Standing Committee on the Status of Women

Comité permanent de la condition féminine

For immediate release

Ottawa, June 17, 2019 -

The House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women (the Committee) tabled its report entitled A Force for Change: Creating a Culture of Equality for Women in the Canadian Armed Forces today.

Workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, remains a significant problem in Canadian society, including in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Recognizing the importance of fostering a safe and inclusive workplace free of harassment, violence and discrimination for individuals who join the military and serve their country, as well as improving women’s representation in traditionally male-dominated sectors, the Committee undertook a study on the treatment of women within the Department of National Defence (DND).

In its report, the Committee examines issues related to:

• the need for cultural change within the CAF, including the need for training and education for CAF members on matters relating to sexual misconduct;
• the reporting and resolution processes for sexual misconduct incidents;
• supports and services available, including health care services and family-related supports and services, to victims and survivors of sexual misconduct; and
• the recruitment and retention of women in the military.

The Committee makes 17 recommendations to provide guidance to the Government of Canada on measures that could be implemented to help eliminate discrimination, violence and harassment, including sexual harassment, in the CAF; provide adequate supports and services to women in the CAF; and help recruit and retain more women in the military.

The report can be consulted on the Committee’s web page on the Parliament of Canada website.

The Standing Committee on the Status of Women has 11 members. It is chaired by Karen Vecchio (Elgin — Middlesex — London) and co-chaired by Salma Zahid (Scarborough Centre) and Irene Mathyssen (London — Fanshawe). The other members of the Committee are Rachel Bendayan (Outremont), Bob Bratina (Hamilton East — Stoney Creek), Terry Duguid (Winnipeg South)*, Rachael Harder (Lethbridge), Emmanuella Lambropoulos (Saint-Laurent), the Hon. K. Kellie Leitch (Simcoe — Grey), Eva Nassif (Vimy), and Sonia Sidhu (Brampton South).

* Non-voting member pursuant to Standing Order 104(5).