Message from the MND: Raise Your Voice Forum
May 19, 2022 - Defence Stories
Defence Team members,
On April 25, 2022, my Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination released their final report. The report contains 13 broad areas of opportunities for action and 43 specific recommendations that are intended to advise me, and the Defence Team senior leadership, on how to support DND and the CAF in becoming a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace.
Please join me virtually on May 24, 2022 at CFB Esquimalt at 11:00 am (Pacific Time) for the inaugural Raise Your Voice Forum (RYVF) where the Advisory Panel will share their insights on what they’ve learned during the course of their mandate.
The event will be livestreamed internally on MS Stream:
The RYVF, hosted by the Anti-Racism Secretariat, is a platform for DND/CAF members designed to raise awareness and increase collaboration to achieve a culture grounded in equity, diversity, and inclusion through learning the experiences of Indigenous, Black, and racialized members of the Defence Team. The RYVF provides racialized Defence Team members an opportunity to share their stories within the organization in an informal setting.
I am looking forward to having an open discussion with Defence Team members on equity, diversity, and inclusion to enable positive culture change and build a better workplace – free from racism and discrimination, where everyone feels safe, protected, and respected.
As Minister of National Defence, and as a racialized woman, it is important for me to continue to interact directly with Defence Team members in order to learn from your lived experiences, to hear about progress being made, and to welcome new ideas. RYVF is an opportunity to also ask questions and share observations that matter to you.
I am strongly committed to building a Defence Team where Canadians from all backgrounds feel welcomed to join and empowered to serve. I will continue to work on this mission with General Eyre and Deputy Minister Matthews, along with other leaders from across the organization.
I am looking forward to meeting with many of you during this event.
The Honourable Anita Anand
Minister of National Defence
Note: The stream of the event can only be viewed by DND/CAF users via D365 accounts. The video will be available for viewing on the same MS Stream links after the event.
Relevant Links
- For further details on Raise your Voice Forum: Watch the Defence Team panel discussion: Addressing racial inequities
- Minister’s Advisory Panel Final Report
- Minister’s Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism, Discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2 Prejudice, Gender Bias and White Supremacy