Info Source - Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information
Table of Contents
General Information
Introduction to Info Source
Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information provides information about the functions, programs, activities and related information holdings of government institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. It provides individuals and employees of the government (current and former) with relevant information to access personal information about themselves held by government institutions subject to the Privacy Act and to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.
The Introduction to Info Source: Sources of Federal Government and Employee Information and an index of institutions subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act are available centrally.
The Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act assign overall responsibility to the President of Treasury Board (as the designated Minister) for the government-wide administration of the legislation.
Background
On behalf of the people of Canada, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), with the support of the Department of National Defence (DND), stand ready to perform three key roles:
- Defend Canada - by delivering excellence at home;
- Defend North America - by being a strong and reliable partner with the United States in the defence of the continent; and
- Contribute to International Peace and Security - by projecting leadership abroad.
The Defence mandate is carried out by DND and the CAF with the support of a group of related organizations and agencies within the portfolio of the Minister of National Defence.
DND, as the largest federal department, and the CAF together have a budget of approximately 18 billion dollars, and over 110,000 employees, including approximately: 65,000 Regular Force members; 25,000 Reserve Force members (including 4,000 Canadian Rangers); and 28,000 civilians.
For more information about the Department, please see the "About the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces" webpage. For further information concerning the Department's priorities and raison d'être, please see the "Organizational Overview" section of the most recent departmental Report on Plans and Priorities.
Responsibilities
The Defence mission is to defend Canada and Canadian interests and values while contributing to international peace and security.
The Canadian Armed Forces and the Department of National Defence have complementary roles to play in providing advice and support to the Minister of National Defence and in implementing the decisions of the Government on the defence of Canada and of Canadian interests at home and abroad. The separate authorities of the Deputy Minister and the Chief of the Defence Staff give rise to different responsibilities.
Deputy Minister (DM)
The DM has responsibility for policy, resources, interdepartmental coordination and international defence relations.
Associate Deputy Minister (Assoc DM)
The Governor in Council may appoint not more than three Associate Deputy Ministers of National Defence, each of whom shall have the rank and status of a deputy head of a department and as such shall, under the Minister and the Deputy Minister, exercise and perform such powers, duties and functions as deputy of the Minister and otherwise as the Minister may specify.
There is currently one Assoc DM in DND.
Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS)
The CDS has responsibility for command, control and administration of the Canadian Armed Forces and military strategy, plans and requirements.
The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS)
On behalf of the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Defence Staff, the mission of the VCDS is to coordinate, and when appropriate, direct the activity necessary to ensure departmental Defence policy and strategic objectives are achieved.
The VCDS also performs the function of the Chief of Staff for the CDS and DM, manages security and military police operations, coordinates issues involving other nations, and manages the Reserves and Cadets.
Strategic Joint Staff (SJS)
The SJS is the means through which the CDS exercises strategic command. Accordingly, the SJS mission is to provide military analysis and decision support to the CDS as the principal military advisor to the Government of Canada, and to enable the CDS to effect strategic command.
Chief Military Judge (CMJ)
The Office of the CMJ is an independent, special entity, organization established in 1997 that provides statutory judicial and court-reporting services at courts martial and other judicial hearings such as pre-trial custody reviews.
Judge Advocate General (JAG)
The JAG is the senior legal advisor to the Minister, the Department and the Canadian Forces on matters of military justice. The JAG offers advice to the Government of Canada on military law and oversees the administration of the military justice system.
Royal Canadian Navy
Canada's Navy is a highly adaptable and flexible force. While being Canada's outer line of defence against an armed aggressor, it conducts sovereignty patrols, search and rescue operations, and assists other government departments in everything from disaster relief to law enforcement, such as conducting fishery or drug patrols. The Navy also supports Canadian foreign policy by remaining engaged internationally in everything from humanitarian assistance, to peace support operations, to maritime security operations.
