Chapter 1: Diversity and Inclusion in the Security and Intelligence Community — Introduction
National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians Annual Report 2019
Introduction
Rationale and overview
10. Canada is a multicultural country with a diverse population and evolving demographics. Currently, immigrants make up two-thirds of population growth, the Aboriginal population is growing four times as fast as the non-Aboriginal population, Footnote 1 22 percent of people aged 15 years and over have a disability, and up to 13 percent of people self-identify as LGBT. Footnote 2 The government estimates that by 2031, members of visible minorities will represent almost one third of Canadians. Footnote 3 Canada's public service must adapt to these changes. As the Clerk of the Privy Council stated, "Ours is a Public Service that draws strength from diversity and inclusion. Ours is a Canada whose every voice deserves to be heard." Footnote 4
11. Diversity and inclusion are two core values of the public service. According to the Joint Union/Management Task Force on Diversity and Inclusion of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), "a diverse workforce in the public service is made up of individuals who have an array of identities, abilities, backgrounds, cultures, skills, perspectives and experiences that are representative of Canada's current and evolving population. An inclusive workforce is fair, equitable, supportive, welcoming and respectful. It recognizes, values and leverages differences in identities, abilities, cultures, skills, experiences and perspectives that support and reinforce Canada's evolving human rights framework." Footnote 5 [Emphasis added.]
12. In addition to their normative value, diversity and inclusion have tangible benefits for organizational performance. A 2018 study of over 1,700 companies in eight countries by the Boston Consulting Group and the Technical University of Berlin, found that there was a "statistically significant relationship between diversity and innovation outcomes in all countries examined," suggesting that "diversity represents a tangible missed opportunity and significant potential upside." Footnote 6 Multiple academic and professional studies have reached similar conclusions. Footnote 7 A large part of this missed opportunity is talent. TBS notes that there are systemic and attitudinal barriers to women, members of visible minorities, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal peoples in the Public Service. Footnote 8 Removing these barriers will result in a more representative and diverse workforce and will ensure that organizations are leveraging the broad range of perspectives and talent that Canada has to offer.
13. Reports on allied security and intelligence communities similarly recognize the value of a diverse workforce and an inclusive work environment. A 2017 report commissioned by the U.S. Director of National Intelligence stated, "there is no more important place to encourage and support a culture of diversity and inclusion than in today's Intelligence Community." The report noted that increasing diversity "expands the talent base and more accurately reflects analytic capabilities necessary to evaluate and meet mission requirements." Footnote 9 A report on gender diversity commissioned by the Australian Federal Police in 2016 pointed to the increasingly complex threats facing security organizations as requiring a diverse workforce with "a breadth of skills, expertise and talent." Footnote 10 The U.K. Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament made similar findings in 2018, stating, "if all intelligence professionals are cut from the same cloth, then they are likely to share 'unacknowledged biases' that circumscribe both the definition of the problems and the search for solutions." Footnote 11 Finally, a 2015 Central Intelligence Agency study on diversity in leadership noted that increasing diversity, particularly at senior levels, helps to promote "the Agency as an employer of choice in an increasingly diverse nation." Footnote 12
14. Canada's national security and intelligence community also acknowledges the critical importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce to operational success. A 2010 report commissioned by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) highlighted that greater diversity and inclusion at CSIS would enhance the organization's ability to attract talent and establish relationships with diverse communities in Canada. Footnote 13 The report also noted that a diverse and inclusive workplace would allow CSIS to leverage "cultural competencies, language skills, generational characteristics, gender, community connections… to continuously improve how the Service gathers intelligence, counters terrorism and protects Canada's national security." Footnote 14
15. The Committee decided to review diversity and inclusion in the security and intelligence community for several reasons. Most importantly, challenges to increasing diversity and inclusion persist in the security and intelligence community even after decades of legislation, multiple reports and repeated calls for change. This is most evident in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which have settled class action lawsuits alleging widespread harassment, violence and discrimination, and at CSIS, which settled a lawsuit specifically alleging lslamophobia, racism and homophobia. The Committee agrees with the analysis of security and intelligence organizations abroad and in Canada on the importance of diversity and inclusion. These issues are particularly important for organizations responsible for protecting the national security of Canada and the rights and freedoms of Canadians. A review across organizations in this field has never been conducted. This review falls under the Committee's mandate to examine the legislative, regulatory, policy, administrative and financial framework for national security and intelligence.
16. The Committee focused on the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA); CSIS; the Communications Security Establishment (CSE); the Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF); Footnote 15 Global Affairs Canada (GAC); the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC); the Privy Council Office (PCO); Public Safety Canada; and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Footnote 16 These organizations work as a close community. In its review, therefore, the Committee sought to understand the individual circumstances of each organization, but also to identify challenges they face as a community and where they have made collective efforts to address common problems.
Objectives of the review
17. This review provides a baseline assessment of the degree of representation of women, Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities within the security and intelligence community, and examines the goals, initiatives, programs and measures that departments and agencies have taken to promote diversity and inclusion.
18. Many of the diversity and inclusion goals of the organizations under review are part of a longterm government-wide strategy for representation and cultural change. This review is intended to establish a baseline of diversity and inclusion in the security and intelligence community from which the Committee may conduct a more comprehensive assessment in three to five years. The first section examines the legislative and policy framework for diversity and inclusion, and the current representation of women, Aboriginal peoples, members of visible minorities and persons with disabilities across each organization under review. The second section assesses the different ways in which organizations across the community promote diversity and foster inclusion in their workforce.
Methodology
19. For this review, the Committee requested information from the organizations under review dating primarily, but not exclusively, from the period of January 1, 2015, to March 31, 2018. The Committee received the first documents in early February 2019. The Committee conducted an initial analysis of the information provided and requested further information in April. This review is based on over 5,000 pages of documentation, departmental consultations and independent research. The Committee notes the following limitations to its review:
- The Committee did not hold hearings in the context of this review, but the NSICOP Secretariat consulted with departments, agencies, academics and stakeholders from January to May 2019 on the Committee's behalf.
- The Committee did not conduct focus groups with employees or examine individual cases of current or former staff of the security and intelligence community. Instead, it conducted an analysis of the data and other information provided by departments and agencies.
- Due to an absence of more granular data, some of the information assessed in this review applies to departments or agencies as a whole, rather than employees or units that work in specific areas of security and intelligence.