Defence Team

Description

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

Results

People continued to be at the core of everything Defence does to ensure Canada remains strong, secure and engaged in the world. Our mission success depends on having healthy, resilient, well-trained and motivated Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel supported by talented and dedicated defence civilians working within the Department of National Defence (DND). This integrated civilian-military Defence Team is the heart of our institution.

The COVID-19 pandemic continued to pose challenges to the Defence Team by exacerbating pre-existing shortfalls in the recruitment and retention of CAF members. The importance of building a Defence Team that supports the wide-ranging perspectives, cultural and linguistic diversity, gender balance, age and other distinctive attributes of our Canadian society cannot be overstated. This was a critical focus for the Defence Team in FY 2021-22 that served as the primary motivation for the many efforts identified in this section of the report. 

The CAF remained committed to our members and their families. Our people serve in complex environments that can involve high risks, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The knowledge that we continue to deliver essential programs and services reassures our troops with the knowledge that their families are being looked after. We continued to listen and adapt to ensure that new programs reflect our members and their families’ needs.

To address some of these challenges, the CAF strengthened the Professional Development Framework by developing concepts and modernizing the curriculum in some establishments, which has been achieved through the following initiatives:

• The Interim CAF Professional Development Strategy, developed by the Canadian Defence Academy with consultation across the CAF and the department is in the process of finalization and approval; 
• Implementing lessons learned from the previous year, the Canadian Forces College in Toronto, Ontario, continued to deliver professional military education in a hybrid residential distance learning mode. While challenging, this has ensured the continued development of senior CAF, allied and partner nation officers and other departmental leaders for their future roles;
• The Canadian Forces College instituted several culture change initiatives, starting with a Gender Based Analysis Plus of all programs, with a view to further improving the institution’s approach to equity, diversity and inclusivity;
• A first-principles review of the role, responsibilities, and structure of the Chief Warrant Officer Robert Osside Profession of Arms Institute was undertaken with the aim to leverage forthcoming opportunities. The institute is responsible for CAF-common professional military education for all senior non-commissioned members, training approximately 3 500 students per year with a staff of 36; and  
• The Introduction to Indigenous Cultures course, released in February 2021, has been completed by approximately 80 000 members of the Defence Team as of March 2022. 

National Defence has a long and proud history of supporting youth and Canada continues to be strengthened by the presence of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers programs in its communities. In FY 2021-22, the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers programs adapted to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic environment by providing training using virtual and alternative delivery methods. For example, Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers implemented the Summer Cadet Activity Program, in which thousands of young cadets participated in fun and safe activities in their own communities instead of the traditional summer camp program. The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and Commander Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers optimized the Cadet Program with a vision of making it more affordable, agile and accessible.

Through the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security program, work was conducted on the following research projects:

• Understanding and addressing post-traumatic stress disorder;
• An integrated human resources data management solution;
• Beyond the classroom, innovative language learning and retention; and
• Navigating your next chapter – The transition back to civilian life.

DND and the CAF continued to work toward the optimization of the Defence Team by executing the Defence Team Establishment Plan process, and by implementing the Defence Team Human Resources Strategy. This resulted in a better-aligned civilian and military workforce that enabled the achievement of DND and the CAF’s core mission and responsibilities.

The Defence Team continued to take deliberate and coordinated actions at all levels of the organization to eliminate discrimination, biases, harmful stereotypes, and systemic barriers. The Defence Team continued to prioritize comprehensive Support to Survivors . It focused on ensuring that supports are strong and well-established and continues to work towards expanding these supports.

DND also focused efforts on justice and accountability and culture change initiatives, including the following:

• Revising and redesigning the complaints system by facilitating access to services for Defence Team complainants. Once a complaint is submitted, the affected person will receive support, guidance, and information throughout, until the complaint has been resolved;
• Improving the promotion and selection process by incorporating psychometric assessments for candidates. The selection board members include a civilian and recommended candidates for promotion complete a 360 assessment and are vetted for misconduct; and
• Promoting inclusive leadership by ensuring that leaders selected for increasing levels of responsibility embody characteristics required to lead a diverse and operationally effective organization. DND and CAF leaders are now evaluated on inclusive behaviours. Training and education has also been offered on inclusive leadership.

The Department developed and refined programs and initiatives through extensive consultations with Defence Team members, partners, and external stakeholders. The Defence Team Conduct and Culture Consultation attracted more than 9000 personnel located across Canada - people who may not have been heard or listened to before. Their lived experiences and suggestions are reflected in our priorities and our approach to institutional culture change.

Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus)

All Government of Canada public servants and CAF members are required to ensure that their decisions (whether related to institutional or operational policies, programs, budgets, priorities, orders, etc.) are informed by the findings or conclusions of a GBA Plus. The findings or conclusions of a GBA Plus are commonly referred to as “gender perspectives” which is the language of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and is reflected in North Atlantic Treaty Organization and United Nations policies and plans.

