National Defence Committee on Oct. 26th, 2020

[BGen Lise Bourgon]

If you can represent an interest, that would be awesome.

Also, look at the leadership that Jackie O'Neill mentioned. Now, with everything you're doing, you realize there is a GBA or a gender perspective to it. When something comes across your desk, ask the question, “What is that human security dimension? What is the question I am supposed to be asking? What makes a difference here?”

All of you on the screens I now consider allies on this subject because you're in leadership, in the position of making a huge difference by your interest, by your questions and by redirecting some of the projects that are coming towards you and asking, “Where is that GBA piece, where is that human security? This homework is not done; take it back.”

Leadership is super important.

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

I am honoured to be considered an ally.

Madam Chair, how much time do I have left?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

It's time for Mr. Bezan.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate getting a second round.

Ambassador O'Neill, you and I have talked in the past about recruitment and the recruitment efforts that are being made by the Canadian Armed Forces. You see the challenges that are out there and how we go about the technique of recruiting. Does it need more advertising, or does it need more women out in the recruitment offices? Is it going out and targeting women in communities so that we get more of that gender balance without having to disadvantage others who are interested in joining the Canadian Armed Forces?

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

Thank you. That's a great question.

I'm going to turn to Brigadier-General Bourgon, because I don't specifically know the latest, as I said, in terms of what is working and what's not. We're trying a wide range of things right now, and that's what you have to do, to some degree. You have to go broad and see which things are working.

There are two things that I know we can always continue to emphasize. The first is visibility of women leaders who are respected and performing at high levels. It's really important to continue emphasizing amazing leaders like Brigadier-General Bourgon and others who have fulfilling careers at senior levels and who are respected, not because they are women, but because they are doing a tremendous job and are women.

The second thing is the way that male leaders in the military talk about this issue. People are extremely attentive to the way male parliamentarians, generals and ministers talk about the issue of women, and I think we have seen so much commitment in a very serious way, talking about the fact that we need women not only to be employment equity targets...or because they have to, but because it's great for our forces. I think a narrative about this being a force capability [Technical difficulty—Editor].

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Unfortunately, interpretation isn't working right now. The problem seems to be with Ms. O'Neill.

Brigadier-General Bourgon, can you take that question?

[BGen Lise Bourgon]

Yes, I can take that question.

Mr. Bezan, we are trying everything you said. We are having specific events for women and are looking at women's colleges, women's events and changing our publicity. We are doing everything we can.

Also, once they're in the military, we have to keep them in the military. We're looking at initiatives on retention and how we can keep our people much longer. The leadership.... It's nice to be in the military, but you have to go through promotion board. The same chances as our male counterparts....

I'm happy to report that our performance measurement reports, PR reports, have changed. They will be changing next year. We are going to go through a new form, and this new form has been reviewed through a GBA, so the characteristics that are now being evaluated on our people are more balanced. Female characteristics like inclusivity, empathy and listening skills are being looked at in the same way we see the more masculine characteristics such as decisiveness and leadership. It's a lot more balanced going forward, so that women will have more chances. It's really adapted, and I think women will do much better from that side, too, which is a really positive thing.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Okay, thank you.

I think I have about a minute left. I'm not sure whether Ambassador O'Neill's microphone is working yet, but I would just ask both of you about Operation Honour. As we've seen Operation Honour evolve over time, what changes are we recommending to ensure that it is effective and that female cadets and female members of the armed forces feel safe?

I would be especially interested in Ambassador O'Neill's take on this as someone from the outside looking in.

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

Can you hear me okay?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

No, it's still crackling.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

It's still garbled. Could you unplug your headset and then plug it back in? Sometimes that fixes it.

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

Is it working?

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

I think so.

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

I'm very sorry about that.

The extent to which I advise on it relates to leadership. General Vance has said that right now he is notified about sexual assault within the military at the same speed at which he is notified of a missile strike. That's the level of attention that needs to continue. From an outside view, that clarity of leadership is not going to be enough, but if we don't have that, we're not going to get anywhere else.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

Thank you very much.

Ms. Vandenbeld, go ahead.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you very much.

I would like to thank you, Ambassador O'Neill and General Bourgon, for your incredible work on this. Absolutely, you can see all of us as allies in that.

I want to direct my question to Ambassador O'Neill. We all know, of course, that the 20th anniversary of Security Council Resolution 1325 is coming up this weekend. I recall that 20 years ago at this time I was actually in Sarajevo working with OSCE, and there was a tremendous amount of celebration. As you'll recall, the war in the Balkans was the first where rape was considered a war crime, and the women there were very important as part of the peace process, although not part of the formal Dayton accord.

There was such celebration at that time. Could you talk a bit about the progress since then? I know it's been spotty. Internationally, it's been sporadic, with some progress made, but in other areas not as much. I would note that you, at the level of ambassador, an actual ambassador for peace and security, are one of the few in the world, I think. On the work you're doing with your counterparts internationally, you mentioned learning from other countries.

Could you elaborate a bit on the progress globally over 20 years, how much we still need to do and how we're learning from one another?

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

Thank you.

Very briefly, because we have limited time, I'll say that the progress has been primarily in terms of normative frameworks: policy-making and stating what our policies are. We have 10 UN Security Council resolutions. We have language about women, peace and security in various mission mandates issued by the Security Council. NATO, the OSCE, the African Union...many now have official policies. This year, with Canada's support, for the first time NATO has a policy on sexual exploitation and abuse, stating what the values are that need to be respected and what the standard is.

In terms of gaps or where we have left to go, it's still largely aspirational: “We want you to implement Resolution 1325. Here is why it is better: Your security force will be improved. Your peace process will be strengthened.” There is almost no consequence financially or even reputationally if they don't do it, so we still have gaps in accountability. We haven't had as much focus on prevention as I think the drafters and some of the early advocates would have wanted. That's a big one.

I'm sorry, but I'm blanking on what the last part of your question was.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

It was about working internationally and how we are learning from one another and your counterparts internationally.

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

Yes. Thank you.

There are only a handful of special envoys or representatives on women, peace and security, but now there are roughly 20 or so ambassadors for women and girls or for themes related to gender, peace and security. We've now created a working group. We meet once a quarter to figure out what the biggest issues are, what the biggest threats are and how to mitigate those threats, who is trying to undermine what progress, either at the UN or NATO, and anything else, most specifically what's working within our governments and departments that we can learn from and replicate.

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Thank you.

[BGen Lise Bourgon]

I'd like to add something on this one, if I may.

Leadership and engagement are a big piece too. The UN women, peace and security CHOD—CHOD being all the chiefs of defence of all the countries—was launched a couple of years ago, and now our chief of defence is the chair of that committee. That committee is actually committed to a collaborative platform, to working together and sharing experiences, lessons learned and best practices, so that everyone can work together towards success. It grew from 14 countries to 54. A whole bunch of invitations have been sent, so hopefully there will be more. This is a platform of super-important men and women in charge of every country who are working together on WPS with great initiatives.

[Jacqueline O'Neill]

I will just note that there is one female chief of defence staff in the world, in Slovenia. There is one. General Vance has brought together 54 men to talk about the importance of women, peace and security. It's really tremendous.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

That's it.

Thank you very much to our witnesses today.

It has been very educational, and we appreciate it very much. We may continue this discussion at our next meeting.

We have saved some time for committee business, to approve our steering committee report. I hope everyone has had a chance to look at it. We could do it with a show of hands, because I think it was developed with consensus and collaboratively. What do we think? Can we move ahead with the steering committee report?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karen McCrimmon]

That one was easy.

That's all we have—