DND RPP 2011-12

• Developing and implementing a defence‐wide global engagement strategy that will provide strategic
guidance for the conduct of Canada’s international defence relations;
• Supporting the whole‐of‐government engagement in national and international CF operations,
including the mission transition in Afghanistan; and
• Strengthening Defence Team capacity and contributing to Public Service Renewal through, for
example, the activities of the Policy Officer Recruitment Program.
Communications
During fiscal year 2011‐12, Defence communications will continue to manage and deliver a broad suite
of public affairs services, projects and initiatives in support of the Defence mission and Defence
Priorities. Public affairs operates in a dynamic, fast‐moving environment, which requires attention
across an increasing number of communications channels and stakeholders, within both traditional and
social media. Defence Public Affairs Group is in the process of completing the transformation from being
issues‐driven to becoming a strategically‐focused organization (a four‐year process initiated in 2007),
and is moving steadily on a number of fronts to ensure strategic effect and alignment in support of
Defence Priorities.
Corporal Philippe Brunelle of 4 Intelligence
Company in Montréal stands proudly with
Montréal Canadien Mike Camallari during
the Troop Recognition event for ROTO 7, held
at the Bell Centre, in February 2010. Defence
coordinates visibility events aimed at
connecting with Canadians and supporting
CF recognition, including CF Appreciation
events at major sporting events.
Photo: Master Corporal Simon Duchesne, Army
News, Land Forces Québec Area
Key public affairs efforts and initiatives will include:
• Leveraging communications to reach more Canadians
and employees, by making continued and innovative use
of both traditional and social media;
• Providing support to reconstitution efforts with the
scheduled transition from a combat to a training and
humanitarian support mission in Afghanistan;
• Focusing on public affairs performance measurement
processes as key to effective communications
management; and
• Continuing implementation of the Employee
Development Program, rolled out in fiscal year 2010‐11,
as the key to building strategic capacity.
Defence will continue to leverage technological advances in
building knowledge management, enhancing efficiency and
effectiveness, and making progress in building an
integrated Defence public affairs team. This includes
change management processes to ensure the optimal use
of the new Defence Public Affairs Portal – a single‐window web‐based interface providing staff with
simple, ready and global access to communications documents and tools.
Legal
In the conduct of our mandate, Defence is aware of the need to abide by all applicable Canadian and
international laws. The Department of Justice and the Office of the Judge Advocate General deliver
strategic legal advice and services to the Minister, the Department and the CF in defined areas of law.
Where appropriate, the provision of legal advice and services is co‐ordinated with the DFAIT Legal
Bureau, subject matter experts and with legal counsel within the PCO.
The Minister of National Defence is statutorily required to cause an independent review of the
provisions in the National Defence Act amended by Bill C‐25 33 in 1998 and table it in Parliament. The
first review was conducted by the late former Chief Justice Lamer and his report was submitted to the
Minister in 2003. To respond to the Lamer report 34 , the Military Justice Strategic Response Team
48 | DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENCE