April 18, 2013
Ottawa, ON
8 March 2013
Minister Findlay,
Ms. Bertrand,
Ms. Carroll,
Ms. Carrier,
Distinguished guests,
Men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
Thank you, Minister Findlay, for that kind introduction.
It’s a pleasure to be here on International Women’s Day.
It’s a day to celebrate the exceptional achievements of women across all realms – whether it be politics, arts, business, military, science, health, or in some other fields…
…achievements that play a critical role in today’s world…
…and achievements that are also serving as role models for future generations.
I especially want to thank Women in Defence and Security for your important efforts to strengthen the role of women in this critical field…
…by fostering new talent…
…by encouraging women to pursue careers in this sector, and promoting their advancement…
…and by providing learning opportunities for their members.
Benefits and Progression of Gender Integration
In Canada, we can be justifiably proud of the leadership role we have played in equality and human rights.
In fact, to younger Canadians, the benefits and rightfulness of integration and equality seem so obvious, to the point of being a non-issue.
I see this as a sign that we are heading in the right direction.
After all, equal opportunities for men and women is only fair.
Not only is it a fundamental right, but all realms of society – from politics, to industry, to academics – benefit from having access to double the workforce, double the talent, double the ideas…
…and the unique perspectives that women may hold and men may not.
Of course, women in Canada did not always enjoy the same rights as men, and it is thanks to the determination of past generations of women that they do so, now.
It is almost a century ago – in 1918 – that Canadian women won the right to vote in federal elections...
…a marker that was followed closely by the naming of the first women representatives in the House of Commons and the Senate, in 1921 and 1930 respectively.
In the military realm, women also have a proud history.
Women nurses served for the first time with the Canadian military more than a century ago – in 1885 – during the Northwest Rebellion…
…and were welcomed into the Regular Force in 1906.
Women were gradually admitted to more and more trades in the Canadian Armed Forces – until 1989, when only the submarine service remained off-limits to women.
This changed on March 8th 2000 – on International Women’s Day – when full integration was achieved.
Today, the Canadian Armed Forces are highly regarded as being at the forefront of military gender integration.
They are a world leader, both in terms of the proportion of women in the military – as roughly 15 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces personnel are women…
…and the areas in which they can serve…
…running the full gamut, from fighter pilot to intelligence officer, to submariner.
On the civilian side of the Defence Team, women make up almost 40 per cent of the Public Service workforce.
This percentage is slightly higher in the Executive levels.
The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces benefit from the advice and service of many talented and influential women in their most senior ranks.
Women like Minister Findlay and Jill Sinclair - one of my most important advisors as Assistant Deputy Minister of Policy…
who provides me with support on everything from Cabinet and Parliamentary issues, to defence relations with our American and NATO Allies.
And women like Cynthia Binnington, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Civilian Human Resources, who oversees the administration of the Department's 28,000 civilians.
On the military side of the organization, we rely on women like Major-General Christine Whitecross – who is here today.
She was the first female Joint Task Force commander when she took over Joint Task Force North in 2006…
….and is now the Chief of Staff to the Assistant Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Environment – the group responsible for Defence’s vast holdings that include millions of hectares of land and tens of thousands of buildings.
We also have groundbreaking women like Rear‑Admiral Jennifer Bennett, the first Canadian woman to achieve that rank, who now holds the highest position of the Reserve Force as Chief of Reserves and Cadets.
The Defence Team is honoured that Rear-Admiral Bennett was appointed the new Defence Champion for Women just two weeks ago.
In this role, she will provide a voice for the female workforce and continue to promote diversity throughout the organization…
…while helping to identify any possible employment barriers that would restrict the full engagement of women within our workforce.
I have no doubt she will continue to inspire many in her new role.
And, my friends, I am cognizant that though Canada may be ahead of the curve internationally in integrating women in the defence field – particularly the military – it’s still a work in progress.
Our next goal is to have a Canadian military force made up of 25 per cent women.
So the Canadian Armed Forces are continuing to seek out women in recruiting efforts…
…and working with advisory groups to identify issues and challenges.
On the civilian side, the Department of National Defence is very close to its goal of having a workforce composed of just under 42% women.
Women occupy roles in significant numbers in every occupational category across the department, and across Canada.
…but we still have work to do in increasing our representation of women in our technical and operational categories, where women only make up less than 20% of the workforce.
Looking Ahead
Our Government, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces are also looking further afield than within our own organization.
We believe Canada has a role to play on the international stage in the promotion of gender integration and women’s rights.
Canada has a proud history of standing up for what it believes in…
…and fighting to defend the core values of Canadian society – freedom, human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
That’s why we promote gender equality abroad.
In many corners of the world, countries are still struggling with this basic concept.
Afghanistan was a clear example of this – before the involvement of the international community in 2001, Afghan girls did not have access to education.
Now, thanks to international efforts, one third of the estimated 7.1 million young Afghans receiving education, are girls…
…and today the basic rights of women are enshrined in the country’s constitution.
Helping to provide security in unstable counties – to lay the foundation for democracy and freedom – is one way Defence can further the cause of gender equality.
However, our forces also lead by example.
Our men and women in uniform are important ambassadors for Canada.
When deployed on operations, they are sometimes the only Canadians that the local populations will ever meet.
And think of how inspiring it was for Afghan girls, for example, to see Canadian women in uniform leading a combat infantry company, or conducting patrols, or providing medical care.
As that country rebuilds itself, these young Afghan girls are now opening themselves up to possibilities that they had not dared consider just a few years before.
In addition to leading by example, the Canadian Armed Forces also have valuable experience and advice to offer.
In recent years, Australia, Chile, Germany, Peru, the United Kingdom, and the United States, have all sought our help in dealing with women-in-combat issues.
Canada also contributes to NATO discussions, and shares best practices from our own experience…
… to help gender integration in NATO-led operations.
Conclusion
Ladies and Gentlemen, I believe that Canada has every reason to be proud of its leading role on the international stage in issues of gender equality…
…and of the countless achievements of Canadian women who have paved the way for future generations here at home.
There are no limits to career opportunities for women in Defence.
In the not too distant future, when I tell my child that once upon a time, women were excluded from certain trades or careers, and he or she looks at me in disbelief…
…I know it will be thanks to the determination of women like you.
And it is thanks to the determination and commitment of women like Francesca Ferguson and Heidi Dewald.
Thank you.
