Acting Chief of Military Personnel on Diversity, Inclusion, and Culture Change Short-Term Initiatives

[OceanBonfire]

The main points:

• Canadian Armed Forces Dress Instructions Update
• Inclusive ranks in French
• Post-natal care and women’s health
• New Compassionate Leave Policy
• Duty with Honour
• Training Needs Assessment
• Employment Equity
• Promotion and Selection

Details:

Message from the Acting Chief of Military Personnel on Diversity, Inclusion, and Culture Change Short-Term Initiatives

Today I want to highlight some of the great work we are leading within CMP and Military Personnel Command to help us realize this vision.

www.canada.ca

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Long overdue reforms coming down the pipe. I look forward to seeing them implemented fully.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Inclusive ranks in French​

The CAF is exploring feminized options for ranks in French. Right now, the ranks are exclusively masculine, even when applied to women members. For example, in April 2021, the CAF announced the creation of the new position of Chief Professional Conduct and Culture, but in French, the head of the organization, “le lieutenant-général Jennie Carignan,” can only be addressed by the masculine rank.

Women have been able to occupy any rank or trade in Canada’s military for the last 20 years. They represent a growing ratio of CAF personnel, and are increasingly achieving higher ranks. An adjustment in our terminology is long overdue. In fact, our linguistic limitations may be contributing to the perception that the CAF is not welcoming for everyone.

The use of feminized ranks would be optional, and would not be reflected in the Queen’s Regulations and Orders for now. Members who are non-binary would have the option to describe themselves as they deemed most appropriate in any given situation.

So now the CAF is exploring changing the French language where nouns have a gender (masculine or feminine). All the rank titles are currently (according to le Petit Robert) masculin. Of course one can follow the convention of "feminizing" a masculine title by including an "e" to the end (or some other suffix) - le general becomes la generale or similarly just using feminine articles (la, une) with masculine nouns (to hell with the rules of grammar). But it is also not "gender neutral" which was the rationale for changing navy jr NCM ranks. The Académie Française (that arbiter and protector of proper French) also does not support such shenanigans. If one was to permit the bastardization of French grammar in such a way, the next thing would be the official acceptance that a Quebecois is speaking French.

NATO is also looking into it . . . in English

https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pictures/images_mfu/2021/5/pdf/210514-GIL-Manual_en.pdf

And in French . . . the approach and challenge is different

https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pictures/images_mfu/2021/5/pdf/210514-GIL-Manual_fr.pdf

3. Grades militaires
Tous les pays francophones n’ont pas forcément la même approche concernant la féminisation des grades militaires. Le français étant une langue officielle de l’OTAN, il est important d’adopter une approche standardisée pour les publications, traductions et documents établis en français par l’Organisation.

Pour rappel, historiquement, les grades au féminin désignent l’épouse. Ainsi, « Madame la générale » désigne encore, selon Le Petit Robert, l’épouse du général, tout comme « Madame la colonelle » se réfère à l’épouse du colonel.

Si la politique de l’OTAN évolue aujourd’hui vers un marquage du genre, il convient de prêter attention au risque de confusion. Modèle général : Article féminin + grade masculin + participe/adjectif féminin

Exemples :
La sergent-chef Maria Brimont est intervenue dans le cadre de l’opération.
La caporal Sarah Smith a été décorée.
La commandant Pascaline Dumontel a été promue

 

[Good2Golf]

Académie française has…directeur & directrice.

It can be made to work.

Next…

 

[daftandbarmy]

Académie française has…directeur & directrice.

It can be made to work.

Next…

After decades of infighting, because they're normal people of course, the French have seemed to figure it out:

Can French Ever Be Truly Gender Neutral?​

Since the 1980s, feminists have waged war in France against exclusively masculine titles for various professions, from le policier to le ministre. Some, like policier, have been feminized (to la policière), while others, like le ministre, have not. Famously, when Ségolène Royal ran for president of France in 2007, debates were had over what her title would be if she won, since la présidente refers not to the president, but to the president’s wife, leaving her with the clumsy option of Madame le Président.

But though these discussions have been ongoing, and many new titles adopted, it took until 2019 for the Académie Française, the body which regulates the French language, to formally accept feminized job titles.