Military Personnel Command made a number of notable strides in the institutionalization of GBA Plus. Additional Gender Focal Point and Gender Advisor positions were established within a number of directorates, further strengthening Military Personnel Command Gender Advisor and Gender Focal Point network. GBA Plus capacity-building was reinforced through this network, as well as through resource and supportive frameworks integration, particularly toward policy. Targeted work was undertaken to increase the diversity of recruits, with synchronized efforts in accordance with the Employment Equity Act, Strong, Secure, Engaged, and Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, through the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group. In FY 2021-22, new CAF doctrines were developed, including Trusted to Serve, and some others continue to be revised using GBA Plus, such as The Profession of Arms, and The Path to Dignity and Respect.

Likewise, professional development and education efforts, as well as governance processes established by the Canadian Defence Academy ensured greater integration and learning on GBA Plus as a means to enable culture change, particularly among CAF leaders. The overhauling of the CAF Dress Guidance and Instruction was an important undertaking that took place, ensuring its alignment with the Canadian Human Rights Act through utilizing GBA Plus findings. This Instruction seeks to promote respect, diversity, and inclusion. The impacts of GBA Plus are also visible in the Military Transition Program, out of the CAF Transition Group, which has been developed in a way that provides members with the opportunity for personalized transition based on their identities and experiences. Also in regard to the well-being of members, the Royal Canadian Chaplain Services has continued to train Sentinels, peers who detect and support members in distress. Work has continued through the Directorate of Honours and Recognitions to ensure that the selection process for the Order of Military Merit is free from discrimination.

GBA Plus has been continuously incorporated in the design and delivery of the Cadet and Junior Canadian Rangers programs. In FY 2021-22, National Defence completed a scientific study, Former Cadet Survey Development and Comparisons to the Canadian Population. An Evaluation of the Cadet Program’s Effectiveness in Attaining its Mandated Aim and Intended Participant Outcomes. This report provided valuable insight on the impact of the programs on former participants. The results were disaggregated by gender which provided stakeholders with insight on how the program impacts young men and young women differently. Furthermore, in an effort to further the Department’s understanding of its current Cadets and Junior Canadian Ranger population, a self-identification survey was developed in FY 2021-22 and is planned to be launched in FY 2022-23. This will allow the Department to expand its understanding of its youth participant’s demographics, to include all those of non-binary gender, as well as all equity groups. This information will be invaluable for the programs’ leaders, as it will help them continue to develop policies and programming that fosters an inclusive environment for all young Canadians who participate in the Department’s youth programs.

In FY 2021-22, the department has continued to progress its first Accessibility Plan, an evergreen document that will undergo regular review and updates with the aim to be completed by December 2022. This effort is part of the Department’s responsibilities, as outlined in the Accessible Canada Act.

More information on GBA Plus governance structures, human resources and key impacts can be found in the “GBA Plus Supplementary Information Table” in the Supplementary Information Tables section of this report.

Experimentation

Defence-related experimentation activities are outlined in this report under Core Responsibility 4 – Future Force Design.

Key Corporate Risk(s)

Defence acknowledges that misconduct is a critical concern. The resulting risk is currently being defined as Defence better frames the breadth of the issue.

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

There are numerous compounding factors that have negatively impacted the recruitment and retention of CAF personnel as illustrated in the results table below. This has broader implications on personnel training, readiness and operational effectiveness, and is an ongoing focus for the Defence Team across multiple initiatives. In FY 2021-22, DND/CAF endorsed and commenced the implementation of a plan to modernize military personnel generation and redesign the personnel production experience. With respect to recruiting objectives: 

