Statement to the Seamless Canada Steering Committee
5 June 2025
Ms. Robyn Hynes
National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces Interim Ombud
Good afternoon, everyone.
It’s a pleasure to be with you today. I want to begin by thanking each of you - and your provinces and territories—for your continued commitment to reducing the stress and barriers that Canadian Armed Forces families face as they move across the country.
Seamless Canada represents exactly what our military families need: a group of leaders working together across jurisdictions to ease the burden of relocation. I’ve had the opportunity to meet many of you, and I’ve seen firsthand the creative and compassionate solutions you’ve brought forward in your regions. Please keep going. It matters.
National context and importance of Seamless work
Members of the CAF move two to three times more than the average Canadian. With each relocation, their families face frustrating obstacles—losing their place on provincial health care waitlists, children’s individual education plans failing to transfer, buying and selling homes or finding suitable accommodations, and spouses having to recertify or start back at the bottom of seniority lists.
In recent years, we’ve seen military members step up when called upon to respond to climate-related disasters, from floods to wildfires. That work is essential—and we’re asking a lot from a force that’s currently under pressure grappling with personnel shortages, growing demands, and a shifting global security environment.
Family-related stress is consistently one of the top reasons we hear that members choose to leave the military, or don’t join in the first place. When families feel supported—when kids get into daycare, spouses can find work, and healthcare is as accessible as it is for other Canadians—members are more likely to stay.
But no matter where they serve or what the mission is, CAF members need to know their families are supported. That is how the CAF can attract and retain the people we need. That’s why your work matters.
Some provinces have made important changes—like allowing a posting message to serve as proof of residence. That one change can help families register for services and get on waitlists
Ombudsman’s role for families
Some of you may not know that our office is the only formal recourse mechanism for military families. Part of our mandate is to take complaints. But our role is also to listen, to connect people to the appropriate resources and to report publicly on what we hear.
We also share information on our website to help families navigate common challenges. And when families do reach out for support, we do our best to guide them—either directly or by connecting them to the right federal, provincial, or military resources.
What we’re hearing from families
Since 2020, my office has visited 31 Bases and Wings and met with all Military Family Resource Centres across the country.
Families are resilient—but the system can be challenging. And while every family is different, the stories often echo one another. They reflect common Canadian challenges—but with a military twist: constant relocation and frequent absences due to duty means families have to solve these issues over and over again.
Let me share what we hear most often:
- Access to health care: Whether it’s finding a family doctor or getting referred to a specialist, families face significant delays—especially in smaller provinces or rural regions.
- Child care: Affordable childcare is a nationwide issue—but it’s especially pressing for families who arrive mid-year or who are posted to locations with limited options. For example, in Moose Jaw and Saskatchewan, we heard that the lack of on-base childcare puts immense pressure on young families.
- Spousal employment and transfer of credentials: This one is huge. We hear from nurses, social workers, teachers—qualified, experienced professionals—who can’t work in their new province without recertification or re-licensing. The process is often expensive and time-consuming, and it all needs to start over when posted again.
- Housing and cost of living: Members are increasingly anxious about being posted to, or from, certain regions because of the housing market. There are examples of families who have lost tens of thousands of dollars on their home when posted out.
These stressors don’t just make life hard—they contribute directly to a member’s decision to leave the Canadian Armed Forces. And in many cases, these are issues that you can help with. They impact retention, morale, and mental health. And many of them are areas where you, as provincial and territorial leaders, can make a difference.
Our Systemic work
As the Ombudsman’s office, we also conduct systemic investigations that look at patterns and root causes.
One of our most referenced reports is On the Homefront, published in 2013. That report didn’t just start a conversation—it led directly to the creation of Seamless Canada. And it’s still influencing change today.
In fact, in November 2023, the Standing Committee on National Defence cited On the Homefront in two key recommendations:
- Recommendation 31: That the federal government work with provinces and territories to ensure access to adequate, tailored mental health services for military families.
- Recommendation 32: That the government expedite efforts to improve access to affordable child care and family physicians.
Another recent report, Service vs. Self, focused on improving compassionate postings for CAF members facing major life challenges. This report was cited in Recommendation 22 of the NDDN’s October 2024 report on housing and support for military families, with a call for the government to enact all of our recommendations.
We’ve already seen improvements in how the CAF communicates about compassionate postings, including new resources on Canada.ca. That’s meaningful change—and it stems from listening to families and working collaboratively across levels of government.
Closing
In a few days, I’ll be speaking at a Military Spousal Employment Network event—another great example of how people are working together to build better systems; if your provincial or territorial government is part of this initiative already, great! If you aren't yet, I encourage you to join!
You are making a tangible difference; please know that families feel it. Supporting military families is not only about compassion. It’s a matter of national security.
You are part of the solution.
And my office is proud to support your work—whether through information sharing, outreach, or advocacy. Even when family concerns fall outside our mandate, our office is here to help. If you need a contact at National Defence or another federal department, let us know. We can facilitate the liaison; our team is always ready to assist.
If your province or territory is piloting or planning new initiatives to support military families, we’d love to hear about it—we’re always eager to share promising practices with others.
Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your commitment to making life better for those who serve—and the families who serve alongside them.