Communications

In today's complex society, the need to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences is not just desirable, but essential. The Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces (DND/CF) make a fundamental contribution to the safety and security of Canadians, and it is vital that Canadians see Canadian Forces members at work for them and understand how the DND/CF contributes to their well being.

In 2004, the Department continued to improve on-line information which enhances an understanding of the Defence program and CF missions. Under the umbrella of National Defence On-Line (NDOL) plans and processes are being enhanced to ensure that the information provided is up-to-date and easily accessible. Key to the success of NDOL is consolidating and improving access to pertinent information for the Canadian public and for Canadian Forces Regular and Reserve members.

The DND/CF national web site is called the Defence Network. This network can be accessed from http://www.forces.gc.ca/. The Defence Network provides information on defence policy and programs, operations and activities with other government departments, NATO partners, and businesses. The web site profiles CF operations, provides information about the people who conduct those operations, and highlights the contributions of the men and women of National Defence who support the defence mission of the Canadian Forces. Information on the activities of the Navy, Army, Air Force and Reserves can be accessed directly from the national site.

The Defence Network communicates information about many subject areas, which include:

• Current and past military operations;
• Partners and allies;
• Military history and heritage;
• Canadian defence policy;
• Canada – United States Defence Relations;
• Defence mission and values;
• Ministerial activities;
• Activities of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs;
• Departmental news releases and backgrounders;
• Daily updates on what's happening in DND and the CF;
• Selected speeches by senior departmental officials; and
• CF Image Gallery.

The Defence Network also provides information about how to submit Access To Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests; both the Access to Information Request form and the Personal Information Request form are available for downloading. A list of all completed access-to-information requests is updated every month. For more information, check the ATIP website at : http://www.forces.gc.ca/admfincs/ati/intro_e.asp

The Assistant Deputy Minister Public Affairs (ADM PA) is responsible for managing the content of the DND/CF website to ensure the information is current, of high quality and informative to the Canadian public.

National Defence has supported the development and implementation of the Canadian Military Heritage Gateway (CMHG), a horizontal, cross-departmental initiative involving a consortium of partners including Parks Canada, the National Library and Archives, the Canadian War Museum, CBC, the National Film Board and Veterans Affairs with DND as the project lead. The site provides direct access to a timeline of Canadian military events, documents, audio-visual information and database items, a virtual one-stop shop. For access to this comprehensive collection, visit http://www.cmhg.gc.ca.

For more information contact the National Defence On-Line Program Manager