• The COVID-19 public health measures limited the ability to complete in-person processing requirements. Implementation of digitized portions of the recruiting process has been delayed pending validation/approval of the test questions in order to activate the on-line un-proctored testing;
• Virtual recruitment was enhanced and included a Talk to a Recruiter campaign. The addition of TikTok and Facebook (see “Forces Job/Forces Emplois” on Facebook) to the approach generated positive results in terms of applicant participation and attendance;
• Business Intelligence software, which allows for aggregating, analyzing, and visualizing data, was utilized to collect and analyze information regarding recruiting operations. The approach allowed Defence to expand the collection of standardized data to include additional metrics that go beyond the foundational key performance indicators and in turn enable further analysis;
• The Canadian Forces Recruiting Group continued the prioritization of the processing and selection of women, Indigenous Peoples, and visible minorities. Various advertising campaigns were developed, including a campaign directed at women;
• Efforts continued to market, attract and recruit from Indigenous communities. Outreach processing was conducted for communities not within the geographical boundaries of a recruiting centre;
• As CAF individual training continued to be hampered by the COVID-19 imposed restrictions, unique and effective solutions were developed. They included the implementation of an additional front-loaded week to the basic training schedule, known as “week 0,” which was utilized to ensure a high level of COVID-19 pandemic testing and education for all candidates and staff. Accommodations were rearranged which greatly improved throughput;
• In FY 2021-22, combined training throughput between the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School and the Decentralized-Basic Military Qualification totalled 3723 personnel (2835 graduated, with 888 on training);
• A plan to resolve the staffing shortage at the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School by the summer of 2023 was developed. The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Canadian Army (CA) and Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) also agreed that once the school is fully staffed, any additional training requirements would be completed through the Decentralized-Basic Military Qualification courses;
• As directed in Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Royal Military College (RMC) Saint-Jean returned to status as a full, university-level educational institution, and 12 baccalaureate degrees in International Studies were granted to Officer Cadets in May 2021;
• Both military colleges, RMC Kingston and RMC Saint-Jean, continued to improve their support for the wellbeing of attending CAF students. This included targeted training, mentorship and educational opportunities; new committees which included diversity and equity, sexual violence, and culture change; and new Cadet chain of responsibility positions directly related to these initiatives; and
• The CAF developed its Retention Strategy, which is scheduled to launch in FY 2022-23.

It is now apparent that reduced CAF strength and readiness will take upwards of 5-10 years to remedy and is severely challenging the CAF’s ability to fulfill the Government of Canada’ policy objectives to defend Canada and Canadians, and engage with allies abroad. 

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.1 Canadian Armed Forces is growing toward its end state of 101,500 personnelFootnote 1	% of Regular Force positions that are filled	95 – 100%	31 March 2026	96.5%	93%	91.6%Footnote 2
	% of Reserve Force positions that are filled	At least 95%	31 March 2026	81.47%	79.78%	76%
	% of occupations with critical shortfalls	5% or less	31 March 2022	17.9%	50.5%	61.7%Footnote 3

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

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

The CAF’s health system responds directly to the needs of its members and, as such, the following efforts were delivered in FY 2021-22 by the Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS):

• High-quality health care services continued to be delivered via in-person and remote means. Provision of medical advice to bases/wings on public health measures remained a constant deliverable. CFHS supported Operation VECTOR INTERNUM, Operation VECTOR (multiple serials) and Operation LENTUS (multiple serials). Likewise, CFHS supported Operation REASSURANCE, Operation IMPACT, Operation UNIFIER and Operation AEGIS as part of the CAF expeditionary operations;
• Modernization of CFHS continued to progress, first by solidifying organizational governance. Key to this was the formalization and exercising of core CFHS decision-making bodies including the Health Research and Innovation Board, Capability Development, Resource Management, Quality, and the Medical and Dental councils. Each of these groups contributed to more effective and efficient decision-making across CFHS and were overseen and informed by the newly established Health Services Board at the executive level. Further progress was made on the definition and establishment of Authorities, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities associated with a broader restructuring of the CFHS organization along strategic and operational lines. These efforts have supported a finer focus in these specific domains to positive effect. This was bolstered by discrete initiatives to better align CFHS Reserve units with their supported organizations, and by furtherance of trials aimed at providing evidence for the viability of functional re-alignment of operational and clinical units. Taken together, these efforts provide for a better balanced CAF health system;
• CFHS continued with considerations for potential future engagement with provincial and territorial authorities to ensure that external healthcare services are charged at a fair and predictable rate; and
• A scalable aeromedical evacuation capability was created and maintained. There were 11 Medical Technicians established and employed across Canada in aeromedical evacuation roles. As well, a standing forward aeromedical evacuation Canadian Medical Emergency Response Team (CMERT) within the RCAF commenced training and development. In addition to the medical technicians, other CFHS medical specialists are part of CMERT with the composition tailored to the expected mission. RCAF CMERT continued training and planning throughout the year, but it is not expected to declare initial operational capability until FY 2022-23.

Additional efforts to support the health and well-being of the Defence Team in FY 2021-22 include the following:

