Letter to MND: Response to MND Language and Cultural Advisors report

10 February 2025

 

The Honourable Bill Blair, PC, COM, MP
Minister of National Defence
Department of National Defence and The Canadian Armed Forces
National Defence Headquarters
101 Colonel By Drive
13th Floor, North Tower
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K2

 

Dear Minister Blair:

Thank you for your 21 January 2025 response to my office’s report, Standing together: Ensuring fair treatment forCanadian Language and Cultural Advisors who served in Afghanistan. 

Thank you as well for your commendation of this office’s work in highlighting the issue of unfair treatment of our Canadian Language and Cultural Advisors (LCAs) and prompting changes going forward.

I note the Department’s acknowledgment that there were policy gaps in civilian deployment strategies that did not account for the situation involving the deployment of LCAs. I am pleased that this regrettable situation has prompted the Department to put policy measures in place to ensure that similar unfairness will not befall other employees deployed to support future CAF operations.

Nevertheless, I am unclear about your statement that the regime under the Government Employees Compensation Act (GECA) aligns with the spirit of our recommendations. The recommendations were for the DND to offer independent assessments and provide appropriate financial compensation to the LCAs who have been adversely – and, in some cases, permanently - affected by their deployment to Afghanistan.

The evidence suggests that the GECA regime has not been effective in responding to the needs or individual circumstances of the LCAs. Our findings reported lengthy processing delays, denied claims, and numerous appeals. The LCAs have reported difficulties in navigating the system and obtaining results, often incurring legal costs in pursuit of fair compensation. We note that many are still seeking relief more than a decade after their deployment ended.

Accordingly, I request further detail regarding how the GECA regime responds to our recommendations and, more particularly, to the needs of the LCAs who served our country. We remain concerned that timely resolution, proactive individual assessments, and adequate compensation (all critical parts of our recommendations) will not be achieved through GECA.

Sincerely,

 

Robyn Hynes
Interim Ombud