the CAF integrates GBA Plus into all operational planning, as well as orders and policy, specifically for developing regional understanding and in the delivery of training to partner forces. During FY 2020-21 and the COVID-19 pandemic, this was especially important for the business continuity plans and business resumption plans in order to ensure a better appreciation of the underlying individual requirements and gender-based issues and mitigate the impacts on personnel and missions.
• The Global Special Operations Forces (SOF) Network enhanced CANSOFCOM cooperation with Allied SOF organizations. It was leveraged in FY 2020-21 to discuss cultural topics and share perspectives / lessons learned, which include gender issues surrounding recruitment, deployment and retention.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Details for most special operations are un-releasable due to sensitivity and classification.

CANSOFCOM is in the initial stages of data capture for this program and plans to continue to refine the collection plan in FY 2021-22 at appropriate classification levels.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility 1: Operations

Program name	Education and Skills Development	Economic Participation and Prosperity	Leadership and Democratic Participation	Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice	Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being	Gender Equality Around the World
Program 1.1 – Operations in Canada (CJOC)	-	-	●	-	-	-
Program 1.3 – International Operations (CJOC)	-	-	●	-	-	●
Program 1.4 – Global Engagement (ADM POL)	●	●	●	●	●	●
Program 1.6 – Command, Control and Sustainment of Operations (CJOC)	-	●	●	●	●	-
Program 1.7 – Special Operations (CANSOFCOM)	-	-	-	●	-	●

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility 1: Operations

-	Prosperity	Health	Environment	Society	Good Governance
Program 1.1 – Operations in Canada (CJOC)	-	●	●	●	●
Program 1.3 – International Operations (CJOC)	-	●	●	●	●
Program 1.4 – Global Engagement (ADM POL)	-	-	-	●	●
Program 1.6 – Command, Control and Sustainment of Operations (CJOC)	-	-	-	●	●
Program 1.7 – Special Operations (CANSOFCOM)	-	-	-	●	●

Core Responsibility 2: Ready Forces

Program 2.1: Strategic Command and Control (SJS/ADM MAT)

Target Population: CAF and DND Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Gender perspectives and GBA Plus have been integrated into the planning and conduct of all CAF operations. GBA Plus factors are considered in all estimates and Strategic Operations Planning Groups (SOPGs) and have been an important stakeholder at the table for all Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) / Deputy Minister (DM) directives and CDS task orders. In particular, they were highly involved and leveraged for the CDS/DM Directive for Public Health Measures produced in FY 2020-21 and for the CDS/DM Initiating Directive for Professional Conduct and Culture issued on 30 April 2021. Furthermore, all Personnel Evaluation Reports produced this year employed gender-non-binary language, in accordance with Canadian Forces General Message (CANFORGEN) 045/20.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 2.2: Ready Naval Forces (RCN)

Target Population: Royal Canadian Navy Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

In support of Force Generation and Force Employment operations, the following GBA Plus initiatives and actions were taken in 2020-21 within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) under DND and the CAF:

• Rank designation change: As part of the initiative to remove gendered language in the RCN, in August 2020 the rank designations of Ordinary, Able, Leading and Master Seaman were amended to Sailor 3rd, 2nd and 1st Class, and Master Sailor. In general, removing gendered language helps increase inclusion, as such language is not inclusive of everyone on the gender spectrum, nor of those Indigenous members who are outside the spectrum entirely, using their own system of gender identification. This initiative is also in line with international and national policies and commitments, such as the United Nations Gender Pledge and Bill C-16, in which the Government of Canada commits to ensuring that its policies, programs and initiatives are inclusive of all individuals.
• Support to GBA Plus for Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC)^{Footnote 2} Treasury Board submissions: In support of the RCN future fleet, Treasury Board submissions for CSC were analyzed using GBA Plus to include the expanded CAF anthropometric data, consideration of minimizing gendered bunking and wash place usage, and safety of personnel to minimize gender-based violence.
• Crewing concepts for ship-to-shore and Canadian Surface Combatant: While still in initial stages, crewing of our future fleets and capabilities will be continuously reviewed via GBA Plus to identify and remove barriers based on anthropometric data, lived experiences and a desire for inclusion of all.
• Surface Command Qualification process: Implementation of a new Surface Command Qualification in 2020 required a review to identify barriers that would limit members of any communities from succeeding within the Naval Warfare Officer occupation including: family planning, meeting required sea time for career advancement, and gendered evaluation indicators.
• Initiated “Combined Messing” study: The RCN is working with Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis (DGMPRA) to conduct a study in 2021 to identify impacts of gendered sleeping and living accommodations within the current RCN Fleet and to provide a feasibility study for moving towards combined messing in current and future fleets.
• COVID-19 Pre-Embarkation Program: Levels of requirements for crew based on current COVID-19 risk prior to conducting domestic and international operations were reviewed with GBA Plus to identify impacts and barriers for differing family and living situations, spiritual/religious accommodations and dietary requirements.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

• Review of women in naval technical trades: A comprehensive review is being conducted in conjunction with DGMPRA to identify systemic barriers for women within the naval technical trades (Marine Systems Engineering and Combat Systems Engineering) with completion expected by the end of 2021.
• Support to Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) – Sex disparities in musculoskeletal injuries in military members: Due to the inherent differences and physical challenges of a sailor’s life at sea, it was important to participate in this study in order to build anthropometric data and impacts into future GBA Plus considerations while building our future fleet. Data collection will continue as the study moves into its second phase in summer 2021.

