The Canadian military’s move is drawing criticism for prioritizing a DEI agenda during active conflicts
The Canadian Armed Forces has deployed “gender advisors” to such conflict zones as Ukraine and Haiti, a recent internal report has revealed.
The deployments were part of the Department of National Defence’s Military Cooperation Program, which primarily provides advice and assistance to non-NATO countries. According to the 2024 report, the initiative has helped train nearly 2,000 military personnel from 55 countries. It has focused on the “integration of women and gender perspectives in the armed forces.”
“Gender Advisors and Gender Focal Points,” both full- and part-time roles, are deployed in all CAF international operations to help “Commanders in the application of GBA+ and gender perspectives” institutionally and operationally.
The abbreviation stands for Gender-Based Analysis Plus – a commitment introduced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across all government departments.
“In 2023, notable opportunities to apply Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) and intersectional perspectives to operational support occurred in Poland, Ukraine, Haiti, and Latvia,” the report details.
In Poland, Canadian gender advisors and gender focal points are said to have connected with “local and Ukraine-based non-governmental organizations and interested parties” among other activities.
In Haiti, the efforts have led to “intersectional factors being applied towards stabilization and humanitarian efforts in the country,” the DND claims.
The report concludes that implementing the GBA Plus program has enhanced the Canadian military’s “cognition of the gender considerations and inclusivity” – something that has presumably translated into “mission success.”
However, True North, a media outlet, quoted Andrew MacGillivray, president of the Canadian group Veterans for Freedom, as criticizing the growing emphasis on gender analysis. He argued that GBA Plus has strayed from its original purpose of addressing the needs of female service members regarding equipment. MacGillivray asserted that the initiative has now become a “burdensome policy” that has affected every aspect of the Canadian Armed Forces.
MacGillivray also expressed doubt that “countries at war or in a humanitarian crisis that we are trying to help care about gender nonsense being pushed by Canada when they are struggling to keep people alive.”
In September, the US Navy commissioned its first-ever “fully gender-integrated” submarine, with plans to build all future vessels according to these standards. These include, among other things, increased privacy in sleeping areas and restrooms.
Earlier this year, Fox News cited a leaflet issued by the US intelligence community’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Office as extolling the supposed benefits of cross-dressing for intelligence officers.
