Letter to the Minister of National Defence about allegations of misconduct in the Canadian military

March 2, 2021

The Honourable Harjit Sajjan
Minister of National Defence
101 Colonel By Drive
Ottawa ON K1A 0K2
By email: DND_MND@forces.gc.ca

Dear Minister Sajjan,

I am writing today regarding recent allegations of misconduct at the very highest level of the Canadian military. As you know, these are not the first such charges involving current or former Chiefs of the Defence Staff (CDS) to become public over the past few years.

While these allegations are currently being looked into from a military leadership perspective, little if any mention has been made about the needs of the over 25,000 public service employees who support the Forces on a daily basis. I am sure you recognize that their confidence in Department of National Defense (DND) leadership has been seriously eroded by these recurring events. If CDS themselves are not held accountable to departmental Sexual, Violence or Harassment policies, it is fair to ask how DND employees can expect fair hearings when they bring such cases forward.

The damage caused by these incidents to their morale and confidence is such that I urge you to immediately issue a statement of support for our 5000 members employed by the Department. Please be assured that we are ready to work with your office towards the development and implementation of a detailed, transparent roadmap outlining how DND plans to restore our members’ faith in their senior leadership.

I thank you for your immediate attention to this matter and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Debi Daviau,
President, PIPSC

Published on 10 March 2021

26 July 2021

Historic swearing in of the Right Honourable Mary Simon as Governor General

President Debi Daviau underlined the historic swearing in of the Rt. Hon. Mary Simon as Canada’s Governor General.

25 May 2021

Eliminating barriers for equity-seeking groups in the federal public service

On May 13, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau appeared before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs (SOCI) to provide our feedback on how changes to certain provisions of Bill C-30, the Budget Implementation Act, 2021, may help eliminate the barriers that affect equity-seeking groups in the federal public service.

18 May 2021

Assessing the government’s response to the pandemic’s impact on our members

On May 10, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) to discuss the government’s handling of the pandemic’s impact on its employees.

13 May 2021

At the forefront of the fight against tax evasion

On May 6, 2021 PIPSC President Debi Daviau and Economist Ryan Campbell testified before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance (FINA) about the fight against tax evasion.

28 January 2021

President Daviau speaks about NAV CANADA at parliamentary committee

On January 26, 2021, PIPSC President Debi Daviau appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. She presented our members’ concerns about the situation at NAV CANADA and how to best ensure its continued viability.

13 January 2021

2021: The year ahead

We must continue to work together, in solidarity, to advocate for professionals in our workplaces, build on the strength and influence of our union, and push for the Canada we believe in.