Program 2.3: Ready Land Forces (CA)

Target Population: Canadian Army Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	-	●	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
Proportion of Regular Force women deployed from the Canadian Army during FY 2020-21, as a percentage of all segments	7.62%	Canadian Forces Task Plans and Operations	Regular Force men proportion was 78.70%
Proportion of Reserve Force women deployed from the Canadian Army during FY 2020-21, as a percentage of all segments	1.59%	Canadian Forces Task Plans and Operations	Reserve Force men proportion was 12.08%
Proportion of Reserve Force women employment during Full-Time Summer Employment in FY 2020-21	13%	Various sources	This proportion has been consistent since data was first collected in 2018
Growth of the proportion of Reserve Force women employment during Full-Time Summer Employment in FY 2020-21	53%	Various sources	There were 850 women participants in 2018, 1,090 in 2019, and 1,303 in 2020

Other:

• During FY 2020-21, the Canadian Army (CA) force created female engagement teams for international deployments. These teams were employed by Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) within DND and the CAF to deliver infantry training to an all-women platoon in Jordan as part of the Canadian Training Assistance Team in that country.
• A complementary, but not exclusively GBA Plus–driven, initiative was the CA’s new order in FY 2020-21 regarding hateful conduct, which clarifies key terms, the expectations of the Commander and actions that leaders should take in response to incidents. The policy was introduced with a two-pronged approach: online training, combined with a cascading series of discussion forums. It is expected that this order will contribute to a healthier and safer environment in the CA as a whole, which will have positive benefits for diversity and inclusion.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 2.4: Ready Air Forces (RCAF)

Target Population: Royal Canadian Air Force Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Driven by knowledge that is provided by GBA Plus, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) within DND and the CAF conducted an initial review of the organization’s capstone and keystone documents. The analysis concluded that the RCAF’s existing suite of governance and doctrine documents might benefit from additional consideration of how gender and gender perspectives affect air and space operations.
• The RCAF’s increased understanding of GBA Plus was incorporated into senior leadership messaging and engagements for Operation TALENT. This internal RCAF operation encapsulates the organization’s drive to advance quality of life, quality of service, and quality of compensation and benefits for our personnel. It also integrates the CAF-wide human capital^{Footnote 3} tasks assigned to the RCAF under Operation GENERATION (the CAF efforts to increase diversity in recruiting), TRANSITION (the CAF effort to facilitate the difficult and complex transition from a military career to a civilian career after release from the CAF) and the like. The Operation itself includes many individual and distinct lines of activity, each requiring individualized GBA Plus assessments as those activities develop. This being the case, there is no one-time assessment but rather an ongoing process.
• The RCAF’s desire to incorporate gender perspectives and GBA Plus into all facets of the organization led it to support and participate in a University of Ottawa kinesiology study. This study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal injury and associated sociobiological risk factors in serving women. The initial results provided significant gender-based insights into some of the RCAF’s personnel-readiness requirements.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 2.5: Ready Special Operations Forces (CANSOFCOM)

Target Population: CANSOFCOM Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• GBA Plus is used for Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) recruiting. Specifically, CANSOFCOM uses GBA Plus in marketing decisions and in the conduct of recruiting events, as it is a key performance indicator (KPI) of success. This includes the development of recruiting products for attraction products. Examples include ensuring the recruiting websites are gender-neutral and that there is proper gender representation at recruiting events.
• When requirements are written for new capabilities, a GBA Plus analysis is conducted to ensure the needs of the user community across all genders is best served. Further, CANSOFCOM uses anthropometric survey data and is committed to improving this data set. Where equipment is military off the shelf (MOTS) / commercial off the shelf (COTS), there is less ability to customize for the user groups; however, this is not the case when CANSOFCOM-specific items are developed: since the users are the originators of the requirements, they are involved in all user trials and bid evaluations.
• CANSOFCOM has a process to acquire GBA Plus feedback from members on individual items of equipment to incorporate into future improvements, where contractually possible. Since 2018, this process has resulted in the addition of gender-specific individual equipment items to standing offers.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

CANSOFCOM is in the initial stages of data capture for this program and plans to continue to refine the collection plan in FY 2020-21 at appropriate classification levels.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility 2: Ready Forces

Program name	Education and Skills Development	Economic Participation and Prosperity	Leadership and Democratic Participation	Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice	Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being	Gender Equality Around the World
Program 2.1 – Strategic Command and Control (SJS/ADM MAT/VCDS)	●	-	●	●	●	-
Program 2.2 – Ready Naval Forces (RCN)	●	-	●	●	●	-
Program 2.3 – Ready Land Forces (CA)	●	-	●	●	●	-
Program 2.4 – Ready Air Forces (RCAF)	●	-	●	●	●	●
Program 2.5 – Ready Special Operations Forces (CANSOFCOM)	-	-	●	●	-	●

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility 2: Ready Forces

-	Prosperity	Health	Environment	Society	Good Governance
Program 2.1 – Strategic Command and Control (SJS/ADM MAT/VCDS)	●	-	-	-	●
Program 2.2 – Ready Naval Forces (RCN)	●	-	-	-	●
Program 2.3 – Ready Land Forces (CA)	●	-	-	-	●
Program 2.4 – Ready Air Forces (RCAF)	●	-	-	-	●
Program 2.5 – Ready Special Operations Forces (CANSOFCOM)	●	-	-	-	●

Core Responsibility 3: Defence Team

Program 3.1: Recruitment (MPC)

Target Population: All Canadians (between 16 and 57 years of age), specifically women

