Challenges of diversity and inclusion in defence emergency management and preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

LAY SUMMARY The Canadian military's recent mission in support of long-term-care homes in Ontario, and the alleged abuses reported, demonstrates the urgent need to address challenges associated with diversity and inclusion in defence emergency management and preparedness during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article reviews the social and health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on diverse groups within the Canadian Defence Team and across Canada, with a particular focus on visible minorities, Indigenous people, women, older adults, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and two-spirit communities. The review indicates that the pandemic widened the existing physical and mental health disparities and socio-economic inequities affecting these groups. To address these challenges, and to better understand the needs of diverse groups in the pandemic context, several recommendations for the Defence Team are proposed to incorporate into daily encounters with diverse groups and communities affected by COVID-19. The recommendations are designed to enable the Defence Team to establish positive and sustainable relations with diverse communities and to increase community resilience and defence emergency operational readiness. The range of potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals, families, and communities emphasizes the importance of recognizing the diverse perspectives and needs of the Canadian Defence Team and the urgency of developing inclusive approaches for managing these impacts. Whether the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and Department of National Defence (DND) are providing support to their own diverse workforce, or responding with humanitarian relief in Canada and abroad, it is essential to understand how the COVID-19 crisis may affect diverse groups across Canada. As a result, this article provides a perspective on COVID-19's potential impacts on diverse groups and communities when examining emergency management and preparedness in the Canadian defence context. The potential challenges that may be experienced by diverse groups across Canada, including members of the Defence Team, are discussed, with a focus on racialized people, women, older adults, persons with disabilities, and members of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and two-spirit communities who reside across the Canadian landscape. The article also includes evidence-based recommendations that are intended to complement existing efforts to mitigate the negative effects of COVID-19, and it further contributes to the well-being of the Defence Team and DND-CAF readiness.