Inclusive militarism? Canada's feminist policymaking in security and defence

In this article, we examine how feminist goals inform Canada's security and defence policies. Using an intersectional feminist framework, we outline gender-inclusive strategies in the defence sector, and their limitations. Although important pro-feminist improvements have been made in Canada's security and defence policies, we argue that they are unlikely to translate into structurally transformative outcomes because they are narrowly operationalized through individual-level advancement and traditional national security objectives. Canada's approach hinges on inclusivity measures, such as recruitment and integrating gender-based analysis into institutional processes. Not only do these measures pale in comparison to investments in defence infrastructure, they also reinforce militarism. Canada's feminist security and defence policies treat militarism, both ideologically and practically, as the “common-sense” response to insecurity and inequality, squeezing out anti-militarist and social justice approaches to global problems.