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	-	●	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
Number of Regular Force members recruited by declared gender	493 women were enrolled, making up 24% of total recruitments, compared with 1,530 recruits declared as men (75.6%)	Canadian Forces Recruiting Group (CFRG) 2020-21 Year End Report	The 493 women enrolments were significantly lower than in the previous fiscal year but, as a percentage, were higher than in any other FY. This is due to the prioritization of the selection of women applicants for limited basic training capacity. The women’s target goal for FY 2020-21 was 1,606.
Number of Regular Force members recruited as recognized visible minorities	349, representing 17% of total recruitments. Women made up 23.5% of the visible-minority recruitments.	CFRG 2020-21 Year End Report	-
Number of Regular Force Indigenous recruits enrolled	4% of recruits were Indigenous. Women made up 21% of all Indigenous recruitments.	CFRG 2020-21 Year End Recruiting Report	-
Number of Regular Force members recruited by first language	76% Anglophone (1,537 enrolments); 24% Francophone (486 enrolments)	CFRG 2020-21 Year End Recruiting Report	-
Average age of Regular Force recruits enrolled	Men 24 years old Women 26 years old	Canadian Forces Recruiting Information Management System (CFRIMS)	Median age of men was 22 years old, and median age of women was 24 years old
Most popular Regular Force occupation choices for women enrollees	The following accounted for 21% of women enrolments: Human Resource Administrator Material Management technician Logistics Officer	CFRIMS analysis	Contrary to the overall trend, 31% of Indigenous women enrolments were evenly spread across the following occupations: Infantry Officer Infantryman Medical Technician
Recruitment by Faith Tradition	The Royal Canadian Chaplain Service has recruited 8 new chaplains into the Regular Forces, 4 Christian (3 women, 1 man), 2 Muslim (2 men), 1 Sikh (1 man) and 1 Buddhist (1 woman) The Primary Reserve has recruited 13 Chaplains, all are Christian (10 men, 3 women)	Director Chaplain Services recruitment statistics	In accordance with the direction of the Chaplain General, Royal Canadian Chaplain Services has focused recruitment and attraction efforts on those who identify as women, on spiritual leaders from growing but minority faith traditions and on those from spiritual communities not recognized as religious.

Other:

• A cornerstone of the Department’s SSE policy is the recruitment and retention of under-represented populations, in accordance with Canada’s Employment Equity Act. One such group includes women.
  • These efforts are also aligned with Canada’s National Action Plan 2017-2022 on Women, Peace and Security.^{Footnote 4}
• Notwithstanding that face-to-face attraction initiatives were not possible throughout FY 2020-21 due to the pandemic, much progress was made within the Recruiting Group:
  • Synchronized efforts focusing on the Employment Equity goals for women were made via strategic-level women’s advertising campaigns, reflected at the operational level on the forces.ca website’s “Women in the CAF” page and at the tactical levels via virtual information sessions for women recruitment.
  • Used a software program (Blue Force Tracker) to track military occupations by gender and diversity targets.
  • DND and the CAF are also seeking to recruit persons within Employment Equity (EE) groups, including LGBTQ2S+ members. Further, under the CAF EE Plan for 2021-2026, the CAF now recognizes LGBTQ2+ members as a designated EE group.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Canadian Forces Recruiting Group (CFRG) is currently developing a Performance Measurement Framework (PMF) to enable data collection for recruitment analysis. Weekly data extractions from CFRIMS version 2 (CFRIMS 2) facilitates metrics for 50 key performance indicators (KPIs) out of 70 KPIs. The PMF is expected to significantly improve CFRG’s capability to measure the impacts of the gender and diversity program for future recruiting.

Program 3.2: Individual Training and Professional Military Education (MPC)

Target Population: Defence Team Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	-	●	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

Canadian Defence Academy:

• Gender advisors (GENADs) and gender focal points (GFPs). Commander Canadian Defence Academy (CDA) appointed two interim GENADs with particularly relevant educational and experiential backgrounds (one military, one civilian academic) out of existing staff.
• Interim GENADs have contributed to the review of new and existing CDA policies, programs and initiatives. They have also supported the integration of GBA Plus perspectives in the formulation of CDA responses to DND and CAF/governmental requests, including but not limited to: Treasury Board proposal submissions, Minister of National Defence requests for information, and DND and CAF policy reviews.
• Terms of reference were established, and military and civilian GFPs were appointed in four roles (staff, curriculum, student, and resource management and planning) across CDA’s subordinate colleges and institutions. GFPs have completed the Introduction to GBA Plus course, as well as three North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) online training courses related to the integration of gender perspectives.
• Interim GENADs have established a formal network with the GFPs, run through the GENAD/GFP Working Group (WG). The WG convenes regularly to discuss progress regarding applications of gender perspectives, GBA Plus, and equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives to the formation’s core business. The network also serves to identify common themes, goals, best practices and lessons learned across CDA.
• Director Professional Development:
  • Pan-CAF GBA Plus training. As first directed in CANFORGEN^{Footnote 5} 154/16, CDA continues to ensure that completion of the Introduction to GBA Plus course (Code 302800/302801) remains a mandatory CAF requirement for all officers and non-commissioned members. This course is accessed online, is delivered by the Department of Women and Gender Equality Canada, and serves as the primary method to socialize CAF members (and many other Defence Team members) to the GBA Plus tool.
    • Training and education support across DND. Director Professional Development provided sustained support to the CAF Strategic Response Team – Sexual Misconduct and the Defence Ethics Program in defining training and education solutions aimed at eliminating harmful and inappropriate sexual behaviour within the CAF.
    • Audits. Education and training program curricula “audits” were undertaken, in collaboration with the Military Personnel Generation Group, on the following related themes: the LGBTQ2S+ Purge Consultation; Hateful Conduct; Gender and Diversity in Education; and the Elsie Initiative Barrier Assessment.
    • Revised educational and training content. Examination of hateful-conduct issues led to the introduction of revised professional military education content, including: mandatory training given to the Canadian Military College military staff and cadet population, the CAF Junior Officer Development program, the Chief of the Defence Staff’s Guidance to Commanding Officers and Leadership Teams, and a culture change package for everyone in Military Personnel Command (MPC). All packages provided a broader understanding of CAF gender and diversity imperatives.