• The Canadian Armed Forces Transition Group, along with its valued partners, continued to provide personalized, professional, and standardized casualty support and transition services to CAF members and their families. The ultimate goal of this group is for all members to achieve a smooth transition and enhanced well-being, with special attention provided to ill and injured personnel, their families and the families of the deceased. While we recognize there is still work to be done in this space, there was significant progress made in a number of areas. In FY 2021-22, the CAF Transition Group made progress and achieved results on the following: 
  • Conducted careful oversight, validation and continuous improvement of supports and services for the CAF’s ill, injured and transitioning members, veterans, their families and families of the fallen. An updated handbook for transition program staff was published and disseminated across all areas of the Transition Program to guide the standardization of operations and set expectations for service excellence;
  • Advanced the development of the CAF Transition Group toward Full Operational Capability via extensive hiring, robust staff training and development efforts to support the national rollout of full-service Transition Centres across all bases and wings by 2024;
  • Concluded the Transition Trial in Borden and Petawawa, Ontario, including Release Renewal, and produced the Trial Closure Report documenting best practices, lessons learned, and next steps for further development and refinement of transition processes, training, tools and policies;
  • Continued the ongoing effort to align the CAF Transition Group authorities, responsibilities and accountabilities, via the lead working group and associated sub-working groups, allowing the CAF to pursue key policy developments enabling improved support and service delivery for ill, injured and transitioning members;
  • Developed digital workflows, data collection and visualization tools for performance evaluation of transition policies and programs, and worked toward the improved integration of various tools and data for enhanced reporting capabilities; and
  • Worked with partners at Veterans Affairs Canada, via the Seamless Transition Task Force, to continue closing inter-departmental gaps in priority areas such as: member and veteran healthcare; training and education; skills and employment; digital integration; research and analytics; communications and public affairs; policy alignment; and Transition Centre implementation.
• The Total Health and Wellness Strategy was released in March 2022, presenting a renewed approach focused on the way we care for our people and improving the overall health and wellness of the Defence Team;
• The Canadian Forces Leave Policy Manual was amended to reflect new terms for compassionate and short leave;
• DND continued to implement the policies and procedures to meet the requirements and responsibilities set out in Bill C-65. CPCC partnered with other CAF initiatives to align responsibilities, policies, and programs that address elements of systemic misconduct across DND and the CAF. The Defence Team continued to work towards creating and maintaining a workplace free of harassment and violence;
• The Defence Team hosted virtual activities to promote wellness materials including access to a digital library offering hundreds of short videos, podcasts and blog posts by experts on everyday issues and on wellness topics. Virtual activities such as webinars, focused on improving overall mental health and well-being were recorded to ensure ongoing availability;
• The Office of Disability Management has expanded its services to support additional ill, injured or impaired public servants in various regions and address the significant increase in case volumes since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of a national model ensured support for processing high case volumes in regions. This provided a real-time view of the overall needs and positions for the Office of Disability Management to better serve the Defence Team;
• The Defence Team developed and deployed training on how to build and maintain a psychologically healthy workplace and increase health and wellness literacy. A catalogue of resources and educational tools was made accessible for employees and managers on how to maintain and improve mental health and well-being;
• The Defence Team was provided with access to a variety of resources and information to encourage healthy lifestyles. Virtual fitness and social connections such as Employee Assistance Services, the Employee Assistance Program, Peer Advisors, LifeSpeak, and Health and Wellness Articles were available to support employees with their total health and well-being. These programs helped Defence Team members cope with stress, and remain flexible and patient during this situation. Resources such as the Road to Mental Readiness infographic provide information on the signs, the indicators and the actions to take at each phase of the mental health continuum. Webinars and resources covering topics such as mental health in the workplace, coping with stress, self-care and resilience were also made available; and
• The Well-Being Survey was introduced to increase workplace well-being for Defence Team members through the Total Health and Wellness Strategy. The strategy focuses on various topics such as promoting a better work-life balance. Well-Being Survey results showed that work-family conflict remains a concern and a lack of work-life balance is a barrier to pursuing learning opportunities. DND is committed to facilitating a positive work-life balance through gaining a clear understanding of workloads, time pressures, prioritization and aligning the necessary tools for Defence Team members to better balance their priorities for optimal wellness both at work and at home.

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.2 The health and well-being of the Defence team is well supported	% of military personnel who are medically fit for their occupation	At least 90%Footnote 1	31 March 2022	89.84%	87%	87.1%Footnote 2
	% of military personnel who feel that the Canadian Armed Forces provides a reasonable quality of life for service members and their families	At least 85%Footnote 3	31 March 2022	56.7%	54.4%	34.4%Footnote 4
	% of Canadian Armed Forces members who report a positive level of workplace well-being	At least 71.5%Footnote 1	31 March 2022	71.5%	67.4%	Results not availableFootnote 5
	% of civilian employees who describe the workplace as psychologically healthy	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 6	To be determined by 31 March, 2022Footnote 6	79%	66%	Results not availableFootnote 6

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

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

The following activities were delivered in FY 2021-22 to progress Defence efforts aimed at on ensuring that the Defence Team reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society.

