Stag Special

Seamless Canada co-chairs, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence Bryan May representing Defence Minister Anita Anand, and New Brunswick MLA Mary Wilson joined representatives from provinces and territories May 24 at this year’s Seamless Canada Steering Committee (SCSC) meeting in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

During this annual meeting, which aims to collaborate across Canadian jurisdictions to enhance supports for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and their families, delegates focused on ongoing work that will help provide solutions to the employment challenges that military spouses and partners face as they move across the country.

Delegates also discussed the progress made by the Council of Ministers of Education on reducing education barriers for students relocating between jurisdictions through its efforts to update the Student Mobility Guide. This marked the first time the annual meeting was hosted in New Brunswick since its creation in 2018.

“I am inspired by our military families, who are truly the strength behind the uniform, and encouraged to witness the collaboration, and commitment of provincial and territorial jurisdictions working together on the Seamless Canada initiative to support our nation’s military members and their families when they are posted,” said Anand.

“Making these transitions more seamless improves their quality of life and allows for greater support at home and an even stronger engagement in the world. We are grateful to military spouses, children, and families for supporting their loved ones through all transitions, including relocation.”

The SCSC remains centered on three core themes to support CAF members and their families: healthcare access, child and youth education including childcare, and spousal and partner employment.

“Seamless Canada is all about putting people first. We ask a lot of our members as they serve Canada at home and abroad. They, and in-turn their families, are required to move between provinces and territories to train and gain the experience needed to respond in an era of deteriorating global security,” said Gen Eyre.

“We are grateful for the efforts of our provincial and territorial partners to understand the challenges our people face and to consider how they can help make lives better for our members and their families.”

Being near 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown in New Brunswick, delegates had the opportunity to interact directly with CAF members and some families to learn more about their insights, and gained an even greater understanding of the challenges they experience.

The SCSC representatives were also invited to preview the new Seamless Canada website which provides CAF members and their families with access to resources that can support them through their relocation experiences. The website is set to launch this June.

“Growing up in a military home, I’m no stranger to the sacrifices made by our Canadian Armed Forces families. I am honoured to be co-chair of the Seamless Canada Steering Committee, representing military families across Canada including those living in my home province of New Brunswick,” offered Wilson, who is responsible for Military Affairs in New Brunswick.

“Over the years as an MLA, I’ve worked on many files but this one means more to me than anything I’ve ever done. So, it is my pleasure to be here to create meaningful discussion on how to continue improving the relocation of military families across Canada.”

At the conclusion of the conference, delegates issued a joint communiqué where they recognized the mobility challenges military families face, and re-affirmed their commitment to address these issues through the ongoing work of Seamless Canada.

“Seamless Canada does vital work in coordination of services and resources across the country. This year’s focus on spousal employment is crucial as every military spouse/partner should be able to find rewarding job opportunities in their chosen field, no matter where their loved ones have been posted,” said May. “The upcoming launch of the Seamless Canada website will give members and their families access to resources on a variety of important services, like access to healthcare.”

As Seamless Canada efforts continue, representatives from provinces and territories work to explore various employment-related challenges CAF members and their spouses/partners face when relocating. This includes finding a comparable job in the province or territory of their new posting and getting support to obtain equivalencies for accreditations and language requirements that may differ across jurisdictions.

Quick Facts

Since 2018, the SCSC annual meetings have provided a platform for joint efforts between representatives from the provinces and territories, and Department of National Defence (DND) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) leadership to collaborate and streamline coordination of services and support for CAF members and their families. The SCSC initiative, along with a number of related DND/CAF efforts, have resulted in a number of positive outcomes, such as:

• The standard 90-day waiting period for access to health care services has been waived in most provinces and territories for military families;

• Virtual health care is available for military families;

• Employment and training support services have been developed for military spouses through the Military Spousal Employment Network;

• A review of education barriers for students relocating between jurisdictions has been completed and a Student Mobility Guide is being developed; and

Several provinces and territories have built customized websites for newly relocated military families, making it easier for them to navigate available resources and processes such as how to obtain a health card or driver’s license, which may differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction

The Terms of Reference for the Seamless Canada Steering Committee, which were ratified in June 2022, are guiding the way forward and facilitating future engagement between provincial, territorial and private sector partners.

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Statement from Seamless Canada steering committee

“We, the federal, provincial, and territorial representatives* for the Seamless Canada Steering Committee, met May 24, to reconfirm our commitment to alleviating the stressors and strains on military families arising from their relocations across Canada.

“We affirm that families are the strength behind the uniform, and by supporting the families of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, our governments are contributing to the ability of the CAF to conduct operations. We further recognize military families’ frequent relocations impact many elements that are essential to a stable and healthy family life, including access to and continuity of healthcare; sustainable employment opportunities for military spouses and partners; the availability of quality, affordable, and appropriate child care; and an educational framework that acknowledges and recognizes credits across provinces and territories.

“We acknowledge that by easing these challenges, our jurisdictions — from coast to coast to coast — help make military life more manageable, thus contributing to the recruitment and retention of CAF members and the ultimate strength of the CAF. In line with our current focus on spousal/partner employment, we applaud Alberta’s inauguration into the Military Spousal Employment Network, and commend the other provinces exploring possibilities to further leverage the talent and skills of military spouses and partners in their own jurisdictions.

“As representatives of Canada’s provinces and territories, we express support for the efforts of the Council of Ministers of Education and its review of education barriers for students relocating between jurisdictions, and the upcoming renewal of its Student Transfer Guide, which will help students integrate into education systems across the country.

“Our jurisdictions recognize that this year has been important in the institutionalization of Seamless Canada, which has seen the establishment of a provincial co-chair — a tangible demonstration of the collaborative spirit between federal, provincial and territorial governments that defines this initiative. This year has also been significant in the ratification of the Terms of Reference as well as the adoption of a governance structure. These have helped create both a firmer foundation as well as a roadmap toward future successes.

“We thank the province of New Brunswick and 5th Canadian Division Support Base Gagetown for being such gracious hosts. We look forward to reconvening, and to continue strengthening federal, provincial and territorial collaboration to improve the relocation experience of CAF members.”

NOTE: Quebec participates in the meetings solely as a means to exchange good practices, while Alberta is operating in a caretaker period due to a provincial election; officials from Alberta participated as observers.