Gender-based analysis plus

Responsibility for gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) implementation and governance within the RCMP resides with the Action, Innovation and Modernization (AIM) Office. The AIM Office reports to a senior executive position established to oversee modernization within the RCMP, which includes coordination and support for GBA+ implementation. In addition, the RCMP GBA+ Champion is a member of the RCMP's Senior Executive Committee, which ensures GBA+ considerations are integrated within departmental deliberations and decision-making processes.

In April 2018, two FTEs were added to the GBA+ responsibility centre to help support the coordination and implementation of GBA+ activities within the RCMP, including greater monitoring of GBA+ and the conduct of strategic GBA+ projects.

In 2018-19, these dedicated GBA+ resources provided centralized advice and support on the application of GBA+ across the RCMP, including reporting on GBA+ initiatives to the RCMP Senior Executive Committee, and served as the primary contact point for all matters related to GBA+ for the Department of Women and Gender Equality, central agencies, and broader Government of Canada GBA+ Networks. They worked with subject matter experts to complete GBA+ for: Memoranda to Cabinet; Treasury Board submissions; budget proposals; business cases; policies and procedures; and the conduct of strategic in-depth GBA+ projects.

GBA+ awareness sessions have been delivered across RCMP business lines at RCMP headquarters and with senior executive teams in the divisions. Over 7,700 RCMP employees have completed the Department of Women and Gender Equality's "Introduction to GBA+" online course, which was made mandatory for all applicants to the Officer Candidate Program.

The RCMP continued as a member of the Federal GBA+ Interdepartmental Committee (Defence and Security cluster). The RCMP actively participated in this group to facilitate the sharing of best practices and strategies, and to identify opportunities for collaboration on specific objectives and projects. The RCMP also participated in other intra- and inter-departmental forums related to departmental and government-wide GBA+, gender, diversity, and inclusion priorities and objectives.

Within the RCMP, GBA+ resources will continue to be engaged in targeted projects to provide evidence-based assessments and recommendations to support RCMP modernization efforts.

In 2018-19, three FTEs were dedicated to GBA+ implementation within the RCMP.

A number of GBA+ initiatives were completed or initiated in 2018-19 including:

• Uniform Modernization: GBA+ was used to examine and update the RCMP Uniform Dress Manual. Changes included the removal of binary gender references and the modernization of grooming policies. To support reconciliation, a new process was also developed to allow items of significance and honour to be incorporated into the ceremonial uniform. At a federal level, the RCMP used GBA+ to develop shared principles to guide uniform modernization to better ensure equitable and inclusive uniform options and policies.
• Recruitment Policies: A GBA+ assessment of the RCMP mandatory applicant requirements was initiated to identify potential barriers to diverse groups and will continue into 2020. Initial analysis identified that certain applicant requirements may have differential impacts on key groups within the applicant pool. Findings from this GBA+ assessment will inform an ongoing review of the RCMP recruitment process and help to identify opportunities to introduce more evidenced-based and inclusive practices. A GBA+ review of the RCMP entrance exam was also conducted to identify opportunities to update the content to better align with modern, inclusive, and evidence-based content and criteria.
• Awards: The RCMP examined the RCMP Long Service Award program and identified that the criteria for eligibility resulted in women and primary caregivers within the Regular Member classification being disproportionately impacted. Recommendations were identified to support decision making.
• GBV Training: The RCMP applied GBA+ in the design and development of cultural competency and trauma-informed gender-based violence (GBV) training for RCMP employees as part of the Government's commitments under the Federal Strategy to Prevent and Address GBV. This included supporting the review of training provided in the Cadet Training Program. The training will improve capacity across the RCMP to effectively respond in a gender and culturally sensitive manner.
• Low-diversity Units: The RCMP continues to use GBA+ to examine units that show persistently low rates of gender diversity in order to identify if systemic barriers are impacting representation rates. Representation rates within units have been positively impacted since the project began. For example, the number of women applicants to the Air Marshals program has increased. The Emergency Response Team used GBA+ to enhance the candidate selection process by introducing bias awareness training for selection board members and new fitness standards to better reflect operational realities.
• Leadership Competencies: GBA+ was applied to examine promotional policies and selection criteria for the Officer Candidate Process (OCP). The OCP is the selection process through which RCMP Regular Members are commissioned to the rank of Inspector and enter the officer cadre (executive equivalent). The GBA+ assessment found that the timing of the OCP annual intake period in September may have served as a deterrent for prospective applicants with young children as it coincides with the beginning of the school year. In particular, women may have been more impacted by this timing given greater care responsibilities. The OCP intake process was changed and applicants are now able to submit an application at different times throughout the year.
• Fairness: The RCMP also engaged the Personnel Psychology Centre of the Public Service Commission to conduct a Fairness Review of the OCP to ensure the process does not unintentionally disadvantage certain groups of candidates, and to identify any misalignment between job requirements and evaluated competencies.
• GBA+ Awareness: The RCMP collaborated with the Department of Women and Gender Equality on GBA+ promotion and awareness activities across government and within the RCMP. These initiatives included the annual GBA+ Awareness Week, GBA+ Bootcamp, Gender Equality Week, and the promotion of GBA+ training, learning events, tools, and resources.

The RCMP operated under the Program Alignment Architecture in 2018-19, with the Program Inventory implemented for 2019-20 reporting.

Along with these reporting changes, the department is working with programs to identify and collect sufficient individual recipient microdata information to undertake GBA+.