Canadian Forces College (CFC):

• Cultural change initiatives. While developing its Cultural Change Roadmap, CFC has commenced a two-year program to implement a series of GBA Plus–related measures, assisted by civilian universities. In FY 2020-21, these changes were modest, but the challenges should not be understated, as they took place while the CFC was forced to pivot from an in-person to a hybrid distance-learning model during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific initiatives included:
  • Consideration of CFC “Code” or “Charter.” CFC is considering the establishment of a formal statement regarding behavioural standards and expectations across all programs, with change to be coordinated with other CDA initiatives.
  • Family Considerations. Increasing and deliberate consideration of the impact of family situations (and more accommodation of unique situations), driven, in large part, by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Art on Display. Ongoing efforts to reflect an increasingly diverse physical environment at CFC.
  • National Security Programme. In conjunction with Vice Chief of the Defence Staff Office, the Defence Team Coaching Program included Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) 2.0 in order to engender deeper empathy and emotional understanding in senior leaders; this is expected to enhance a CAF culture of equity, diversity and inclusivity (EDI).
  • Joint Command and Staff Programme (JCSP). 50 percent of all speakers addressing JCSP 47 identified as women.

Royal Military College of Canada and Royal Military College – St-Jean. A significant portion of Canadian Military College core and non-core humanities and social sciences curriculum includes examination of gender, race, equity, diversity and inclusivity issues, including intersectional analysis.

CWO Robert Osside Institute. Throughout the non-commissioned member (NCM) developmental period 3-5 training and education, issues relating to the application of EDI initiatives in the profession of arms are discussed in the context of the NCM’s contribution to leadership and socialization of subordinates:

• The Intermediate Leadership Programme includes Performance Objective (PO) 301 Lead Subordinates, including two Enabling Objectives (EOs) on Ethical Leadership, and Ensure Well-being of Subordinates for Master Warrant Officers (MWOs) / Chief Petty Officers Second Class (CPO2s).
• The Advanced Leadership Programme includes Performance Objectives 4A1 Professional Ideology, including Enabling Objective 4A1.01 Align CAF Culture with Canadian Military Ethos, and PO4G3 Canadian Military History and Culture, including Enabling Objective 4G3.02 Promote Canadian Military Culture, for MWOs/CPO2s.
• The Senior Leadership Programme includes PO 4A1 Professional Ideology, and PO4G3 Canadian Military History and Culture (EO 4G3.02 Promote Canadian Military Culture) for Chief Warrant Officers (CWOs) / Chief Petty Officers First Class (CPO1s).
• The Special Appointments Programme includes PO 5A1 Professional Ideology (EO 5A1.01 Promote Military Ethos, 5A1.02 Enforce Ethical Principles and Values, and EO 5A1.04 Articulate and Promulgate the Professional Ideology) for CWOs/CPO1s selected for special appointments.

Dallaire Centre of Excellence for Peace and Security (DCOE-PS). In partnership with Our Secure Future: Women Make the Difference, the DCOE-PS led the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) (October 2020) Curriculum Consortium in order to advance the WPS agenda in the context of professional military education. This was made possible through a Mobilizing Insights in Defence and Security (MINDS) program grant. Further, as part of DND’s Defence Diplomacy effort (through professional military education):

• In cooperation with the Director for Gender Equity and Intersectional Analysis (DGEIA), the DCOE-PS developed a WPS train-the-trainer package to meet Canada’s commitment to supporting the WPS Chiefs of Defence (ChoDs) Network. The DCOE-PS also directly supported the efforts of the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI) efforts to promote WPS in Iraqi professional military education. Specifically, based on the train-the-trainer package developed for the WPS CHoDs Network, the DCOE-PS developed a bespoke WPS train-the-trainer course for the Iraqi Defence University of Higher Military Studies.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 3.3: Total Health (MPC)

Target Population: Defence Team Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
% of personnel to support deployable health capabilities within Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS)	CFHS is composed of 2,944 Regular Forces personnel, of whom 78% are employable and 76% are deployable	Military Command Software (MCS) Personnel Dashboard	As of 27 May 2021
Gender distribution within CFHS	Of the 2,944 Regular Forces personnel, 47% are women and 53% are men. Women make up 47.97% of the officers and 47.10% of the NCMs.	MCS Personnel Dashboard	As of 27 May 2021
Linguistic profile distribution within CFHS	71% are Anglophones and 29% are Francophone, with women making up more than half of the Anglophones (51.1%) and 45.89% of the Francophones.	MCS Personnel Dashboard	As of 27 May 2021

Other:

