Canadian society has fundamentally changed since the last time we conducted a comprehensive review of our conditions of service. Most single members of the Forces used to live aboard ship, on base or in apartments near the base. Many married personnel lived in married quarters and were, for the most part, single-income families. Today, members of the Forces are also responding to and reflecting changes in Canadian society. We have more female members, many more dual-income families with children in day care and more single parents.
More members live in communities close to their bases and either own or rent their homes.
They are, in fact, quite like the rest of Canadian society. But at the same time, the Canadian Forces are unique in many ways. We are a unified force but, as you will hear from each Environmental Chief of Staff, each service, army, navy and air force, has distinctly different roles, cultures and traditions. Our policies should reflect and respect this diversity. We should ensure that our military, their families and former members of the Canadian Forces are not disadvantaged as a result of their service to Canada.