Message from the Defence Team 2SLGBTQI+ Champion: Public Service Pride Week 2026

August 14, 2026 – Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 1:56

Public Service Pride Week (PSPW) is an important opportunity for the Defence Team to recognize and celebrate the contributions of Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) colleagues, while reflecting on the ongoing work required to build a truly inclusive workplace.

This week underscores our shared responsibility to foster a culture of belonging where diversity is valued, differences are respected, and all members can contribute fully to our mission. It reminds us that inclusion is not only a workplace imperative but also a source of strength that enhances our effectiveness, readiness, and ability to serve Canadians.

The 2026 PSPW theme "Everybody In!" highlights our collective power to create an inclusive and supportive workplace worth coming into. Through active allyship, we are building an inclusive Defence Team where every person feels respected, valued, and empowered.

Inclusion is everyone's responsibility, and one that should not be limited to a few. Allyship is one of the ways we can work together to create an inclusive workplace. Allyship is more than support in principle; it is demonstrated through our concrete and supportive actions. It means listening to the lived experiences of others, challenging bias and discrimination, and standing alongside colleagues who are facing barriers because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

As leaders, managers, supervisors, and team members, we are accountable for the culture we create. This means addressing discriminatory behaviour when it occurs, removing barriers to participation and advancement, and implementing equitable opportunities to succeed. Building an inclusive Defence Team requires sustained commitment, measurable action, and leadership at every level of our organization.

PSPW also provides an important opportunity to reflect on the dark history of the LGBT Purge in Canada, during which thousands of Canadians, including members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the federal public service, experienced systemic discrimination, harassment and dismissal. In recognition of this history, this year marks the opening of the 2SLGBTQI+ National Monument, "Thunderhead", which is a visible landmark in Ottawa that recognizes the discrimination faced by generations of 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada and also reflects themes of celebration and reclamation.

We encourage each of you to participate in PSPW and Pride season activities, engage in respectful conversations, and consider how you can contribute to a more inclusive workplace every day. Let us use the lessons from the past to create better leadership for the future.

Together, let us celebrate diversity, strengthen allyship, honour the past, and continue building a Defence Team where "Everybody In" is not just a theme, but a reality.

Happy Public Service Pride Week.