Can French Ever Be Truly Gender Neutral? - Frenchly

French linguist Julie Abbou talks about inclusive writing, gender neutral French pronouns like iel, and feminist French language theory.

frenchly.us

 

[Navy_Pete]

Looking forward to being able to rock a goatee with a skirt, but glad our clothing has been non-discriminatory in fitting everyone poorly, regardless of gender or size.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Académie française has…directeur & directrice.

It can be made to work.

Next…

Mais, "directrice, n. f." is in le Petit Robert and has been a generally used word since 1838 so the Académie française has probably untwisted its knickers by now. However, the primary and secondary definitions of directrice (according to my 1977 edition* of Robert, my acceptance of change is slightly faster than the Académie) are geometry terms; but it does lastly define it as the feminine of directeur (e.g. headmistress).



*The official French dictionary of the Canadian Government, like the COD in English. My 1977 Edition is copyrighted 1989 and was my office copy in 1994 when we closed Lahr. Also kept saved from the trash the COD and the Langenscheidt as well as a bunch of other pubs.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Looking forward to being able to rock a goatee with a skirt, but glad our clothing has been non-discriminatory in fitting everyone poorly, regardless of gender or size.

Kilts are pretty gender neutral

 

[Navy_Pete]

Who doesn't love oor Wullie!

I own a formal kilt and a utility kilt, they are both awesome int their own way (but not as a 'true scotsman, maybe the original kilts were a softer wool so less chaffing). Down with the oppression of bifurcated garments! But a skirt is probably cooler in the summer than the stupid plastic pants anyway, so maybe that will be an option to get around the 'no shorts' rule.

With WFH though it's somewhat redundant anyway, but honestly don't see any reason why anyone can't have long hair, earrings etc as long as there is a common standard for everyone. The gender neutral language is easy enough to adapt to as well, so don't see any of this as a big deal in practice.

 

[dimsum]

but honestly don't see any reason why anyone can't have long hair, earrings etc as long as there is a common standard for everyone. The gender neutral language is easy enough to adapt to as well, so don't see any of this as a big deal in practice.

The most vocal opponents will be the folks who start with "back in my day..."

I almost guarantee it.

 

[Navy_Pete]

The most vocal opponents will be the folks who start with "back in my day..."

I almost guarantee it.

Would be hilarious to travel back in time and record complaints from the older crowd. I'm sure they would all start with some variation on that theme.
"When I harken back to my youth"...
..."backeth in mine owne day"
..."baek innin min dogor"
...(triangle, guy walking sideways, fist, fist, wavy lines)...

 

[FJAG]

The most vocal opponents will be the folks who start with "back in my day..."

I almost guarantee it.

It's only the old RSMs and BSMs who are rolling over in their graves as we speak. Personally, I'm from the sixties' hippie generation. If I can get used to everybody wearing different combat boots on parade and people not blousing their trousers, I can get used to anything.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

The dress and other stuff; meh. Those who have an issue will get over it, or release.

I'm not sure what I think about these parts.

- Fall National Selection boards now feature procedural improvements including mandating that one voting member be from an Employment Equity group, in order to prevent bias. (not all of us 'white guys' are biased ffs)

- The current merit-based process does not provide complete insight into the character of an individual member...candidates for promotion are now required to complete three evidence-based online assessments to evaluate their cognitive ability, leadership qualities, and personality... Raters are carefully selected, with specific attention given to diversity in order to minimize confirmation bias. (this suggests diversity will trump "best person for the position. I don't and will never support this level of PC-ness").

Some "online assessment" (with unknown weight) will now factor in and raters will be "diverse". I'll wait for more details before deciding 'thumbs up/down', personally. Not that THAT matters at all...

Like there will be some people who complain about the unisex dress stuff, there will be a bunch of folks who will interpret the "new leave types" as "entitlements". Both will need to be "educated"....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

It's only the old RSMs and BSMs who are rolling over in their graves as we speak. Personally, I'm from the sixties' hippie generation. If I can get used to everybody wearing different combat boots on parade and people not blousing their trousers, I can get used to anything.

Yup! I like to think that...beards....boots...and weed have 'softened up' the "the end is nigh!" group.....

 

[Remius]

When beards were allowed I grew one over Christmas of that year. Made it easier to correct troops with incorrectly groomed beards who assumed the SNCOs were somehow anti beard.

I don’t care one way or the other. I’ll enforce whatever the rules say.

 

[MilEME09]

Devil will be in the detail, a balance between personal freedom, professionalism, and making kit work properly. If a member has short hair and wants to grow it long, do we give them a time frame like with beards? How's that going to work so hair still maintains a professional appearance in transition?