• Those who serve in the CFHS can suffer from mental and physical injuries and illnesses that affect their readiness to provide deployable care. However, some unique barriers to care exist and are being addressed to better care for and protect the health of our health care team. The CFHS continues to strive to be an employer of choice and to exceed CAF gender and diversity targets.
• The Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy benefited from GBA Plus in its development, and this rigour was lauded by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) when the Treasury Board submission was presented in January 2021. The Total Health and Wellness Strategy will enhance the way DND and the CAF care for their people and for military families. Nearly a dozen new initiatives were created to fill the gaps between existing programs, including: Employee Assistance Program, Canadian Forces Member Assistance Program, Suicide Prevention Action Plan, BALANCE and Military Family Initiatives.
• A Departmental Workplace Wellness Study will be administered every three years to collect the required data to inform the performance measurement framework.
• The Defence Team Total Health and Wellness Strategy will make specific reference to women’s health. Sex and gender are important determinants of health which, along with the many other intersecting cultural, social, economic and environmental factors, most be taken into consideration. Women and gender-diverse people can face very different challenges and barriers to their health and wellness. Women may experience DND and CAF workplaces quite differently from men, and other predisposing elements may come into play. Gender also influences prevention and healthcare in a variety of ways. There are many other intersecting factors that may differ for women; these are not yet fully understood and require further research and investigation.
• Supporting wellness and enabling occupational excellence for women and gender-diverse employees and members is imperative to ensure all members of DND and the CAF are respected and enabled in their chosen professions. Intersectional identity factors must be taken into account in order to maximize potential and optimize health across DND and the CAF.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

• The Performance Measurement Framework for the Total Health and Wellness Strategy was developed in such a way that, in the future, DND and the CAF will have a better understanding of wellness from a gender and intersectionality perspective.
• The health of CAF personnel is a top priority, both to facilitate operational readiness and to optimize long-term wellness throughout a member’s career and into their retirement.
• Health is a multifactorial concept, and wellness is unique to each person. Health is not simply the absence of disease or illness. There are many determinants of health, including sex and gender, and these interact with key program aspects, such as access to health care and prevention efforts. Gender is recognized as a fundamental determinant of health and health equity, and as an important consideration in minimizing health disparities. The CFHS strives to be a proactive health system with active engagement in programs and services that prevent disease, protect people from injury and illness, promote healthy lifestyles, and provide high-quality and well-integrated health care. Women generally have higher rates of participation in workplace health promotion programs, and they have unique needs and encounter a different range of obstacles than men.
• GBA Plus is applied to the life cycle of CFHS policies and programs, along with stakeholders’ engagement. Moreover, the CFHS is advancing research and continuing to develop data collection and analysis tools in order to measure opportunities to improve care and assess the impacts of health care programs and services on gender, inclusion and diversity. Virtually every health indicator followed by CFHS evaluates sex as a binary variable; however, health research and epidemiology are increasingly integrating gender and non-binary identification, as well as age, rank, occupation and other identity factors when pertinent. Study of the CAF population has and will continue to lead to a better understanding of where attention should be focused. The following are examples in which sex and gender have an influence:
  • Temporary medical categories that restrict occupational functioning are more common among females^{Footnote 6} (21.5 percent), as compared with males (10.1 percent), due in part to medical employment limitations for obstetrical care and pregnancy-related conditions.
  • Females are at increased risk for musculoskeletal injuries and experience 20 percent more fractures and 30 percent more lower back pain than males. Research is underway to assess how to reduce these injuries in women and females.
  • CAF personnel reported experiencing a high level of stress (22.9 percent), with women experiencing significantly higher levels than men in all age groups.
  • Mental health disorders affect CAF women at different rates and in different ways than men. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health conditions in the CAF, and the incidence for women (11 percent) is twice that for men (5.2 percent).
  • CAF females have higher rates than males in a range of other acute and chronic health conditions, including: carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, knee ligament and rotator cuff injuries, plantar fasciitis, depression, migraine headaches and traumatic brain injuries. Conversely, CAF females demonstrate much lower rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, lipid disorders, obesity, dental caries risk, hearing loss and tinnitus, and tobacco use than their male counterparts.
• Further research and collaboration with partners are required to establish specialized solutions to these types of health disparities. Among those proposed that will augment CAF women’s health are: health dashboard and analytics development in order to capture and communicate health status and occupational readiness; electronic medical record improvements to facilitate interdisciplinary care; epidemiology studies that include sex and gender and other identity factors when applicable; virtual care to widen care provision options; and more structured health screening programs. Goals include reducing barriers to seeking and receiving care for women and females; strengthening illness and injury prevention; optimizing occupational performance; and reinforcing the current, evidence-based standard of care for women and females and other identity factors.

Program 3.4: Defence Team Management (MPC/HR CIV)

Target Population: Defence Team Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
% of CAF who self-identify as a woman	16.3%	CAF Human Resources Management System (HRMS)	Target is 25.1% by 2026
% of civilians who self-identify as a woman	40.8%	2020 Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) EE Workforce Analysis	-
% of CAF who self-identify as a visible minority	9.5%	CAF Employment Equity Database	-
% of civilians who self-identify as a visible minority	9.6%	2020 TBS EE Workforce Analysis	-
% of CAF who self-identify as a person with a disability	1.1%	CAF Employment Equity Database	-
% of civilians who self-identify as a person with a disability	5.5%	2020 TBS EE Workforce Analysis	-
% of CAF who self-identify as an Indigenous person	2.8%	CAF Employment Equity Database	-
% of civilians who self-identify as Indigenous	3.4%	2020 TBS EE Workforce Analysis	-

Other:

