training and retention" and "fully leverag-
ing Canada's diversity," SSE offers some
solid initiatives. However, the objectives
are vague and there is no outline for po-
tential measurement. Some of the initia-
tives are concrete, such as diversity targets,
a goal for growth in the ranks, the appoint-
ment of a diversity champion, the creation
of the CAF Transition Group or tax relief
for deployed personnel under the rank of
lieutenant-colonel. Other initiatives are the
promise of human resource and retention
strategies. Most of them have yet to see the
light of day, according to the 2020-21 De-
partmental Results Report.
Another limitation of the SSE's person-
nel chapter is that the initiatives it presents
seem to stand on their own, without much
connection to one another. These initia-
tives are top-down, centred on National
Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) as the
authority for implementation.
The culmination of Operation Honour
and the 2021 scandals, the recruitment
and retention issues and high level of dis-
satisfaction among the ranks, among other
concerns, require a more holistic approach
to personnel management, one that better
bridges the overlap between concerns and
are mission specific.
Defence Policy Review:
Rethinking People First,
Mission Always
A defence policy review does not need to
overhaul the objectives and ideas outlined
FIRST:
POLICY
www.vanguardcanada.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2022 19
in SSE to have the intended effects. Some
of the disruptions this could cause might
override the benefits of such an approach.
Encouragingly, Anita Anand announced
on May 10, 2022 that DND is taking the
direction of an update, which will ensure a
certain level of continuity.
However, the personnel file has yet to
get the level of prioritization required to
ensure the CAF and its members can ad-
equately respond to the threat environ-
ment. The problem is not new – the latest
report on discrimination in the Depart-
ment of National Defence (DND) and
the CAF observed that the defence team
has yet to implement the majority of two
decades worth of personnel-related rec-
ommendations. It is an issue of leadership
Members of The Royal Canadian Regiment participate in a
scenario as part of the Basic Tactical Aviation Course (BTAC) .
Photo: MCpl Laura Landry, Canadian Armed Forces