Canadian Army
The Canadian Army's mission is to provide trained, combat-ready, agile and quickly responsive troops to meet Canada's defence objectives. The Canadian Army is ready to respond to conflicts across the globe. With an international reputation for excellence, the well-equipped Canadian soldier is instrumental in the fight for freedom, stability and human rights around the world. Through the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), the Army is also prepared to send soldiers and equipment to assist international and national authorities with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, storms, and forest fires.
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force protects Canadians, Canadian sovereignty and Canadian interests at home and abroad. The Air Force has the key function of providing security of Canadian and North American airspace through the bi-national North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) agreement. In cooperation with the Navy, Army and other government departments, the Air Force conducts maritime and northern patrols, search and rescue missions, and supports law enforcement agencies. In this manner, the Air Force plays a pivotal role in protecting Canada's sovereignty by guarding against those who would take advantage of its vast size, miles of coastline and border to carry out illegal or harmful activities. The Air Force also airlifts military personnel and supplies at home and abroad, and moves disaster relief supplies to stricken regions. Abroad, the Air Force's combat-ready air forces take an active role in multinational missions, representing Canada's interests and helping maintain global stability.
Chief of Military Personnel (CMP)
The CMP provides functional direction/guidance to the CAF on all military personnel management matters, monitors compliance with CAF personnel management policies, and is accountable for the effective management of the CF Personnel System. CMP is responsible for the development of strategies, policies and programs that foster and maintain the profession of arms as an honourable and desirable career.
The Five Personnel Functions performed by CMP are:
- Recruit: includes attraction, recruiting and selection of CAF members.
- Train and Educate: focuses on individual training, education, and career management for CAF members.
- Prepare: includes medical, dental and spiritual support, all of which are focused on preparing a healthy – medically, dentally and spiritually fit force ensuring individuals are healthy and robust throughout their careers.
- Support: includes casualty support, family support, fitness, sports, the commissariat, insurance, compensation and benefits, employment equity and diversity, Official Languages, and conflict resolution policy and programs.
- Honour and Recognize: focuses on honouring and recognizing military personnel and their families and military history and heritage.
To be successful, CMP, in consultation with Senior Officers and Operational Commands, has a responsibility to develop and implement policies and programs that ensure that a "competent, committed and professional" work force is available to accomplish the operational mission.
Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC)
Canadian Joint Operations Command (CJOC) anticipates and conducts Canadian Armed Forces operations, and develops, generates and integrates joint force capabilities for operations.
CJOC is responsible for conducting full-spectrum Canadian Armed Forces operations at home, on the continent of North America, and around the world. With its integrated command-and-control structure, CJOC directs these operations from their earliest planning stages through to mission closeout, and ensures that national strategic goals are achieved.
CJOC anticipates operations by understanding the operating environment and preparing for potential operations.
Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM)
The mission of CANSOFCOM is to provide the Government of Canada with agile, high-readiness Special Operations Forces (SOF) capable of conducting special operations across the spectrum of conflict at home and abroad.
The creation of CANSOFCOM in 2006 brought together a number of unique capabilities; CANSOFCOM is comprised of a Command Headquarters, Joint Task Force 2 (JTF 2), the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU), 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (427 SOAS) and the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR).
