National Defence ratifies Seamless Canada Terms of Reference with provinces and territories
June 15, 2022
Global Korean Post
On June 14, 2022, the Department of National Defence (DND), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS) met with provincial and territorial delegates in Ottawa to ratify the Terms of Reference for the Seamless Canada initiative.
A signed Terms of Reference is official recognition and acceptance by all jurisdictions in Canada that the mobility challenges military families face is beyond what most Canadians experience. This acknowledgement is warranted because military families are the strength behind the uniform.
This important step guarantees a sustained collaboration among provinces and territories to better coordinate policies and procedures for military families to receive fair and equitable access to public programs and services, creating a Seamless Canada experience.
In support of Canada’s Defence Policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, Seamless Canada was launched in 2018 to further support CAF members and their families on their CAF Journey. The aim is to help military families in adjusting to geographical moves within Canada and to ensure they transition more seamlessly to a new destination with less stress. Through this effort and others, the CAF is confident these initiatives will improve the retention of its most valuable asset, its members and their families.
A Seamless Canada Steering Committee (SCSC), consisting of representatives from different levels of government, has met several times over the past four years. This collaboration has resulted in several improvements already implemented, such as:
- improved healthcare access for CAF families with the waiving of the 90-day wait period for health cards;
- securing essential worker status of CAF members;
- a review of education barriers for students relocating between jurisdictions; and
- leveraged employment and training support services for military spouses through the Military Spousal Employment Initiativeand the Military Spousal Employment Network.
The objective of the SCSC is to strengthen federal, provincial and territorial collaboration to improve the relocation experience of CAF members by sharing information and best practices among jurisdictions and stakeholders.