• The Adaptive Career Path (strategic framework intended to provide a range of flexible careers possibilities while ensuring operational effectiveness and adhering to institutional requirements) and Total Rewards (system of policies, programs and practices that provide members with various offers to support a professional, performance-driven work culture that recognizes the unique demands and requirements of CAF members) are both in the early stages of development and GBA Plus. The GBA Plus performed thus far has examined the disaggregated data from internal CAF surveys to begin to identify barriers and gaps that need to be addressed further moving forward.
• Universality of Service (U of S), which sets out the required standards that CAF members need to meet to be able to perform general military, defence and security duties, is being amended. For this amendment, GBA Plus was performed to identify gaps and barriers. GBA Plus was conducted and documented, informing recommendations and a new list of proposed U of S standards. Specific considerations and barriers were identified for Regular and Reserve Force, sex and gender, age, family status, religion, etc.
• In FY 2020-21, research continued on two solutions for the recruitment and retention of women in the CAF.
• Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources – Civilian) within DND and the CAF has developed a tool, complementary to GBA Plus, that is referred to as the Diversity and Inclusion Lens Tool. This tool was developed with engagement from each defence advisory group, the Pride Network, and Women and Gender Equality Canada. It offers resources and explicit direction on how to conduct GBA Plus analysis for human resources policies and practice. While the tool provides the means to collect GBA Plus–related data (intersectional disaggregated data), this data is collected only when the tool is applied and is largely qualitative in nature. The data collected documents engagement with Employment Equity and other groups and the issues they raise.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Outside of the above, there is currently no overarching plan to collect GBA Plus–related data outside of the current self-identification process. However, DND is currently planning a self-identification campaign this fiscal year to encourage employees to self-identify.

Program 3.5: Military Transition (MPC)

Target Population: CAF Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	-	●	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• The Military Transition Program is tasked with supporting force generation and retention efforts by first exploring all options for a member’s retention in the CAF prior to initiating the release process.
• The personalized transition consultation and planning process provides members with an opportunity to discuss gender and identity-based experiences that have impacted their careers and their decision to transition to civilian life, including sexual misconduct, harassment, discrimination and experience with the grievance process. The opportunity to share such experiences during the transition process in turn provides a possible avenue to seek support or redress if the member chooses, as well as presenting opportunities to inform institutional change in the CAF through lessons learned.
• It is acknowledged that men and women experience transition differently; therefore, there is a need for careful monitoring to ensure equality of outcomes in terms of a successful transition. As recruiting changes the face of the CAF, we will remain vigilant to ensure that the transition experience remains a positive one for every uniformed person making the transition to civilian life.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

The Military Transition Program is actively building the capacity and capability to collect disaggregated data on the impacts of career transition events (illness/injury, in-service career change, release) on different segments of the CAF population. In FY 2020-21, the CAF Transition Group established a new policy section with a mandate to develop a GBA Plus strategy and operational standards, which will incorporate and formalize GBA Plus data collection and analysis efforts in collaboration with key partners in service delivery and program analytics.

Program 3.6: Military Member and Family Support (MPC)

Target Population: Defence Team Personnel and Families

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	-	●	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
Women representation in the 2020 Order of Military Merit list.	21.6%	DH&R internal statistics	Order of Military Merit women representation has exceeded representation in CAF for the last four years in a row.

Other:

• In order for honours to be effective as tools of motivation, people have to see them as credible and achievable, which means they have to see themselves in those honours. A lot of effort has been expended to make the recipients of honours more representative of the CAF demography, and we have made good progress, especially for the Order of Military Merit. This is a long-standing and ongoing effort for the Directorate of Honours and Recognition (DH&R). More work needs to be done, for Meritorious Service Decorations, for example, but the Canadian Forces Decorations Advisory Committee keeps pushing for more diverse nominations, and we are starting to see the effect of this.
• The primary goal of the Royal Canadian Chaplain Service (RCChS) is to support the spiritual and holistic health of CAF members and their families. This is accomplished through direct pastoral care, referrals to other helping agencies, chaplain mental health counselling, non-violent crisis intervention (after hours), teaching/consciousness raising, such as the SENTINEL program (a peer-support network to detect and prevent distress among military members and provide them with support), Chaplain Hours and advocacy/advice to the Chain of Command (CoC). Chaplain services are offered indiscriminately to all DND members and their families. General pastoral care, liaison/advocacy with CoC and non-violent crisis intervention are used disproportionately by members entering the CAF, members of lower rank/income and members who are younger.
• The chaplain’s advisory function is used by senior members of the CoC.
• The RCChS trained 2,475 SENTINELs^{Footnote 7} during FY 2020-21. There is no statistical breakdown of those trained by gender, age, racialized minority or language group.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Women recipients are tracked for all major honours. For some of the other groups (Indigenous, racialized minorities, LGBTQ2S+), while we can generally ask for more nominations, we cannot track current status and progress, as these identity factors are not recorded.

The RCChS has started developing a data collection tool that will permit real-time data input related to chaplain counselling, chaplain advisory, SENTINEL training, chaplain lead training, religious services and chaplain interventions (broken down by type of intervention, i.e. gender-based violence, sexual and/or hateful misconduct, Positive Space/LGBTQ2S+ concerns, suicidal ideation, spiritual support, etc., and further disaggregated by gender). This will replace the RCChS annual report. Implementation is planned for January 2022.

