Madame Arbour’s Final Report Released: What does it mean for the Defence Team?

June 6, 2022 -  Defence Stories

The recently released final Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review (IECR) of DND/CAF provides 48 recommendations that fall within eleven areas of focus and seek to prevent and/or eradicate sexual harassment and misconduct in the DND/CAF.

Note: The release of this report may evoke a range of responses. Should you or someone you know have experienced an incident of sexual misconduct, there are resources available to support current and former members of the Defence Team.

The final report will be made available in an accessible format by mid-June 2022. In the meantime, key excerpts from the report can be found, and a full copy is available in PDF format by sending an email request to information@forces.gc.ca.

What does this mean for the Defence Team today?

Work will begin immediately to implement 17 of the IECR’s recommendations - either through new efforts, or by strengthening existing programs already underway. This includes:

• Renaming the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre (SMRC) to the Sexual Misconduct Resource Centre and evolving SMRC’s role to primarily provide resources for complainants, victims, and survivors of sexual misconduct. (Recommendations 12 and 13)
• Having the SMRC facilitate immediate access to legal assistance to victims of sexual misconduct, across the country and enhancing the role and structure of the SMRC. (Recommendations 14, 15, 17, and 18)
• In relation to CAF recruiting and training, creating probationary periods to better assess trainees, outsourcing some recruitment functions and increasing the professional competence of recruiters, and ensuring that problematic attitudes on culture and gender-based issues are dealt with early on. (Recommendations 20, 21, and 22)
• Incorporating a senior civilian advisor to assist the MND in approving the promotions of General and Flag Officers. (The senior civilian advisor will not be a current member of the Defence Team, and will work to ensure that General and Flag Officers reflect the demographic composition of our country.) (Recommendation 32)
• Improve the evaluation and certification processes for Generals and Flag Officers, and other commissioned and non-commissioned officers. (Recommendations 33 and 35)
• The Assistant Deputy Minister (Review Services) to brief the MND directly on all investigations related to sexual harassment, sexual misconduct and leadership culture in the Defence Team, and on statistics and activities related to other particular investigations. (Recommendations 41 and 42)
• The Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture to post a public online database of research and policies relating to sexual harassment and misconduct, gender, sexual orientation, race, diversity and inclusion, and culture change. (Recommendation 45)
• The MND to inform Parliament of any recommendations that the Government does not intend to implement by the end of 2022, and appoint an External Monitor, mandated to oversee the implementation of recommendations. (Recommendations 47 and 48)

In addition to the recommendations for which immediate action will be taken, three sections in the report contemplate systemic change, which the DND/CAF has also committed to studying, analyzing, and developing plans to respond to them. This includes:

• Criminal Code sexual offences should be entirely removed from the jurisdiction of the military justice system, and that they should be prosecuted in civilian criminal courts. (Recommendation 5) This is a bold and system-changing recommendation, and the Government will examine it in earnest, all while Madame Arbour’s interim recommendation remains in effect.
• Urgently address longstanding culture concerns at Royal Military College campuses in Kingston and St-Jean. (Recommendation 29) As this recommendation is studies, the DND/CAF will concurrently work to create a safer and more inclusive learning environment for our cadets, including by adopting Madame Arbour’s recommendation to expand the focus of the exit interview to include cadets’ experiences with sexual misconduct or discrimination.
• Improve the diversity of senior leaders in the organization, and taking steps to set and meet clear goals for diversity in our military – to ensure that this crucial institution represents the demographic composition of our country. (Recommendation 36 through 40)

What’s next?

A report of this magnitude and level of detail requires a thorough analysis. The DND/CAF will now take a holistic approach to the more than 500 culture-related recommendations and tasks indexed from 19 different sources.

This will move us from a check-box, recommendation-focused approach, to addressing common thematic issues that will be linked to desired outcomes. This work is key for the DND/CAF in developing a Departmental Action Plan. The MND has committed to reporting to Parliament before the end of the year on how the government will implement the rest of the recommendations.

The DND/CAF will continue to listen to and learn from Defence Team members and external stakeholders and partners to ensure a fully collaborative approach as we move forward.

Related links:

• Independent External Comprehensive Review
• Message to the Defence Team on the release of the final report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review
• Key excerpts from the Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces
• Backgrounder: Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces – Final Report and Next Steps