In partnership with the Integrated Conflict and Complaint Management program, the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC) is leading the implementation of the Restorative Engagement Program. This program provides class members (plaintiffs) from the Heyder Beattie class action (current and former members of the CAF, or employees of DND, and the Non-Public Funds who experienced sexual misconduct in connection with their military service and/or in the military workplace and are part of the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action Settlement) with an opportunity to share their experience(s) of sexual misconduct, the impacts, and/or their insights and ideas for culture change with senior Defence representatives in the CAF and DND. The process is facilitated by civilian restorative practitioners. Class members’ experiences of being acknowledged by DND and the CAF will contribute to meaningful culture change within the institution. It will also support restoring the relationship between class members and the Defence Team. When the program was launched in November 2021, the initial group of class members was kept small in order to ensure that all of the necessary resources, supports and systems were in place prior to contacting a larger group. The program will remain in place until all eligible class members of the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action Settlement have had the opportunity to participate.

Following the CAF-DND Sexual Misconduct Class Action Final Settlement Agreement, the SMRC played a lead role in establishing a Survivor Support Consultation Group. This group brought together three class member representatives and three representatives from DND and the CAF, supported by three experts. The objective of the Survivor Support Consultation Group was to ensure that those affected by sexual misconduct could directly influence the institution’s policies, programs, and services to respond to sexual misconduct and support survivors. In December 2021, the Survivor Support Consultation Group: Summary Report 2021 was publicly released. Its 45 recommendations were aimed at enhancing survivor support, as well as developing a stakeholder engagement framework. DND and the CAF affirmed their intent to use the report to guide culture change efforts and increase engagement on issues central to supporting diverse groups of survivors. DND/CAF are implementing the report’s recommendations, while also taking into account survivors’ insights to shape a Survivor Support Strategy and implementation plan.

In collaboration with Veterans Affairs Canada, the SMRC also initiated work on a Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program. This initiative aims to fill a critical gap in support for current and former CAF members. In fall 2021, individuals affected by military sexual misconduct provided insight and ideas for the program. These were summarized in the Military Sexual Trauma Peer Support Program: What We Heard Consultation Report. Work also began on developing and trialling virtual and face-to-face peer support options. The SMRC is also partnering with an online service called Togetherall to offer an evidence-based, peer-reviewed, peer-support service to those who need it as part of their recovery journey.

In partnership with Defence Research and Development Canada, the SMRC also began work on developing a mobile application, which will serve as a hub for accessing support services and resources. Once operational, this application will allow affected persons to access supportive counselling through a text function, in addition to the existing 24/7 phone line. New services will be added to the application in an iterative process, including online one-on-one peer support for current and former CAF members affected by military sexual misconduct.

In the spring of 2021, the SMRC began the regional expansion of the Response and Support Coordination program. At the end of FY 2021-22, two regional teams were staffed and operational in the Québec and National Capital regions. Dedicated SMRC Response and Support Coordinators located in these regions were made available to those who have experienced sexual misconduct and wish to receive ongoing support and assistance. While the remaining regions are being staffed, Response and Support Coordination services continue to be available and delivered nationally by coordinators already in place.

The SMRC also expanded its 24/7 confidential phone line and the Response and Support Coordination program to DND public service employees and former CAF members. This expansion allows the SMRC to reach more individuals within the Defence community who have been affected by sexual misconduct in order to provide ongoing support services.

The SMRC started to develop a trial program to provide free, independent legal advice for victims and survivors of sexual misconduct within the CAF/DND. This initiative will empower them to make informed choices. Short and long-term versions of the program were designed in FY 2021-22. It was determined that a reimbursement program that would pay for the cost of independent legal advice is the most practical option for meeting the immediate needs of victims as part of a short-term delivery approach, and so efforts continue to implement this option.

The Defence Team assisted Statistics Canada with revisions to the third iteration of the Survey on Sexual Misconduct in the CAF, with data collection expected to begin in fall FY 2022-23.

The Building Our Future program is a comprehensive prevention program for cadets. It is intended to promote respect through awareness and understanding, to empower students and future CAF members to take a stand against sexual misconduct, and to support individuals affected by it. The program is progressive, with each workshop aiming to develop knowledge and skills that will generate a culture change within the CAF. Implementation of the program was paused in FY 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Following the culmination of Operation HONOUR, the program’s content was reviewed, and components that were directly impacted as no longer relevant were identified. New content (e.g.: scenarios, activities, facilitated discussions) was developed to replace what was no longer relevant. Implementation of the program is anticipated to resume in FY 2022-23.

The SMRC developed new research studies based on their prevention research strategy. These studies will provide a better understanding of sexual misconduct in the CAF. Results will be used to make recommendations for future prevention strategies.

The Defence Team is committed to, and continued to focus on, addressing and preventing all forms of systemic misconduct and supporting anyone who has been harmed. Pathways to Progress was conceived as an action plan to capture and consolidate some of the key efforts scheduled or underway in the near term to remediate and prevent further harm to Defence Team members and build a foundation for positive and measurable change. The conduct and culture change progress tracker is updated on a regular basis with more information on the whole-of-Defence-Team approach.

