and Canadians change, so too must our approach to our people. To ensure they and their families thrive, we will continue to incorporate progressive best practices into our approach. Throughout, our actions must be underpinned by a sense of compassion and responsibility towards the women and men who wear the uniform, and their loved ones. DEFENCE CIVILIANS Defence civilians face different demands than many of their public service counterparts, and Defence is committed to meeting their needs accordingly. Working at the Department of National Defence involves weighty decisions that can impact the lives of others, placing stress on employees that is unique across the public service. Defence civilians also form close bonds with their military co-workers and can be deeply affected by tragic losses associated with military operations. Increasingly, defence civilians also have a role in supporting operations. Policy advisors and tradespeople deploy alongside the Canadian Armed Forces in expeditionary operations, facing similar challenges associated with prolonged absences from family and the stresses of high-tempo military operations in dangerous locations. RECRUITMENT, TRAINING AND RETENTION The operational success of the Canadian Armed Forces begins with a robust recruiting system that engages and attracts the best and brightest, communicates the unique opportunities and benefits of military service, and efficiently and effectively selects and enrolls new recruits. The current system is too slow to compete in Canada’s highly competitive labour market and does not effectively communicate the exciting and fulfilling employment opportunities offered by military service. The Canadian Armed Forces offers more than 100 career options, many of which are unique to the military, and provides unparalleled professional and personal development opportunities. The military’s personnel system must be more agile and responsible. It must be able to maintain a skilled force across a broad range of tasks while meeting requirements in critical occupations facing shortages, particularly those focused on caring for our personnel such as medical officers, dentists, pharmacists, and social workers. The Canadian Armed Forces must also attract Canadians with the aptitudes and skill-sets required to succeed in highly technical domains such as space and cyberspace and to operate and maintain increasingly sophisticated equipment, including remotely piloted systems. Most importantly, the Canadian Armed Forces must reflect the diversity of the country we defend. We need a military that looks like Canada. In particular, we are 20