National Defence

The House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence met to study the situation of francophone and Indigenous members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The witnesses were Chief Warrant Officer Becky MacIsaac, a Métis woman and 24-year CAF veteran, and Debbie Eisan, a 36-year veteran and representative of the Assembly of First Nations First Nations Veterans Council.

Chief Warrant Officer MacIsaac described her personal journey of learning French, emphasizing that immersion in Quebec was crucial to her bilingualism and that bilingualism is essential for promotions, though access to language training remains limited due to a shortage of instructors, which sometimes leads to course cancellations. She noted that in the Royal Canadian Air Force, English remains the dominant day-to-day operational language, and she recommended creating more opportunities for members to speak French and to access language classes and immersion postings. She disagreed with the idea that francophones are not integrated, stating they are present across the country, but said the CAF needs to make a greater effort to speak French more often.

Debbie Eisan highlighted that Indigenous people are under-represented in the CAF at 2.9% compared to 5% of the general population, and that a 7.1% attrition rate signals systemic failures in retention. She recommended that the committee extend the study by one meeting to hear more First Nations voices, that the CAF transparently list whether First Nations languages are represented in training programs, and that public-facing materials be translated into Indigenous languages. She also called for recruiters to travel to northern and remote communities, for cultural competency training for recruiters, and for personalized career plans and specialized mentorship programs for Indigenous recruits to address tokenism. She stressed that institutional racism and discrimination persist, that the universality of service requirement is incompatible with Indigenous family and community obligations, and that families of Indigenous members must be included in support programs to improve retention.

In response to questions, Eisan said that trust is a major barrier to recruitment, especially when non-Indigenous recruiters enter communities, and that intergenerational trauma from residential schools affects recruits. She emphasized the importance of Indigenous ceremonies like sweat lodges for mental health and post-traumatic stress, and recommended placing Indigenous knowledge keepers on every base to advise commanders. She noted that the CAF did not primarily consult the Assembly of First Nations when developing programs, but that the AFN Veterans Council is now being consulted. On the transition of the Canadian Coast Guard to National Defence, she said the Coast Guard is working hard to do it right by moving slowly and learning about Indigenous cultures and languages.

Chief Warrant Officer MacIsaac agreed that posting Indigenous members near their home communities is important for retention, and she highlighted the value of cultural exchanges, such as courses on the Cold Lake weapons range taught by First Nations instructors, which teach pilots respect for the land and survival skills. She also noted that social media and positive role models are key to improving the CAF's image and recruitment, and that recruits must be able to communicate in at least one official language to function effectively on deployment.

The committee did not debate any motions or procedural matters during this meeting.