Program 3.7: Military History and Heritage (MPC)

Target Population: Canadian Army Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	-	●	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

DND and the CAF is conducting a full GBA Plus analysis of Canadian Forces Publication 265 Dress Instructions, with the aim of addressing disparities within dress for different groups, including women, men and gender-diverse persons. Direction and guidance is provided through the National Defence Clothing and Dress Committee.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for 2020-21.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility 3: Defence Team

Program name	Education and Skills Development	Economic Participation and Prosperity	Leadership and Democratic Participation	Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice	Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being	Gender Equality Around the World
Program 3.1 – Recruitment (MPC)	●	●	●	-	●	●
Program 3.2 – Individual Training and Professional Military Education (MPC)	●	-	●	●	-	●
Program 3.3 – Total Health (MPC)	●	●	●	-	●	-
Program 3.4 – Defence Team Management (MPC/HR CIV)	●	●	●	●	●	●
Program 3.5 – Military Transition (MPC)	●	●	-	●	●	-
Program 3.6 – Military Member and Family Support (MPC)	●	-	-	●	●	-
Program 3.7 – Military History and Heritage (MPC)	●	-	●	-	-	●

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility 3: Defence Team

-	Prosperity	Health	Environment	Society	Good Governance
Program 3.1 – Recruitment (MPC)	●	-	●	●	-
Program 3.2 – Individual Training and Professional Military Education (MPC)	-	-	-	●	●
Program 3.3 – Total Health (MPC)	●	●	-	●	●
Program 3.4 – Defence Team Management (MPC/HR CIV)	●	●	●	●	-
Program 3.5 – Military Transition (MPC)	●	●	-	●	-
Program 3.6 – Military Member and Family Support (MPC)	-	●	-	●	-
Program 3.7 – Military History and Heritage (MPC)	-	-	-	●	-

Core Responsibility 4: Future Force Design

Program 4.3: Land Force Development (CA)

Target Population: Canadian Army Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• The Canadian Army (CA) has incorporated GBA Plus into the project and policy process. CA has also worked with the Directorate for Gender Equality and Intersectional Analysis (DGEIA) to use GBA Plus in developing key project documentation related to capital equipment projects.
• The Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization (SOCEM) Initiative, while not a project, has incorporated GBA Plus principles from the outset and will use this lens to assess all elements of the evolution of operational clothing and equipment. The SOCEM initiative aims to deliver an integrated suite of modernized operational clothing, personal protective equipment and load carriage equipment that draws on GBA Plus findings to improve the performance and comfort of all soldiers. The initiative seeks to apply an iterative, developmental approach that relies on evergreen requirements that can be updated to leverage the latest advancements of industry.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility 4: Future Force Design

Program name	Education and Skills Development	Economic Participation and Prosperity	Leadership and Democratic Participation	Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice	Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being	Gender Equality Around the World
Program 4.3 – Land Force Development	●	●	-	-	-	-

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility 4: Future Force Design

-	Prosperity	Health	Environment	Society	Good Governance
Program 4.3 – Land Force Development	-	-	●	●	-

Core Responsibility 5: Procurement of Capabilities

There is currently nothing to report in this section. Due to the nature of procurement, while GBA Plus is integrated into all processes, there is little to no direct impact on beneficiaries as defined by Treasury Board. However, in time, a thorough GBA Plus will be used to identify, collect and report data regarding GBA Plus in this section. After this identification period, we will expect more comprehensive responses that better inform the Canadian public on how DND and the CAF are working to ensure GBA Plus is incorporated into every program, policy, service and operation.

Core Responsibility 6: Sustainable Bases, IT Systems and Infrastructure

Program 6.2: Defence Infrastructure Construction, Recapitalization and Investment (ADM IE)

Target Population: DND and CAF Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Programs officials conduct GBA Plus analyses in this program to ensure relevant factors are considered during the planning and execution of the program. This includes, but is not limited to, analyses on facilities, including toilet rooms, change rooms and showers, to ensure that they are designed and built as non-binary (gender-neutral or gender-inclusive) and that persons of all gender expressions are comfortable in their work environment.
• For example, GBA Plus considerations were implemented in the Halifax Drill Shed, which was one of the first gender-inclusive and gender-neutral buildings. Construction on this facility began in 2017, shortly after the Canadian Human Rights Act amendment was passed by Parliament, recognizing gender expression and gender identity as areas we cannot discriminate against.
• Construction of the gender-neutral and gender-inclusive facilities was completed in summer 2020. This piece of infrastructure is primarily a training facility, housing a simulated ship to conduct training and mock exercises. It contains showers, washrooms, change rooms and offices for the Royal Canadian Navy.
• A technical bulletin addressing the construction of new and renovated washrooms was published in October 2020.

Supplementary Information Sources:

Technical Bulletin 20-04 - Governing policies regarding new and renovated washrooms to be constructed.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

The Data Collection Plan is to obtain meaningful data once building occupancy resumes, using the following data collection methods:

1. Initial surveys
2. Inspections
3. Sampling interviews

Program 6.4: Military Family Housing (ADM IE)

Target Population: Military Personnel, Families of Military Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	-	●	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Housing assets are suitable to National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces needs: While the CAF is composed predominantly of men, military families and dependents are representative of the Canadian population and as such figure into most of the characteristics identified in Canadian Forces Housing Agency (CFHA) investment plans. Rental Crown housing is available to all members of the CAF and is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Housing entitlement is determined solely on the basis of household composition – this means that the size of the house allocated (number of bedrooms) is dependent on the number of people who will be living in it so that the family is not over- or under-housed.
• A portion of the housing portfolio is barrier-free and compliant with DND Construction Engineering and Technical Orders (CETOs) and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards but is not available in all locations. Additionally, CFHA makes efforts to accommodate special needs and accessibility requirements (e.g. install a wheelchair ramp) where possible when barrier-free housing is not available; these solutions are implemented based on individual needs and circumstances.

Location	Barrier-Free Accessible (CSA- and CETO-compliant)	Adapted (partially accessible)
Bagotville	-	1
Comox	-	1
Edmonton	1	2
Esquimalt	1	-
Gagetown	1	3
Halifax	1	-
Petawawa	1	7
Shilo	1	-
Trenton	-	3
Valcartier	1	-
Wainwright	2	-
Winnipeg	1	-
TOTAL	10	17

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

CFHA does not collect data on age, income level, gender (or other GBA Plus areas of interest) for the occupants of DND and CAF housing. As such, no data or statistics are available to report on key impacts for FY 2020-21 for the Military Housing Program.