DND/CAF continued to develop and implement harassment and discrimination prevention activities related to applicable conflict and complaint management practices. These activities include awareness, outreach, and training. Through the Canadian Armed Forces Modernization process, CPCC has worked on developing a mechanism to align the CAF harassment process with the Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention process and cultivate a one-stream approach for the Defence Team. This will support efforts to streamline and simplify these processes.

• The Defence Team continued to respond to the Clerks Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Workplace, and the Minister’s mandate letter, which included explicit commitments to reconciliation, intersectional approaches, and the elimination of anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, gender bias, white supremacy and prejudice against LGBTQ2+ communities. DND/CAF has committed to implementing the recommendations from former Justices Arbour and Fish, and to ensuring comprehensive reproductive healthcare, child care, and mental health support.
• The CAF employment equity plan 2021-2026 is the CAF’s deliberate response to the need to increase representation, inclusion, and participation of underrepresented groups – women, visible minorities, Indigenous Peoples, Persons with Disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ2+ communities, across all levels in the CAF to eliminate employment barriers:
  • The CAF also integrated actions to mitigate barriers for LGBTQ2+ communities, aligning the CAF with broader Government of Canada and societal expectations. In addition, the release of Emerging from the Purge: The State of LGBTQI2S Inclusion in the Federal Workplace and Recommendations for Improvement in May 2021 provided recommendations for the Defence Team, which are currently under review;
  • The CAF employment equity Plan 2021-2026 was created using evidence-based recommendations and research that identified barriers to employment of designated group members. It has integrated specific reporting questions that must be answered annually by DND/CAF organizations to demonstrate whether the CAF is on track with its short and long term representation goals and how effective its communication is at attracting members of underrepresented groups. The purpose of the reporting questions is to demonstrate progress in achieving the CAF’s commitment to employment equity;
  • This plan contains specific action items aimed at increasing diversity in the CAF. For example, the CAF continues to conduct a GBA Plus analysis of the recruitment process and conducts a cyclical review of CAF member policies (including but not limited to promotion, leave policies, compensation, and benefits) and to integrate the findings into future planning;
  • The plan contains specific action items aimed at eliminating employment barriers that will enable the CAF to increase its representation of designated groups and increase diversity and inclusion; and
  • The CAF also integrated actions in order to mitigate barriers for LGBTQ2+ communities, aligning the CAF with broader Government of Canada and societal expectations.

DND/CAF is committed to providing an inclusive, equitable and respectful work environment for its employees in support of the provisions outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged. The department implemented the following actions to ensure that all Defence Team members are treated with respect and dignity and to rebuild the confidence of Canadians in the institution of National Defence:

• Implemented employment equity, diversity and inclusion action plans and initiatives outlined in the related Directive aimed at increasing diversity and inclusion in the civilian workforce;
• Prioritized diversity and inclusion as a theme at key activities over the course of the year, such as executive town halls and executive orientation and most recently, a joint town hall with Global Affairs Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the Department of Justice featuring Dr. Livingston – How to Advance Racial Equity Collectively with Concrete Actions; and
• Over the past year, diversity and inclusion has underpinned several executive engagement events including Executive Virtual Power Hours and Executive town halls with topics such as Anti-Racism, Understanding Indigenous Worldview through the Lens of a 60’s Scoop Survivor, and Beyond Pride: Creating a High-Trust and Safe Workplace.

The department has taken concrete steps to address the Clerk of the Privy Council’s Deputy Minister Corporate Commitments on Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism. To lead the effort in identifying and addressing systemic barriers within the Defence Team, an Anti-Racism Secretariat has been established. The department is also committed to ensuring greater reflection of diversity and promotion of inclusion, updating workplace programs and policies, and effecting culture change. To that end, it led and implemented the following:

• Fostered inclusive leadership by increasing representation in its executive cadre through a diversity and inclusion strategy for the executive community that aims to address employment equity and diversity gaps at the most senior levels of the department - particularly via recruitment and talent management initiatives. In FY 2020-21, DND/CAF incorporated employment equity and GBA Plus review into all elements of executive recruitment and staffing to minimize bias and promote inclusion;
• Continued to further basic awareness and understanding of unconscious biases in the executive cadre. This is done by requiring the completion of anti-racism and unconscious bias training. This training was also implemented for the human resources community and for hiring managers; and 
• Facilitated discussions with senior leaders to start the de-stigmatization of discussions on racism and anti-Black racism on unconscious bias and systemic racism.

