Canadian Government Executive - Volume 26 - Issue 05

30 / Canadian Government Executive // January/February 2021 tip-toeing around in order to avoid retaliation. There are middle powers, like Australia, that have taken a hard line, for example by banning Huawei’s 5G network due to threats to national se- curity. This is notwithstanding Australia’s heavy dependence on its trade relationship with China. In Canada, the House of Com- mons passed a motion labelling China’s treatment of the Uighur minority as genocide. The motion was supported by all 266 MPs who participated but the Liberal cabinet abstained. This might be a useful strategy for the government, as the motion articulates a strong stance against China’s actions without forcing the govern- ment’s hand on any future action or sanction. China has taken notice of this development in the House of Commons, as it has similar statements by other countries. In addition to these global considerations, there are questions about the theory and practice of leadership in the domestic con- text as well. For the first time in Canada’s history, a Governor Gen- eral stepped down in scandal. An independent review document- ed allegations of workplace harassment against Julie Payette and Assunta di Lorenzo, now the former Secretary to the Governor General. This is a crisis in leadership that has prompted calls for a revised, more stringent vetting process for the next person who occupies the position. The Governor General is appointed by the Queen on the recom- mendation of the Prime Minister; no vetting process, regardless of how comprehensive, restricts the Prime Minister’s prerogative to advise the Queen on this appointment. However, the Prime Minister is facing uncomfortable questions about his own leader- ship, particularly with respect to his rationale for appointing Pay- ette to the position in the first place. The Prime Minister has been accused of focusing on her celebrity rather than her suitability for the role. The power of appointment is one of the most impor- tant tools at a Prime Minister’s disposal; it provides opportunities to affect how governing institutions operate by populating other leadership positions with trusted individuals. The independent report on Rideau Hall paints an alarming picture of a toxic work- place, one that is all too familiar to those who have experienced bullying and harassment at work. The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are in the midst of a lead- ership crisis of their own: Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Art MacDonald stepped aside just two months after being appointed, while the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service con- ducts an investigation into allegations against him. His predeces- sor, General Jonathan Vance, is also facing allegations of inap- propriate conduct. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is facing hard questions about what the government knew about the allegations against General Vance and when. Former military ombudsman Gary Walbourne has said that he informed Minister Sajjan of the allegations back in 2018. This situation cries out for leadership both from the elected government and the CAF. Both are essential to any meaningful change in military culture. As Maya Eichler and Marie-Claude Ga- gnon write in Policy Options: The military is a workplace (not unlike the RCMP) that is de- signed around an unstated but institutionally assumed white, heterosexual male norm. This norm was perpetuated by a long history of legally sanctioned sex and gender discrimination. The legal discriminations have been removed but the culture hasn’t changed. Those labelled as “other” for not fitting into the precon- ceived “norm” of what a Canadian soldier should be are too often still treated as second-class soldiers. 2 Going forward, we would be wise to take a broad, ambitious view of leadership that includes responsibility for meaningful or- ganizational change. There is hard work that needs to be done across organizations that will require strong guidance from lead- ers who have credibility both within and outside their organiza- tions. At the political level, expectations of leadership are evolv- ing as global power relationships are shifting and as countries around the world respond to challenges related to public health, economics, and security. Appointments and elections to leader- ship positions must therefore be considered very carefully; the tasks ahead for leaders are daunting. References: 1. Fisher, Matthew. 2020. “With Trump rebuffed, Canada should join other western leaders stand- ing up to China.” Available at: https://globalnews.ca/ news/6932424/coronavirus-china-global-inquiry/ 2. Eichler, Maya and Marie-Claude Gagnon. 2021. “Only a fundamental culture change will address military sex- ual misconduct.” Policy Options. Available at: https:// policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/february-2021/only- a-fundamental-culture-change-will-address-military- sexual-misconduct/ D r . L ori T urnbull is the Director of the School of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and the deputy editor of Canadian Government Executive. THE LAST WORD The military is a workplace (not unlike the RCMP) that is designed around an un- stated but institutionally assumed white, heterosexual male norm. This norm was perpetuated by a long history of legally sanctioned sex and gender discrimination. The legal discriminations have been removed but the culture hasn’t changed. Those labelled as “other” for not fitting into the preconceived “norm” of what a Canadian soldier should be are too often still treated as second-class soldiers. 2