General Information
Governance structures
Strategy/Framework to Integrate GBA+
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) recognizes and supports the implementation of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) across the department. VAC’s GBA+ Policy, developed in 2017, along with the Government’s Gender Results Framework contribute to ensuring VAC has the capability to provide quality and timely GBA+.
Governance Structure
A GBA+ Champion (senior executive) in VAC has been established to raise awareness and disseminate GBA+ information and tools with the goal of incorporating GBA+ throughout Veterans Affairs Canada’s policy, program, planning and operations continuum.
The GBA+ Champion chairs a GBA+ Network, consisting of representatives from across the Department, to promote GBA+ as a community of practice. The Champion supports the development of various GBA+ documents, such as the development of the Veterans Affairs Canada Gender Based Analysis Plus Action Plan, and feeds into Government of Canada wide GBA+ activities led by the Department of Women and Gender Equality (WAGE) and other departments, as required.
The Champion also encourages the application of GBA+ for improved data and information and enhanced decision making (VAC’s GBA+ Champion is also VAC’s Performance Head).
Compliance with Government of Canada Direction on GBA+
VAC complies with all guidance and instructions on GBA+ as provided by the Government of Canada, including TBS guidance for TB submissions and Department of Finance guidelines for Federal budget submissions.
Integration of GBA+
GBA+ training for VAC staff is key to successful integration of GBA+ throughout the department. The Introduction to GBA+ online training course offered through the Canada School of Public Service and WAGE is currently either mandatory or recommended training for VAC employees. The proposed Veterans Affairs Canada Gender Based Analysis Plus Action Plan (to be finalized in 2019-2020) could help ensure that this course becomes mandatory for all VAC staff.
GBA+ training is now integrated into the departmental “Map Your Career” tool, orientation and onboarding of new staff and as part of functional readiness and leadership development. Staff in many areas of the department including Policy, Audit and Evaluation, and Service Delivery Branch also require additional GBA+ training beyond the introductory course (for example, CSPS’ course GBA+ Applying Your Knowledge T731 classroom training). During 2018-2019, a small number of VAC staff had the opportunity to participate in the new CSPS Premium GBA+ course (which was previously a pilot). Through this intensive, four day long training opportunity, VAC participants deepened their understanding of GBA+ and enhanced their skills and abilities in conducting GBA+.
Human resources
Within Veterans Affairs Canada, a total of 5.65 FTE’s are dedicated to working on GBA+. This includes staff in areas such as VAC Policy development, Cabinet Business Unit, Human Resources, Integrated Planning and Performance and Commemoration who devote a portion of their time to GBA+ activities. It also includes two (2) FTE resources who support the GBA+ Champion, an increase of one FTE over the planned 2018-2019 Champion support. A VAC GBA+ Network of employees from across the department support the GBA+ Champion.
Major initiatives: results achieved
Specific Measures to Advance Gender Equality
A key milestone for VAC ‘s integration of GBA+ analysis was the establishment of the GBA+ Champion in early fiscal year 2018-2019. Under the leadership of the GBA+ Champion, in July 2018, VAC established a GBA+ Network with 60 representatives across the Department in regions throughout the country. A VAC GBA+ internal webpage was also created as a consolidated information source for employees, which contains online training, tools and various GBA+ resources.
As part of VAC’s ongoing efforts to monitor and track staff awareness of GBA+, in 2018-19 a new GBA+ question was included in the Departmental Employee Pulse Survey. Results showed that 74% of staff who responded were aware of GBA+ and of those, 42.63% indicated that they were both aware and understood how GBA+ affected their work environment. This baseline data will be used to further develop awareness and training tools for Departmental use.
In December 2018, VAC’s Diversity and Inclusion Week provided opportunities for staff to celebrate diversity and broaden their understanding through online messaging and educational sessions on LGBTQ2 (hosted by VAC’s Positive Space Ambassadors) and Indigenous history.
