From concept to reality: Establishing a Defence Team Anti-Black Racism Ministerial Advisory Committee
March 21, 2025 - Defence Stories
The Defence Team is taking concrete steps to establish a National Advisory Committee for the Minister of National Defence on Anti-Black Racism. The Committee will provide external and independent advice and guidance on Defence Team anti-Black racism policies, programs and initiatives aimed at eliminating systemic barriers.
Announced by the Minister of National Defence in November 2024, the establishment of the Committee marks the completion of all the recommendations in the National Apology Advisory Committee (NAAC) Report, which provided a framework to make the Government of Canada’s historic apology to the descendants of the 2 Construction Battalion meaningful. The 2 Construction Battalion was a segregated non-combatant unit that served during the First World War. The members of the battalion conducted themselves with honour and professionalism in the face of prejudice, hate and an unwillingness of other Canadians to serve shoulder to shoulder with them against a common enemy.
The Committee’s mandate honours the legacy of the 2 Construction Battalion by informing institutional change within the Defence Team. It serves as a commitment to remembering our history and forward-looking efforts to build a more modern, strong and resilient Defence Team, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
Over the past few months, the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) organization has been working with various internal and external stakeholders, particularly the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia (BCCNS), to support the successful launch and operation of the Committee. The BCCNS will soon initiate a Canada-wide outreach campaign, inviting individuals with a broad range of lived experiences to join the Committee and play a pivotal role in informing the Defence Team so that it reflects the country it serves.
It is anticipated that the Committee will hold its inaugural meeting in July 2025. This milestone will coincide with annual 2 Construction Battalion Remembrance Ceremony events, demonstrating a connection between acknowledging historical wrongs and present-day efforts to correct them.
For more information about the Committee, please contact the Director, Antiracism Implementation team in CPCC.