Reserves 2000 testifies on diversity in the CAF before Commons Defence Committee

On the afternoon of Thursday, 7 February 2019, I had the privilege of representing our members and supporters as a witness at 126th meeting of the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN).

The Committee is currently studying the broad issue of diversity in the Canadian Armed Forces. Last Thursday’s meeting was the second of three (and possibly more) hearings in the Committee’s ongoing study.

I was pleased that the Committee had the foresight to engage Reserves 2000 and Army Reserve stakeholders for our unique perspective on this important issue.

After consulting with a good number of supporters — women and men alike — ahead of the hearing, we agreed upon impressing the point that our Reserve Army units, particularly in Canada’s increasingly diverse urban centres, as the natural and decades-long local leaders in representing, reflecting and, ultimately expanding, both the gender and/or ethnic diversity of the CAF’s Reserve units at the highly-visible community level.

To a remarkable degree, many of the units in Canada’s larger metropolitan areas already reflect the diversity of the populations within the communities they serve. Local Reserve units have the knowledge, experience, people and greatest potential to continue these activities so long as they are provided with the required authority, funding, equipment, mission and supports.

We feel strongly that the guaranteed summer employment policy better positions units in attracting, training and retaining those individuals who will contribute to the fulfillment of the government’s ultimate objectives with respect to gender, ethnic and/or language diversity. I did, however, make the point that the potential establishment of quotas could do more to hinder, rather than advance, the CAF’s aims.

Our comments were well received by the Committee and will certainly inform its report to Parliament which is expected to be tabled in the late winter/spring timeframe. When that report is available I will pass it along for your review.

As the written summary of my testimony has not yet been posted the Committee’s website, please take a few moments to watch some or all of my presentation and interaction with Members at your convenience.

My sincere thanks to those supporters who took the time to send along their helpful and informative suggestions ahead of my appearance.

John Selkirk, Executive Director

The video of this meeting is available here: https://parlvucloud.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20190207/-1/30893