The department also increased recruitment and retention of Indigenous people, Black people and other racialized groups, persons with disabilities and members of the LGBTQ2+ community through the following initiatives:

• Targeted recruitment and mandatory organizational need considerations were established with clear objectives and outcomes in terms of increased representation of equity-seeking communities through accountability. Measurement metrics were embedded in each of the employment equity and diversity and inclusion Action Plans in terms of employment equity hiring targets and diversity and inclusion learning activities. The metrics were also embedded in the DND Functional Planning Guidance;
• Implemented mandatory diversity in the selection boards for executive recruitment. Notably, an EX-01 Visible Minority pool was established and used to staff EX-01 positions within DND and other government departments. This recruitment initiative piloted innovative assessment tools and had a fully diverse assessment board supported by an advisory panel of diversity and inclusion experts from both inside and outside government;
• Created an Anti-Racism Secretariat, an Anti-Racism Staffing Taskforce and a Diverse Selection Board Inventory to increase the diversity of selection board members in the recruitment process for non-executives;
• In FY 2021-22, the Executive Development Program, designed to increase representation and develop the Department’s talent pipeline of aspiring executives in employment equity groups, including Indigenous peoples, and LGBTQ2+ communities, welcomed its first cohort in June 2021 and a second cohort in February 2022;
• DND has also partnered with the Association of Professional Executives of the Public Service of Canada to enhance the onboarding of executives through the Brave Space pilot project, a one-year series of bilingual and dynamic small group discussions to help new executives, from diverse backgrounds and communities to thrive in their new roles and enhance our culture of inclusion at Defence;
• The Departmental Executive Leadership Development nomination process was reviewed to ensure representation of racialized communities, in order to reduce barriers and provide optimal breadth of experience and development; and  
• DND continued to implement a Pilot Mentorship Program during the onboarding process for all employees and specifically those from underrepresented communities to ensure they are well supported. The focus was on providing mentoring and sponsorship opportunities to Indigenous, Black and other racialized Defence Team employees.

Further, the department established and reviewed internal systems, policies, programs, and initiatives including the following:

• GBA Plus continued to be utilized in reviews of human resources, procurement, and communications policies, programs and initiatives through strategic planning activities. Various identity factors, including race, ethnicity, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identification and expression, and mental or physical disability, are considered to identify systemic racism and barriers to accessibility and disability inclusion to inform workforce tracking and reporting, programming and strategic decision-making; and
• DND continued to foster various perspectives on internal policies, programs, and operations by ensuring that employees from equity-seeking communities have membership, in and that their views are represented at meetings of executive committees, advisory boards, occupational safety and health committees, and other horizontal committees through the employment equity and diversity and inclusion action plan process.

The Canadian Army prepared a virtual ceremony for the Government of Canada to announce its commitment to a year-long period of consultation and prepared an apology scheduled for FY 2022-23 to the descendants of the No. 2 Construction Battalion members. A video and website were co-produced with community leaders to initiate and facilitate the consultation and planning processes.

The Canadian Army also undertook its first annual review of its policy against hateful conduct to validate its effectiveness and alignment with other CAF policies.

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.3 The Defence team reflects the values and diversity of Canadian society	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as a woman	At least 25.1%	31 March 2026	16%	16.3%Footnote 1	16.3%Footnote 2
	% of civilians in the Defence team who self-identify as a woman	At least 39.1%	31 March 2026	40.8%	Results not available	41.5%
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as a visible minority	At least 11.8%	31 March 2026	9.4%	9.5%Footnote 1	10.8%Footnote 1
	% of civilians in the Defence team who self-identify as a visible minority	At least 8.4%	31 March 2026	9.6%	Results not available	Results not available Footnote 3
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as an Indigenous person	At least 3.5%	31 March 2026	2.8%	2.8%Footnote 1	2.9%Footnote 1
	% of civilians who self-identify as an Indigenous person	At least 2.7%	31 March 2026	3.4%	Results not available	Results not availableFootnote 3
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as victims of harassment	11.9% or less	31 March 2022	16.7%	15.5%	20.8%Footnote 4
	% of civilians who self-identify as victims of harassment	10% or less	31 March 2026	14%	12%	Results not availableFootnote 5
	% of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who self-identify as victims of discrimination	9.2% or less	31 March 2022	11.8%	14.5%	14.8%Footnote 6
	% of civilians who self-identify as victims of discrimination	5% or less	31 March 2026	7%	7%	Results not availableFootnote 5
	Annual number of reported incidents of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 7	To be determined by 31 March 2022	356	431	444
	Number and type of actions taken in response to reported sexual misconduct incidents by the Defence Team	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 7	To be determined by 31 March 2022	356	431	444
	Number of Canadian Armed Forces members who have attended a training session related to sexual misconduct (Operation HONOUR)	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 7	To be determined by 31 March 2022	Results not available New indicator as of 2020–21	1 224	650Footnote 8
	% of civilians in the Defence team who have completed mandatory harassment training	At least 85%	31 March 2026	Results Not available New indicator as of 2020–21	31%	78.6%
	Annual number of reported incidents of sexual misconduct in the Defence Team civilian personnel	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 9	To be determined by 31 March 2022Footnote 8	Results Not available New indicator as of 2020–21	Results Not available New indicator as of 2020–21	24Footnote 8

