General Information
Governance structures
Gender-Based Analysis plus (GBA+) is increasingly being integrated at Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC).
VAC’s GBA+ Champion works to promote GBA+ awareness and disseminates tools and best practices to support consistent implementation of GBA+ throughout the department.
The Department’s new GBA+ Framework is expected to be finalized by May 2020. This Framework will support the further advancement of GBA+ throughout the Department. Key Framework themes/pillars include: tools and training; compliance, reporting and data analysis; awareness; and, ongoing monitoring. The GBA+ Framework has specific initiatives and associated results, which will be tracked to ensure VAC is advancing GBA+ across the department.
VAC’s approach is aligned with Government of Canada guidance on Gender-Based Analysis Plus, including the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat Expectations for Gender-Based Analysis Plus in Treasury Board Submissions.
Each of VAC’s Performance Information Profiles (PIPs) contain a minimum of one GBA+ related measure and is reviewed regularly by the Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee (PMEC). PMEC discussions regarding program impact, program/policy effectiveness and service delivery, include GBA+ considerations.
GBA+ training is promoted as part of the Departmental learning and development resource guide, “Map Your Career” and promoted as part of onboarding, functional readiness, and leadership development.
On May 23, 2019, VAC hosted the first Canadian Women Veterans Forum. The Minister of Veterans Affairs was joined by over 60 participants.
The 2020 Women Veterans Forum brings together Veterans with lived experience and stakeholders to collaborate and co-develop proposed solutions to their priorities and concerns. The Forum allows for discussions both about biological sex differences as well as gender and sociocultural differences, as part of a GBA+ approach.
In July 2019, VAC established the Office of Women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit, intersex and other identity (LGBTQ2I+) Veterans in response to concerns raised by under-represented groups of Veterans as well as to support key federal government commitments to advance gender equality, diversity and inclusion. The Office works with all VAC Branches and Veteran stakeholders to identify and address barriers specific to women and LGBTQ2I+ Veterans and their families.
Human resources
The following resources are dedicated to the implementation of GBA+ at VAC:
- A portion of one senior executive level resource (departmental GBA+ Champion)
- During 2019-20, approximately 5.5 full time equivalent positions devote time to GBA+. This includes staff in Human Resources, Cabinet Business Unit, Policy, Commemoration and Audit and Evaluation.
- The creation of VAC’s new Office of Women and LGBTQ2I+ Veterans (current staff: 4 FTEs) provides additional resources devoted to raising awareness and understanding of GBA+ as well as the experiences and needs of women and gender and sexually diverse peoples.
- VAC’s internal GBA+ Network consists of representatives throughout the Department and in diverse regions across the country. The GBA+ Network will continue to meet periodically during 2020–2021 to discuss initiatives and share information.
Planned initiatives
VAC’s Strategic Policy Directorate conducts GBA+ analysis in the development and revision of policies for Veterans’ benefits. The Directorate will continue to assess potential impacts of proposed and revised policies and programs on the diverse groups of women, men and non-binary people taking into account sex, gender, sexual orientation and a range of other intersecting identity factors such socio-economic status, ability, geography, age, and culture/ethnicity.
GBA+ analysis is embedded in the policy development cycle (start to finish) for proposals to Government, such as those for consideration in Federal Budgets, and in the ongoing review of existing programs and policies.
VAC is working with Statistics Canada with the goal of including a Veteran identifier in the 2021 Census. Information provided from this identifier would provide disaggregated data to assist VAC in better understanding the diverse needs of Veterans and their families.
GBA+ is also important to VAC ’s internal policies and practices.
- VAC’s proposed new GBA+ Framework mandates all VAC employees to complete, at a minimum, the Introduction to GBA+ online training offered through the Department of Women and Gender Equality.
- VAC will explore areas for further collaboration with WAGE and will look into tailoring training products and tools to increase departmental capacity across all GBA+ areas.
- VAC continues to expand its reach with employees through the “Positive Spaces Initiative”. In 2020, VAC ambassadors will be working with the Canada School of Public Service to develop a new curriculum for Ambassador training. These ambassadors assist staff in creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone, including members of the LGBTQ2I+ communities. This network of ambassadors collaborates with other national networks such as the National Employee Council and the National Employment Equity and Diversity Advisory Council. Internal collaborations include work with the Office of Women and LGBTQ2I+ Veterans.
- A GBA+ landing page is in place to direct employees to online training, tools and other resources.
VAC continues to comply with Central Agency requirements for inclusion of GBA+ in Treasury Board submissions, Memoranda to Cabinet, Treasury Board Directives on Results, Regulations and budget proposals.
In 2020–2021, VAC’s Research Division will continue to further the Department’s work in the field of GBA+ through various initiatives and activities, such as:
- Presenting VAC research findings, which among other factors, sheds light on female and male veterans; and identifying areas of further research.
- Releasing and disseminating research that uses and/or includes sex-disaggregated data (e.g. Sex-disaggregated profiles).
VAC’s Youth network is planning an internal Summit in spring 2020 that, among other activities, will include a design jam to brainstorm ways in which the department can provide more inclusive services to support the needs of a diverse Veteran population.
Reporting capacity and data
VAC has three core responsibilities. Each core responsibly and the associated programs that collect microdata are outlined below.
Benefits, Services and Support
- Caregiver Recognition Benefit
- Disability Benefit
- Health Care Benefit
- Income Support
- Long Term Care
- Research and Innovation
- Transition Services
- Veterans Emergency Fund
- Veterans Independence Program
- War Veterans Allowance
All of the above listed programs obtain microdata on Veteran clients, and in some cases their families, in order to make decisions on disability benefits, services and supports. Depending on the specific program, data collected includes, sex, age, geographic location, income, place of residence, disability and marital status.
Commemoration
Funeral and Burial Program
This program collects personal data including name, date of death, cause of death, pensioned conditions, geographic location, marital status, and financial information to determine whether estates of Veterans are eligible for financial support for a dignified funeral and burial.
Veterans’ Ombudsman
The Office of the Veterans Ombudsman reviews and addresses complaints, systemic and emerging issues regarding the programs, services and support provided by the Veterans Affairs Portfolio. Microdata on individual clients may include name, geographic location, details on services and supports presently being received or requested from VAC.
REPORTING
VAC’s primary report on disaggregated data is the Life After Service Studies (LASS) 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019. Surveys and income tax record linkage data to disaggregate demographic, service and well-being characteristics by sex and three service components.
LASS covers Veterans released since 1998, which account for an estimated 11% of the total Canadian Veteran population.
- Over 40 indicators were examined across seven domains of well-being: health, purpose, finances, life skills, social integration, housing and physical environment, and culture and social environment.
- The most recent available LASS results (2016) concluded that male and female Veterans are similar in many demographic, military service, and well-being characteristics. However, female Veterans differed from males in some indicators of health, purpose, and finances and across each of the service components.
- The 2019 LASS results are expected to be available in late 2020.
A key piece of VAC research includes, Veterans in Canada released since 1998: A Sex-disaggregated Profile (2018).
As mentioned in the Governance structures section, all VAC programs have PIPs, which are closely monitored and assessed on a regular basis by the PMEC. GBA+ analysis and considerations are included in each PIP.
Management Accountability Framework (MAF) results indicated that VAC succeeded in terms of sharing data on Open Government, which houses more than 80,000 open data and information assets for the Government of Canada.