The Canadian Armed Forces continue to face combat readiness issues because enlistment has not been “sufficient,” says Defence Minister Bill Blair.
“My assessment is that we’ve got some work to do. Right now we have a number of challenges,” Mr. Blair said during a March 4 press conference in Edmonton.
“There is no more important investment that we can make than to build up the strength of our armed forces through attracting personnel... with new skills to come and join the remarkable people that are currently serving.”
Mr. Blair said the CAF had made changes in 2022 to allow permanent residents to apply for enlistment, but its efforts to “get those people onboarded into the Canadian Armed Forces have not been sufficient, and we need to do more.”
The CAF needs to help Canadians understand why serving is a “brilliant career opportunity for them,” Mr. Blair said, adding that the force must also ensure it has the best equipment, facilities, and supports.
$79 Million Re-Allocated
Personnel issues come at a time when the Liberal government announced its plans to cut roughly $1 billion from the defence department’s annual budget last September. Treasury Board President Anita Anand told other federal cabinet ministers last August they would also need to reallocate $15.4 billion in government spending.Dealing with a $79 million reallocation meant asking the department to look at cutting expenses on consultants, executive travel, and professional services, Mr. Blair said. While he described some professional services as “absolutely essential,” particularly around the navy, he said it was important to “spend those valuable dollars to get the most public value for the Canadian Armed Forces and for Canada.”