Message from the Defence Team Champions for Racialized Persons on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2025

March 20, 2025 - Defence Stories

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (IDERD) is an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing challenge of addressing racial discrimination and to reaffirm our collective commitment to dismantling the barriers that prevent all individuals, particularly racialized persons, from thriving.

Racial discrimination persists in many areas of society, including within our own organization. Conversations and engagement across the Defence Team over the last few years have underscored that we must create a culture of inclusivity that goes beyond words and policies, one that is reflected in our actions, decisions, and daily interactions. We must remain committed to identifying and eliminating the barriers that continue to impede the full participation of racialized persons in the Defence Team and take meaningful action to promote equity in every facet of our organization.

Anti-racism initiatives are not created to give preference to underqualified candidates based on race or other identity factors. They are established so that qualified candidates from historically marginalized groups are not overlooked in favour of less qualified candidates from historically advantaged groups. By actively addressing these barriers, we can attract and retain the best talent, people with the skills and experience to contribute to our collective success. A more inclusive Defence Team fosters greater collaboration, stronger problem-solving, and improved productivity, all of which are critical to operational effectiveness. These initiatives help us avoid systemic biases that may prevent the most capable individuals from reaching their full potential, benefiting the team, the organization, and the Canadians that we serve.

This year, as we mark IDERD, we encourage each of you to reflect on how we can further our work in this critical area. Whether through continuing education, engaging in open dialogues, coaching and mentoring, or challenging discriminatory behaviours, each of us has a role to play in creating a Defence Team that truly reflects the values of respect, dignity, and operational excellence. The Defence Team IDERD event will be one of these opportunities as we welcome Jason Lyall as our keynote speaker. He brings a wealth of knowledge on the operational imperatives of inclusion in a military context.

As Jason Lyall observed in Divided Armies: Inequality and Battlefield Performance in Modern War, “meaningful inclusion creates lethal armies; military inequality divides them, destroying them from within.” This quote speaks to the operational advantage of inclusion: diverse teams are more adaptable, resilient, and capable of meeting the complex demands of modern warfare. A team that values and draws upon the diverse strengths of its members is a team that will perform more effectively and emerge victorious in the challenges of the future.

Together, we can take deliberate action to eliminate racial discrimination from our institution and create respectful and operationally effective spaces where every member of the Defence Team can perform at their fullest potential, free from bias and inequality.

Thank you for your continued commitment to this vital work.