Results Achieved Over Reporting Period
In spring 2018, VAC Research Division published Veterans In Canada Released since 1998 – an analysis between men and women. The goal of this report was to create a sex-disaggregated profile of Veterans and VAC clients. The first section of the report contained the sex-disaggregation of demographic, service, and well-being characteristics of Veterans; the publication continues with an examination of clients and their participation in VAC programs by sex and completed by a narrative review of the literature to explore the gendered dimensions of the findings while providing possible explanations and considerations for future research.
VAC’s Research Division continued the Department’s work in the field of GBA+ through various initiatives, which includes: publishing a book chapter on female Veterans and their incomes and labour-market experiences in conjunction with Queen's University; co-leading a workshop on female Veterans and presented on a profile of female and male veterans at the 2018 Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research forum in Regina; participating in a female dimensions research workshop at Queen's; leading a profile of female and male Veterans in Canada; and examining VAC’s data collection (Life After Service Studies, Veteran Suicide Mortality Study, VAC National Survey) to determine GBA+ requirements.
In September 2018, the Office of the Veterans Ombudsman (OVO) Report, Meeting Expectations: Timely and Transparent Decisions for Canada’s Ill and Injured Veterans, concluded that among Veterans applying for disability benefits, “women wait longer than men” for decisions. In order to fully understand these difference and determine if there are other potential gender issues in VAC programming, VAC contracted with a Sex and Gender Based Analysis expert to confirm the OVO results, determine the causes for longer turn around times for female clients and provide an action plan to address any existing or potential barriers to timely and equitable access to disability benefits.
Targets that Reflect GBA+: Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee
Relevant GBA+ indicators are monitored in Performance Information Profiles (PIPs). All PIPs have a minimum of one GBA+ indicator and are reviewed by the Veterans Affairs Canada’s Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee.
Alignment with Gender Results Framework
As part of preparation for Budget 2019, and in keeping with the Government’s Gender Results Framework, VAC undertook GBA+ analysis on all proposals presented for budget consideration, Memorandum to Cabinet and Treasury Board submissions. This included identifying of GBA+ considerations within the context of policy, program design or implication, initiatives or services.
Net Impact of Initiative on Gender Equality
In recognition of the need to strengthen partnerships with organizations on the topic of women Veterans, and engage in further dialogue on the specific issues relating to them, in March 2019 VAC commenced planning for its first ever Women Veterans’ Forum. The forum will provide opportunities for organizations and stakeholders from across Canada with a vested interest in women Veterans to come together and identify directions for future research, policy and program development and opportunities for ongoing collaboration.
Reporting capacity and data
Veterans Affairs Canada has three core responsibilities. Each core responsibly and the associated programs that collect microdata are outlined below.
Benefits, Services and Support
Disability Pension Benefits and Allowances
Disability Awards, Critical Injury and Death Benefits
Earnings Loss Benefit
Career Impact Allowance
Retirement Benefits
Health Care Benefits
Transition Services
Long Term Care
Veterans Independence Program
Caregiver Recognition Benefit
War Veterans Allowance
Canadian Forces Income Support Benefit
Veterans Emergency Fund
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.
In September 2018, the OVO released a report titled Meeting Expectations: Timely and Transparent Decisions for Canada’s Ill and Injured Veterans. One of the findings, which was later confirmed by a VAC review, was that women waited on average 3.6 weeks longer than male clients for disability applications.
REPORTING
VAC’s primary report on disaggregated data is the Life After Service Studies (LASS) 2010, 2013, and 2016 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 LASS in 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.
VAC works with information gathered from Statistics Canada, VAC’s Facts and Figures Book and VAC’s National Client Survey. Disaggregated data obtained for these reports is gathered as a department whole and is not broken down by specific program.
All programs have Performance Information Profiles (PIPs) which are closely monitored by the program areas and assessed on a regular basis by the Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee (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.canada.ca which houses more than 80,000 open data and information assets for the Government of Canada.