About the Policy Group

Mission

"To formulate and manage all aspects of defence policy."

Vision

"A highly professional, competent and responsive work force that is fully capable of achieving our mission in a clear, sound, timely, relevant, accurate, effective and efficient manner."

Organizational Chart

Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy)

The Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy) is the principal source of defence policy advice and is responsible for:

• the analytical basis and policy options, as well as advice on and support in the formulation and execution of defence policy;
• advice and support in dealing with Cabinet and Parliament;
• advice and support on international defence relations;
• advice on managing issues bearing on national unity and relations with provincial governments;
• coordination of national policies and departmental relations with Foreign Affairs, the Privy Council Office, the Cabinet and Parliament;
• assistance in fostering and nurturing a national pool of expertise and interest in defence and international security issues;
• management of the Department's bilateral and multilateral defence and international security relations, including representation of Canada at UN, NATO and other meetings and on these institutions' committees; and
• management of the Military Training Assistance Program offered to Partnership for Peace nations and a number of developing countries.

ADM Biography

Director General Policy Coordination

The Director General Policy Coordination is responsible for the effective integration of DND's responsibilities and activities with the Government's overall programs and priorities by providing advice and support related to the Minister's roles and responsibilities in Cabinet and Parliament; managing a public policy program and drafting speeches for the Minister and other senior officials; and providing advice on issues related to national unity and relations with individual provincial governments.

Directorate of Cabinet Liaison

The Directorate of Cabinet Liaison prepares the Minister, the Deputy Minister, the Chief of the Defence Staff and other senior officials for their participation at Cabinet and Cabinet Committee meetings. Directorate staff also prepare the Department's briefing material and advice on all proposals being considered in Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. They liaise with Central Agencies (the Privy Council Office, the Treasury Board Secretariat and the Department of Finance) on all Cabinet-related business. The staff monitor all Cabinet-related activities and advise on any departmental input required. They coordinate the Department and the Canadian Forces's input to policy initiatives of other government departments as they are being developed for Cabinet consideration. Directorate staff also provide guidance and assistance in drafting Departmental Cabinet documents.

Directorate of Parliamentary Affairs

The Directorate of Parliamentary Affairs is mandated to manage matters relating to the Department's interaction with Parliament and its members. Specifically, D Parl A is responsible for preparing the Minister for Question Period; the Minister and Department officials for appearances before Parliamentary Committees; and for the functional relationship with Parliament.

Defence and Parliament

Directorate of Public Policy

The mission of the Directorate of Public Policy is to provide the Minister of National Defence and senior officials with timely and professional services relating to speechwriting and a range of public policy programs. The program work includes the management of Departmental relations with Canadian academic and non-governmental organizations working on defence and security studies; the management of a Scholarship and Intern Program to support graduate and post-graduate studies relating to contemporary Canadian security and defence issues; and the conduct of consultations that provide officials and the interested public with opportunities to discuss current defence policy issues.

Security and Defence Forum

Policy Officer Recruitment Program

Director General Policy Planning

The Director General Policy Planning is responsible for evaluating strategic developments, developing and articulating major proposals on defence policy, developing options in all areas of defence policy, promoting departmental positions, advising on policy matters and advancing approaches in the field of arms and proliferation control policy in general, and NATO policies on nuclear weapons and measures to counter weapons of mass destruction, in particular.

Directorate of Arms and Proliferation Control Policy

The mission of the Directorate of Arms and Proliferation Control Policy is to provide the Minister of National Defence and senior officials with accurate information and timely advice on arms control, disarmament, confidence and security-building measures, NATO nuclear issues, defence efforts against proliferation, mine action and measures to help war-affected children. The Directorate must analyze the impact of national and international developments as they relate to the above-mentioned issues, coordinate the development of national policies with other government departments, and ensure the department and the Canadian Forces are fully compliant with various treaties and conventions.

