Personnel

• My top priority as Minister of National Defence is to foster a healthy, inclusive, and respectful workplace where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
• This work will make our entire Defence Team stronger and our military forces more operationally effective and combat ready to step in during times of crisis.
• Across the Defence Team, we are prioritizing work through three lines of effort: support to survivors, justice and accountability and culture change.
• For example, the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre is expanding its services and will continue to develop programs and improve processes to meet the needs of those affected by sexual misconduct.
• We are also incorporating and measuring inclusive behaviours through the respective performance management processes for military members and public service employees.
• Critical to all our work on culture change is the continued consultation and engagement of members of the Defence Team and external partners and stakeholders.
• We are prioritizing efforts that will have an impact on our culture in the short-term, while planning for change in the long-term, all of which will be informed by Madame Arbour’s upcoming review.

• National Defence is prioritizing efforts to enact meaningful culture change, to grow the Canadian Armed Forces, and to ensure that our forces reflect Canada’s diversity.
• This work will make our entire Defence Team stronger and our military forces more operationally effective and combat ready.
• I am pleased to report that we will launch a new retention strategy in 2022 to retain members, including from underrepresented groups.
• This will be complemented by efforts to maximize the staffing of recruiting centres and training schools, while redesigning basic training with a focus on professional values, resilience, and military skills to build more inclusive teams.
• Additionally, National Defence is reviewing its training at every level to ensure we remain ready to excel at operations at home and abroad.
• Through these efforts, we will create a diverse, modern, and agile Canadian Armed Forces that will attract talented Canadians for years to come.

If pressed on recruitment and retention of women:

• We understand that military service places unique demands on families and women.
• That is why we recently announced new options for compassionate family-related leave, as well as measures to enhance women’s health care.
• We are also conducting focused engagement activities with communities across Canada to increase enrolment of women in the Defence Team.
• Additionally, we are prioritizing women applicants for all CAF enrollment programs, including at military colleges.
• Since February, we have also made our ranks more inclusive: French versions of all ranks now have official feminine equivalents, so that members can be addressed in a way that they feel best represents their gender identity.

If pressed on vaccination challenges:

• The vaccination mandate is intended to protect the Canadian Armed Forces and it is vital to maintaining operational readiness.
• Each case will be subject to a procedurally fair review before a decision is made.

• There is no place on the Defence Team for hateful conduct, racism, or discrimination.
• That is why we are taking concrete action across the Defence Enterprise to root out harmful behaviour that is incompatible with our ethics and values, and undermines the organization’s operational effectiveness.
• This includes soon publishing the new ethos Trusted to Serve, which will better outline the professional expectations for our members.
• In addition, the Commanders of the Canadian Army, Navy, and Air Force have issued specific hateful conduct orders that provide direction on how to prevent, detect, and respond to hateful conduct within the ranks.
• We have also developed a tracking system to ensure the Defence Team has the capability to identify and track any suspected incidents.
• We remain committed to creating a workplace that is free of hateful conduct, racism, and discrimination so that all members of the Defence Team feel safe, protected, and respected.

If Pressed on Anti-Racism Secretariat and Advisory Panel:

• We created the Anti-Racism Secretariat to support National Defence Leadership in their efforts to address systemic racism and discrimination.
• This Secretariat also supports the Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination through identifying and proposing solutions to systemic barriers, and promoting culture change.
• The Panel delivered its final report and recommendations to address the policies, processes, and practices that enable discriminatory behaviours within National Defence, which I have reviewed and shared with Senior Leadership. The final report will be released before the end of April.

• We recognize that women in the Canadian Armed Forces have unique health needs and that tailored resources and services must be available to support their health and well-being.
• That is why we are taking concrete steps to make our health resources and services more inclusive for women.
• For example, women members often face challenges related to accessible and private spaces to pump breast milk.
• For this reason, we are making private lactation spaces available for members who wish to pump or nurse while on duty.
• Additionally, to ensure that pregnant members have uniforms in which they can comfortably and safely perform their duties, we have implemented a new reimbursement program for maternity and nursing uniform shirts.
• New types of compassionate leave also enable members to take leave for situations of pregnancy or adoption loss, as well as family violence.
• We are committed to continue working with our women members to identify the gaps and needs in our current health care system, and take action to address them. 