Program 6.6: Environmental Sustainability and Protection (ADM IE)

Target Population: All Canadians

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	●	-	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

• Youth and future generations benefit the most from remediation, especially those who live near sites with long-term environmental monitoring in place, as they will have assurance that their food and drinking water sources will remain protected.
• Key impacts of the remediation of contaminated sites include the following:
  • Decrease in associated human health risks;
  • Improvement in community well-being;
  • Increase in economic opportunities in terms of employment and business growth; and
  • Support for the development of innovative technology.
• The employment and training opportunities generated by managing and remediating contaminated sites tend to indirectly benefit men at a higher rate than women, as the types of jobs and skills required (e.g. construction, science, engineering) are in fields that are dominated by men. Indigenous peoples are also currently underrepresented in the educational programs required for these jobs.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 6.7: Indigenous Affairs (ADM IE)

Target Population: Indigenous Peoples in Canada (First Nation, Métis, Inuit)

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women
By income level	Low	-	●	-	-	-	High

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
% of proposal assessments for treaty implications	2020-21 Result: 100%	Departmental Results Framework	All Memoranda to Cabinet submitted to Cabinet in FY 2020-21 included an attestation for an Assessment on Modern Treaty Implications.

Other:

• The Indigenous Affairs program seeks to promote the alignment of DND and CAF activities, operations, policies and programs with government-wide reconciliation commitments and obligations with respect to Indigenous peoples. The Indigenous Affairs program uses GBA Plus to provide relevant advice and support to the decision-making when it comes to how the design and delivery of policy, programs and initiatives will affect Indigenous peoples, Indigenous communities and Indigenous business.
• Over the course of the FY 2020-21, government-wide legal and policy considerations included, but were not limited to, the following:
  • The duty to consult Indigenous peoples; section 35 of Constitution Act, 1982;
  • Impact Assessment Act;
  • Bill C-15, An Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
  • Comprehensive Land Claims Policy;
  • Aboriginal Consultation and Accommodation: Guidelines for Federal Officials to Fulfill the Duty to Consult; Department of Justice guidance on implications of COVID-19 for Crown consultations with Indigenous groups;
  • Cabinet Directive on the Federal Approach to Modern Treaty Implementation; and
  • Indigenous Procurement Modernization: including the five percent mandate commitment to increase federal contracts to Indigenous businesses via the existing Procurement Strategy for Aboriginal Business and Indigenous benefits plans.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Program 6.8: Naval Bases (RCN)

Target Population: Royal Canadian Navy Personnel

Distribution of Benefits:

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	Fourth group	Fifth group	-
By gender	Men	-	-	●	-	-	Women

-	-	First group	Second group	Third group	-
By age group	Youth	-	●	-	Senior

Key Impacts:

Statistics	Observed ResultsFootnote *	Data Source	Comment
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Other:

While supporting Naval Force elements providing services to integral units, lodger units and dependencies, the following GBA Plus initiatives and actions were taken within the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) during FY 2020-21:

• Review of infrastructure names: In support of the CAF installation/facility review, an evaluation of all RCN namesake buildings and bases was conducted to identify historical references which may negatively impact members of designated communities. No concerns were identified, and a proactive plan is in place to work closely with RCN History and Heritage for the implementation of future symbolism and ship naming as the future fleet arrives through to 2050.
• COVID-19 modifications to base infrastructure: Worked with the Defence Advisory Group of Persons with Disabilities (DAGPWD) to identify and fix COVID-19 modifications to base infrastructure that were limiting to those with disabilities.
• Implementation of the newest designated group, Defence Team Pride Network (renamed to Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization in May 2021) at each RCN base (CFB Halifax and Esquimalt) to support and engage members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.
• Increase of support for members in the pre-natal and post-natal period: implementing designated parking spots for expecting members and creating safe spaces for pumping and milk storage upon returning to work.

GBA Plus Data Collection Plan:

Nothing to report for FY 2020-21.

Section 3: Program Links to Gender Results Framework

Core Responsibility 6: Sustainable Bases, IT Systems and Infrastructure

Program name	Education and Skills Development	Economic Participation and Prosperity	Leadership and Democratic Participation	Gender-based Violence and Access to Justice	Poverty Reduction, Health and Well-Being	Gender Equality Around the World
Program 6.2 – Defence Infrastructure Construction, Recapitalization and Investment (ADM IE)	-	●	-	-	●	-
Program 6.4 – Military Family Housing (ADM IE)	-	●	-	●	●	-
Program 6.6 – Environmental Sustainability and Protection (ADM IE)	-	●	-	-	●	-
Program 6.7 – Indigenous Affairs (ADM IE)	-	-	-	-	●	-
Program 6.8 – Naval Bases (RCN)	●	-	-	●	●	-

Section 4: Program Links to Quality of Life Framework

Core Responsibility 6: Sustainable Bases, IT Systems and Infrastructure

-	Prosperity	Health	Environment	Society	Good Governance
Program 6.2 – Defence Infrastructure Construction, Recapitalization and Investment (ADM IE)	●	-	●	-	-
Program 6.4 – Military Family Housing (ADM IE)	●	●	●	●	-
Program 6.6 – Environmental Sustainability and Protection (ADM IE)	-	●	●	-	-
Program 6.7 – Indigenous Affairs (ADM IE)	●	●	●	●	-
Program 6.8 – Naval Bases (RCN)	●	●	●	●	-

27 October, 2021