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 until November 24 to submit a claim as part of the CAF-DND sexual misconduct class action settlement.  

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.  

Harassment, in all its forms has no place in YOUR workplace or OUR union. At PSAC we know that every member is entitled to be free from both discrimination and harassment. Unlike conflict, harassment is one sided, with an imbalance of power or strength. Harassment is often founded in discrimination and can be based on age, sex, colour, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, marital status, family status, criminal record, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, language, social and economic class or political belief.