The external review into Canada’s military released this week highlights the sheer magnitude of systemic violence and harassment which has impacted thousands of workers of the Canadian Armed Forces and PSAC civilian members at the Department of National Defence (DND). 

PSAC and UNDE are optimistic the government will make a genuine, concerted effort to right the wrongs of decades of sexual harassment, abuse and workplace harassment at the Department of National Defence and in Canada’s military following a public apology by Minister of National Defence Anita Anand December 13.

Current and former employees of the Department of National Defence (DND), staff of the Non-Public Funds, Canadian Forces (NPF), and current and former members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) who were affected by sexual misconduct in the military workplace have only one month left, until November 24 to submit a claim as part of the CAF-DND sexual misconduct class action settlement. Sexual misconduct is defined as:

Two recent reports show that the severity of the toxic workplace culture within the Department of National Defence (DND) is still being misunderstood and underestimated by top officials in the department. "The Minister of Defence, and Members of Parliament who sit on the Status of Women Committee, still do not understand the impact of the toxic culture within the department on the lives of thousands of civilian DND workers,” said Union of National Defence President June Winger.