If Pressed on Total Health and Wellness Strategy:

• In keeping with these important initiatives, the Total Health and Wellness Strategy, released on March 4, 2022, includes a Women’s Health Framework for the first time.
• This Framework enhances access to care and services, and helps educate all Canadian Armed Forces members on women’s health care in the military context.
• This includes ensuring operational planning takes into consideration the health needs of women while on deployment. 

• Military service places unique demands on our brave personnel in uniform.
• That is why National Defence offers a wide range of programs and services to meet the needs of our civilian and military members, including in-house mental health clinics and referral options to over 4,000 mental health care providers.
• This includes dedicated specialist mental health professionals at 31 of 37 Canadian Armed Forces Health Services Centres, a 24/7 phone referral service for access to counselling, and peer support for those coping with operational stress.
• The Canadian Armed Forces Chaplain Service also provides personal support and can refer members to social workers, psychologists, or other medical services.
• The Road to Mental Readiness Program has also expanded programming for specific high risk occupations such as search and rescue technicians and health services personnel.
• We are committed to ensuring our military personnel have access to the robust, high quality mental health care and services they need and deserve.

If pressed on suicide prevention:

• We recognize the lasting and tragic effect that the loss of a military member to suicide has on their families, friends, colleagues, and the entire Defence Team.
• The Canadian Armed Forces Suicide Prevention Action Plan is centred on training and support programs and services.
• These programs and services are aimed at promoting resilience through spirituality, physical fitness, financial support, counselling, awareness, and specific services for deployed personnel.

• We recognize the personal toll the pandemic has taken on all Canadians, including Canadian Armed Forces members.
• Challenges of affordable housing, the rising cost of living, and the intense operational tempo of recent years have compounded these challenges for our members.
• That is why we have taken action to increase support for our members and reduce stress on them and their families.
• For example, we took steps to reduce the number of relocations and extended the time permitted for relocation, as well as reimbursing unexpected expenses arising from COVID-19.
• Additionally, the Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services provides resources to help our members and their families navigate postings, such as finding child care, health care and children’s education.

If Pressed on Compensation:

• We also continually monitor and review the Canadian Armed Forces benefits and pay rates to help ensure all members are well compensated for their service to Canada.
• In February 2021, the Government increased military members’ rates of pay to ensure alignment with increases received by the Federal Public Service.
• This pay increase applies to general service officers at the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and below and will help ensure the attraction and retention of the highest standard of personnel.  

• Bilingualism is a cornerstone of our national identity and is an asset to the Defence Team’s operational effectiveness.
• That is why National Defence continues to foster the use of both French and English in our daily operations.
• This includes providing French and English training to Canadian Armed Forces members through programs and services across Canada.
• Every year, our bilingual facilities in St-Jean offer training in both official languages on academics, military leadership and physical fitness.
• We also provide services in both languages to members and their families to support their well-being as they progress throughout their career.
• National Defence will continue working to promote bilingualism within its ranks to leverage the diversity and expertise of all Canadians.

• National Defence takes the issue of individual privacy seriously.
• I was deeply disturbed by the privacy breach of claimants’ personal information by Epiq, the independent court appointed administrator for the Heyder-Beattie class action lawsuit. 
• Epiq informed us that the disclosure did not include any details on, or the nature of, any claims.
• We have requested that Epiq takes urgent and meaningful steps to ensure that this matter is contained, resolved, and will not happen again. 
• Given the importance of the Heyder-Beattie agreement, every step will be taken to safeguard personal sensitive information.
• National Defence is exploring various options, in collaboration with Epiq and various other stakeholders, to minimize the potential future risk related to the protection of personal information.
• We admire the courage it takes for our members, past and present, to come forward and report their experiences and we will work diligently to protect their private information.

If pressed on what is being done to ensure the personal information of claimants is safe:

• We are assessing our options to ensure that Epiq takes appropriate measures in responding to these privacy breaches, and that they guarantee the security of their claims administration process.