Arms and Proliferation Control Policy

 

Directorate of Policy Development

The Directorate of Policy Development (through DG Pol Plan and ADM(Pol)) assists the MND, DM & CDS to formulate, oversee and advance defence policy by:

• tracking relevant domestic and international trends and activities;
• providing timely and informed advice on Canadian security and defence issues; and,
• assessing departmental and other government plans and proposals for their relevance to and compliance with current defence policy.

Policy Documents

Directorate of Strategic Analysis

The Directorate of Strategic Analysis is responsible for planning and directing a program of strategic studies in support of policy planning and decision-making in DND. This involves the identification and subsequent analysis of all strategically relevant defence, diplomatic, political, technological and budgetary developments of relevance to Canada's security.

Director General International Security Policy

The Director General International Security Policy is responsible for managing DND's bilateral and multilateral defence and international security relations (including representation of Canada at the UN, NATO and other forums), and for providing advice and support to the Minister and senior management on international defence relations.

Directorate of Afghanistan and Asia-Pacific Policy

The primary mission of the Directorate of Asia-Pacific Policy is to develop and coordinate Canada's bilateral defence relations in the Asia-Pacific region with a current emphasis on Canada’s engagement in Afghanistan. This involves the establishment and maintenance of military relations and activities with a variety of Asia-Pacific nations, as well as providing the central source of defence policy advice on all issues related to the Afghanistan mission. The Directorate is responsible for strategic policy development and guidance through the preparation of policy papers, briefing notes, and briefings for senior DND/CF officials, and works closely with the military, other parts of the Policy Group, and the interdepartmental community, in particular the Afghanistan Task Force at the Privy Council Office, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Canadian International Development Agency, and the Department of Public Safety.

The Directorate coordinates policy-related high-level staff talks and visits with selected states of the Asia-Pacific with a current emphasis on Afghanistan. It provides support on policy issues to Canadian Forces attaches in the region, and acts as a primary point of contact for other government departments on security policy issues in Asia-Pacific. The Directorate also participates in DND/CF or other Canadian delegations to multi-lateral Asia-Pacific security meeting and conferences as military representatives or defence policy advisors. It is responsible for the overall coordination of policy matters related to Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan, including on policy issues related to strategic objectives, funding, planning, and operations. This includes engaging with NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) allies, preparing for high-level meetings involving the Minister and senior Department of National Defence officials, and working to ensure the Canadian Forces mission contributes to the success and policy priorities of Canada’s whole-of-government engagement in Afghanistan.

Asia-Pacific Policy

Afghanistan Policy

Directorate Military Training Cooperation

The mission of the Directorate Military Training and Cooperation (DMTC) is to develop the policy governing the Department of National Defence's training and cooperation relations with foreign militaries among developing countries and to direct its implementation.  As part of the implementation "tool box", DMTC is responsible for the direction and implementation of the Military Training and Cooperation Program (MTCP), as well as all other supplementary contribution funding mechanisms to foster cooperative defence relations with the armed forces of developing countries.

 

Military Training Cooperation Programme (MTCP)

Directorate of NATO Policy

The Directorate of NATO Policy is responsible for the overall coordination of policy matters dealing with NATO operations, training and readiness, including defence support issues related to major projects, NATO budgets, NATO cooperative activities, NATO personnel positions, and high level meetings involving the Minister, the CDS and the ADM (Pol).

NATO Policy

Directorate of Peacekeeping Policy

The Directorate of Peacekeeping Policy develops defence policy relating to peace support operations (except those led by NATO), military support to humanitarian operations and defence relations with African and Middle Eastern countries.

Peacekeeping Policy

Directorate of Western Hemisphere Policy

The Directorate of Western Hemisphere Policy formulates, develops, recommends and reviews within the Department and in cooperation with other government departments and agencies, DND policy concerning national, continental and hemispheric defence issues. This includes defence relations with the United States, Mexico the Caribbean and Central and Southern America.

Western Hemisphere Policy