AFP Newsletter - Spring 2022 ENGLISH

4 Armed Forces Pensioners’ / Annuitants’ Association of Canada Issue #39 • Spring 2022 O n April 25, 2022, Anita Anand, Minister of Na- tional Defence, released the final report of the Advisory Panel created to assess and identify the work needed to eliminate racism and discrimination in the military. In a nutshell, the report explains that the military is not doing enough to detect and pre- vent white supremacists and other extremists from infiltrating its ranks and promoting violent extrem- ism. It also asserts that the military erred in not acting on dozens of previous studies and reviews on racism in the ranks over the past twenty years. The panel, convened in December 2020, was com- prised of retired Armed Forces members and had a mandate to seek out the policies, processes and prac- tices that enable systemic racism and discrimination in the Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and provide advice on how to eliminate them from these institutions. The factfinding work included close to 50 engagement ses- sions with external organizations and internal Defence stakeholders as well. During their review process, the Advisory Panel received dozens of unsolicited submis- sions and engaged in subsequent conversations, where lived experiences contributed to the Panel’s analysis of systemic racism and discrimination to inform this report. Focus areas included anti-Indigenous and anti-black racism, LGBTQ2+ prejudice, gender bias, white supremacy, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and discrimination against people with disabilities. The panel’s report provides recommendations for change in thirteen areas across the organization. These include improving education about and aware- ness of reconciliation, promoting the history of Black service personnel, improving recruitment efforts in multicultural communities and using data to mea- sure progress. Anand urged defence team leaders to consider the report’s recommendations with “resolve and urgency” and to use it as a guide for current and future work to eliminate racism and discrimination in all forms. The release of the report comes at a time of signifi- cant concern about a growing disconnect between the makeup of Canada’s military, whose ranks are pri- marily white men, and the rest of the country’s popu- lation. Of note, white men account for 71 per cent of Canadian military members but only 39 per cent of the country’s civilian workforce. Furthermore, as not- ed in the report, Indigenous Peoples, visible minori- ties and women are significantly under-represented in Canada’s armed forces. The report goes on to describe the suspected presence of extremists in the military as a “pressing moral, social and operational issue,” that threatens both unit cohesion and Canadians’ trust in the CAF as a whole. The report notes that, “the need for education and training for leaders at all levels of the defence team was highlighted repeatedly during the advisory pan- el’s consultations.” To address this need as well as the report’s other recommendations, the defence team will establish a working group comprised of branches from across the organization and the Defence Ad- visory Groups (DAGs) and networks to address the report’s recommendations, including by developing an implementation framework and action plan. This work will be synchronized with the broader culture change strategy currently being developed by the Chief, Professional Conduct and Culture. Officials from the DND and CAF will provide progress up- dates to Canadians on the steps that the Defence Team is taking on culture change. “Meeting the challenges of an increasingly danger- ous and unstable future requires an even more diverse and inclusive Canadian Armed Forces, said General Wayne Eyre, Chief of the Defence Staff, at the virtual press conference held to coincide with the report’s release. “Every Canadian needs to see themselves reflected within our ranks, and every member of our team must feel welcome, valued, and safe to bring their talents to bear in service to our country.” Anand said the government has earmarked more than $200 million to help change the military’s cul- ture, but she did not lay out any specific new mea- sures. This includes the $100.5 million over six years that was identified in the 2022 Budget to support the following initiatives: • strengthen leadership in the Canadian Armed Forces; • modernize the military justice system; • bring into force the Declaration of Victims’ Rights as set out in the National Defence Act; • undertake engagement and consultation on cul- ture change; and • enhance restorative services, including dispute resolution and coaching services. Ministerial Advisory Panel releases report on system racism and discrimination