Assistant Deputy Minister (Finance and Corporate Services)
The ADM (FIN CS) is the Chief Financial Officer of the Department of National Defence, and is charged with ensuring the integrity of financial management and comptrollership at DND/CAF. ADM (FIN CS) provides comptrollership guidance and the financial authorities framework and advice necessary to support the resource management process and ensures the provision of corporate services to support the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources - Civilian)
The ADM (HR - CIV) develops and implements plans, policies and programs to recruit, develop and retain people to effectively support the Canadian Armed Forces in operational and meet the Defence Mission.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management)
The Information Management Group leads the institution in the planning, development, delivery and support of innovative IM/IT capabilities that enable successful Canadian Forces Operations and the achievement of Department of National Defence and Government of Canada objectives.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Infrastructure & Environment)
The ADM (IE) is the delegated functional lead for Real Property (RP) with a mandate to ensure the stewardship of Defence Infrastructure and Environment programs in support of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces. The ADM (IE) is also the delegated departmental steward for Aboriginal consultations within DND/CAF (excluding Aboriginal Procurement and Human Resources) including Duty to consult, treaty obligations and reconciliation. The RP program includes RP management (including fire services; architecture and engineering), Acquisition, (including recapitalization & betterments of real property assets); Maintenance & Operating, and Disposals. ADM(IE) is also the delegated departmental steward for architecture and engineering, protection, nuclear safety and unexploded explosive ordinance (UXO); respiratory protection and ionizing radiation protection. The Canadian Forces Housing Agency is a Special Operating Agency within ADM(IE) and is responsible for Crown-controlled residential housing. Infrastructure and Environment activities are spread across the institutional structure and are linked directly and indirectly to various programs under the control of other DND/CAF organizations.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Materiel)
ADM (Mat) or the Materiel Group is the organization within the Department of National Defence that is responsible for the procurement and management of materiel - the supplies needed to keep a functioning military at work, from trucks and tanks to boots and rations.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)
The ADM (Pol) is the principal source of defence policy advice and is responsible for the strategic analysis, planning, formulation, coordination, and management of defence policy. ADM (Pol) analyzes and develops policy options, coordinates defence policy with central agencies and other key government departments, manages international defence relations, and ensures overall policy coherence in support of domestic, continental, and international operations. ADM (Pol) also manages the Military Training and Cooperation Program, the Security and Defence Forum and other non-academic grants, and the Policy Officer Recruitment Program.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Public Affairs)
The ADM (PA) is accountable to the Deputy Minister and Chief of Defence Staff for leading and directing the development and implementation of national DND and CAF Public Affairs programs designed to inform Canadians of DND and CAF policies, programs, services, operations, issues and initiatives.
Assistant Deputy Minister (Science and Technology)
The ADM (S&T) is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Defence R&D Canada (DRDC), an Agency within the Department of National Defence. DRDC's mission is to facilitate and enhance the ability of decision makers to make informed decisions on defence policy, force generation, and procurement by providing expert Scientific and Technical (S&T) advice. DRDC contributes to the success of military and government operations by pursuing Research and Development (R&D) activities that provide improved support, knowledge, protection, and response to potential threats, and enhances the preparedness of the Canadian Armed Forces and public safety agencies by assessing technology trends, threats and opportunities, and by exploiting emerging technologies.
DRDC also plays an important role in the formulation and delivery of security S&T through the application of its existing research and development program as well as its leadership of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI), the Canadian Police Research Centre, and its co-leadership of the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP).
DRDC contributes to the creation and maintenance of a Canadian defence S&T capability by contracting-out to industry, by transferring technology to industry and by entering into partnerships in which cost and risk are shared. DRDC also conducts S&T projects with partners external to DND (industry, academia, other government departments, provinces, municipalities, and allied militaries), in order to assist the Agency in developing and maintaining its defence-related technological capabilities and partnerships.
Chief Review Services (CRS)
The CRS assists the Deputy Minister and Chief of Defence Staff as well as senior managers in meeting their mandates by providing services in the areas of Internal Audit (public and non-public property), Evaluation, and Special Examinations and Inquiries. CRS is responsible for management of the Defence Ethics Programme and is the departmental point of contact for Internal Disclosure of Wrongdoing in the Workplace and for the Office of the Auditor General.
National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS)
The National Search and Rescue Secretariat (NSS) is an autonomous arm’s length organization within the Department of National Defence, accountable to the Lead Minister for Search and Rescue who is also the Minister of National Defence.
Established in 1986, the NSS is responsible for the management and coordination of the National Search and Rescue (SAR) Program. While it does not direct or manage the work of its partners, the NSS brings them together to encourage collaboration and to ensure best use is made of their diverse resources and capabilities.