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

Departmental Result 3.4 – Military families are supported and resilient

Through the Military and Veteran Family Services Program, DND continued to enhance the well-being and resilience of military families at home and abroad by providing a wide variety of locally and nationally delivered programs and activities. The following results were observed in FY 2021-22:

• Increased use of the Family Information Line was observed. The Family Information Line is a confidential, personal, bilingual and free service offering information, support, referrals, reassurance, appointment-based virtual counselling, and crisis management to the military community. It serves CAF members, veterans and their families (immediate and extended);
• A broad variety of virtual services and programs were offered through CAFconnection.ca that resulted in a significant increase in usage of the Virtual Military Family Resource Centre support to family members for issues involving access to health care, spousal employment and relocation, and postings;
• The Spousal Employment Program, which consists of the Military Spousal Employment Network, supported by the DND Military Spouse Employment Initiative and other activities for online career development as well as the Military Family Resource Centre’s employment services, logged over 700 newly registered spouses for the Military Spousal Employment Network and over 100 registered spouses for online career counselling. In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, three virtual career fairs were hosted; and
• Development of the Comprehensive Military Family Strategy began in FY 2021-22 to enhance family resilience, particularly during relocations, extended absence, injuries, and transitions related to the unique military lifestyle.

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.4 Military families are supported and resilient	% of Canadian Armed Forces families who feel they meet the challenges of military life	At least 85%	31 March 2022	87.6%	87.6%	Results Not AvailableFootnote 1
	% of Canadian Armed Forces members who are satisfied with the overall support their family receives from the Canadian Armed Forces	At least 85%	31 March 2023	67.4%	67.4%	58.5%Footnote 2

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

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

In FY 2021-22, the department continued implementing its Strong, Secure, Engaged Defence Policy Activity C action items and the management action plan in response to the Evaluation of the Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (Youth Program) published in 2020. Key results included the following:

• Continued operationalization of the Memorandum of Understanding Among The Canadian Armed Forces and The Navy League of Canada and The Army Cadet League of Canada and The Air Cadet League of Canada and supported the Consultative Framework through the establishment of a new League Support Working Group;
• Increased direct support to the Junior Canadian Rangers Program and ongoing capability development of the CA’s Directorate of Canadian Rangers; further reinforcing the current and respective CAF organizational command and control roles and related Authorities, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities;
• Participated in the newly established CAF Reserve Force Development Working Group to ensure strategic alignment and integration of the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service Reserve Force sub-component;
• Initiated a Life-Cycle Maintenance of the Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service occupational specification to ensure that relevant aspects of the new general specifications for officers and non-commissioned members are included and properly aligned with the CAF’s Military Employment Structure;
• Published all existing Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers (CJCR) policies on canada.ca and announced of 52 new CJCR Group Orders and Canadian Cadets General Messages, inclusive of the ongoing conversion of Cadet Administrative and Training Orders to CJCR Group Orders;
• Initiated the Cadet Program Re-Scope in accordance with the Strategic Initiating Directive: Cadet Program Re-Scope and Pan-DND/CAF Support Expectations;
• Launched the CADET365 platform as part of the CJCR’s Digital Strategy which enabled all levels of the CJCR organization and key stakeholders to conduct virtual training and engagement; and
• Completed the National Defence scientific report, “Former Cadet Survey Development and Comparisons to the Canadian Population: An Evaluation of the Cadet Programs Effectiveness in Attaining its Mandated Aim and Intended Participant Outcomes.”

Results achieved

Departmental results	Performance indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2019–20 Actual results	2020–21 Actual results	2021–22 Actual results
3.5 Youth in Canada are provided with experience and opportunities that enable a successful transition to adulthood	% of the target Canadian youth population that participates in Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers	At least 2%	31 March 2022	2.06%	2.02%	1.73%Footnote 1

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Defence Team, budgetary spending for FY 2021–22, as well as actual spending for that year.

2021–22 Main Estimates	2021–22 Planned spending	2021–22 Total authorities available for use	2021–22 Actual spending (authorities used)	2021–22 Difference (actual spending minus planned spending)
3,554,626,936	3,554,626,936	3,921,382,349	3,648,870,768	94,243,832

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for FY 2021–22.

2021–22 Planned full-time equivalents	2021–22 Actual full-time equivalents	2021–22 Difference (actual full-time equivalents minus planned full-time equivalents)
18,059	19,256	(1,197)

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