On the issue of merit boards, I can't speak to much about it since I an PRes, but I think something akin to the Marit board needs to come to the PRes to control people who really shouldn't be promoted getting to rank up because they check the boxes and the unit needs someone.

 

[Furniture]

1) Devil will be in the detail, a balance between personal freedom, professionalism, and making kit work properly. If a member has short hair and wants to grow it long, do we give them a time frame like with beards? How's that going to work so hair still maintains a professional appearance in transition?

2) On the issue of merit boards, I can't speak to much about it since I an PRes, but I think something akin to the Marit board needs to come to the PRes to control people who really shouldn't be promoted getting to rank up because they check the boxes and the unit needs someone.

1) Women are already allowed to grow hair pretty much anywhere between shaved, and as long as they can grow it. Apply the current female standard to all, and the problem is already solved. Same goes for earrings, we already have regs covering what type, and when they can be worn.

2) Merit boards are no guarantee that duds will not get through, as anyone in the Regs can attest to. I'm sure it could help somewhat, but sometimes a chair needs a bum, and the bum belongs to a dud.

 

[KevinB]

- The current merit-based process does not provide complete insight into the character of an individual member...candidates for promotion are now required to complete three evidence-based online assessments to evaluate their cognitive ability, leadership qualities, and personality... Raters are carefully selected, with specific attention given to diversity in order to minimize confirmation bias. (this suggests diversity will trump "best person for the position. I don't and will never support this level of PC-ness").

Some "online assessment" (with unknown weight) will now factor in and raters will be "diverse". I'll wait for more details before deciding 'thumbs up/down', personally. Not that THAT matters at all...

I don't like online assessments - they are rarely time sensitive - and thus give the respondent a great deal of time, to think about the "appropriate" answer - and potentially research the question as well.

I believe that at the very least they should be Video chat (preferably in person) with trained clinical professionals who can both understand the answers/topics, as well a understand if the interviewee is being truthful.
That manner has been used for selection of Tier 1 SOF worldwide - as well as other key positions (like folks entrusted with nuclear materials).

 

[MilEME09]

I don't like online assessments - they are rarely time sensitive - and thus give the respondent a great deal of time, to think about the "appropriate" answer - and potentially research the question as well.

I believe that at the very least they should be Video chat (preferably in person) with trained clinical professionals who can both understand the answers/topics, as well a understand if the interviewee is being truthful.
That manner has been used for selection of Tier 1 SOF worldwide - as well as other key positions (like folks entrusted with nuclear materials).

I'd say both, use the online assessment as a template for a professional one on one, elaborate on various questions to see if they just answered what they think will look best.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I don't like online assessments - they are rarely time sensitive - and thus give the respondent a great deal of time, to think about the "appropriate" answer - and potentially research the question as well.

I believe that at the very least they should be Video chat (preferably in person) with trained clinical professionals who can both understand the answers/topics, as well a understand if the interviewee is being truthful.
That manner has been used for selection of Tier 1 SOF worldwide - as well as other key positions (like folks entrusted with nuclear materials).

Current good practise is continuous performance management e.g.,:

Why Is Now the Time for Continuous Performance Management?​

And why Are Companies Ditching Annual Appraisals?

Management thought leaders such as the CEB have long been advocating that performance management should be part of managers’ everyday role and that once or twice a year appraisals are not an effective use of time. But it’s no longer just academics who think this. 95% of managers are not satisfied with their organisation’s annual performance management process and 75% of employees see yearly reviews as unfair. Another study has found that only 8% of companies believe that their traditional performance management process drives business value. When looking for an alternative to annual appraisals, continuous performance management is a solution that complements and supports the pace of modern business.

Aside from the fact that more and more companies are turned off by the inefficiencies and limitations of their traditional performance management processes, there are many reasons why now is the best time to transition to a more continuous process.

Modern business is fast-paced. Companies face unexpected pressures and obstacles daily and they need a performance management system that accommodates this reality. Businesses need to be agile, to thrive and compete. They need employees who are empowered, connected and able to take ownership over their work. Continuous performance management encourages this by providing instant communication, strengthening relationships through transparent dialogue and giving employees autonomy and independence — something that greatly appeals to the modern Millennial workforce.

What Is Continuous Performance Management?

www.clearreview.com