National Defence

The committee met to continue its study of the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) recruitment and retention challenges. Officials from the Department of National Defence, including the Assistant Deputy Minister (Data, Innovation, and Analytics) and the Director General of Military Personnel Policy Integration, answered members’ questions. They provided an update on the new CAF recruitment system, noting that it had processed over 20,000 applications since its launch, with a current average processing time of 18 days for initial screening. The officials also discussed retention initiatives, including a new flexible work pilot program and efforts to reduce administrative burdens on members.

The committee debated a motion from a member to invite the Minister of National Defence to appear regarding a recent report on military housing conditions. After discussion, the motion was amended to also request the presence of the Deputy Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff. The amended motion was adopted. The committee then agreed to proceed with its planned clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-77, an act respecting the military justice system, at its next meeting. No further decisions were taken on the recruitment and retention study.