Government hints at boosting Canada’s military spending

I'll believe it when I see it.

 

[PrairieFella]

In an increasingly dangerous and divided world, Canada must be prepared – to defend our people and our values, to secure our sovereignty, and to protect our Allies. We must be prepared to lead and to shape a more stable and prosperous world. This entails government recognizing our new realities and investing in the measures required to meet this moment.

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced that Canada’s new government is rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces.

With this increase, Canada will achieve NATO’s 2 per cent target this year – half a decade ahead of schedule – and further accelerate our investments in years to follow, consistent with our security imperatives. The investment for 2025-26 will be over $9 billion.

Measures in this plan include:

Better pay for Canadian Armed Forces, improved recruitment and retention, and investments to support operational readiness, fleet maintenance, security, and infrastructure requirements.
New aircraft, armed vehicles, and ammunition, as well as support for projects currently underway.
Developing new drones and sensors to monitor the seafloor and the Arctic.
Repairing and maintaining existing ships, aircraft, and other assets.
More health care funding and staff for Armed Forces personnel.
Expanding the reach, security mandate, and abilities of the Canadian Coast Guard and integrating it into our NATO defence capabilities – to better secure our sovereignty and expand maritime surveillance.
Bolstering Canada’s defence industrial capacity.
Building capacity in artificial intelligence, cyber, quantum, and space.
Modern and secure digital infrastructure.
The plan will support key capabilities, including:

Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar
Joint Counter-Drone Program
Joint Support Ships
Long-range precision strike capability
Increased domestic ammunition production
Additional logistics utility vehicles, light utility vehicles, and armoured vehicles
This government will also undertake efforts to support veterans, including modernizing the benefits system so veterans get supports sooner, streamlining military trade credentials in the civilian sectors, and improving health services for women veterans.

Canada requires these capabilities to uphold and assert its sovereignty and ensure our defence never becomes dependent on others again. As we strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces, we will also build up Canadian industry, driving innovation and creating good careers for Canadian workers and new opportunities for Canadian businesses. Now more than ever, we need to defend our sovereignty and safeguard Canada’s people and interests.

From the PMs website.

 

[Underway]

Globe and Mail breaks down some numbers.

Carney says Canada too reliant on U.S. for defence as he hikes military spending

The Prime Minister says the boost is necessary, while pushing back at NATO members’ calls to raise defence spending even further

www.theglobeandmail.com

So basically they are counting all NATO defence spending even in other depts (RCMP - 6 billion, CCG -2.5 billion, veterans affairs - 6 billionetc... however they make that calculation).

Also the "push back" against NATO 3.5% seems more of a "I'm getting the plastic surgery for myself not anyone else" sort of statement. Selling to Canadians that 2% is based on security needs not a foreign organizations numbers.

 

[Remius]

And here's the PM's statement from the info-machine for more tea leaves to read:

Canada’s new government is rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces

Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, announced that Canada’s new government is rebuilding, rearming, and reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces.

www.pm.gc.ca

Someone should send the "words that have u's in them these days" memo to DND

Complete list of Honorary Colonels - Canada.ca

Complete list of civilians that have been selected as Honorary colonels.

www.canada.ca

And to be fair to the Globe & Mail, in another time, long, long ago, the Canadian Press style guide would call for U.S. instead of British spelling of such words. Not anymore, but still ...

honor, honorary, honour, honourary – Writing Tips Plus – Writing Tools – Resources of the Language Portal of Canada – Canada.ca

A writing tip on spelling the noun honour and its derivative honourary.

www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca

 

[The Bread Guy]

honor, honorary, honour, honourary – Writing Tips Plus – Writing Tools – Resources of the Language Portal of Canada – Canada.ca

A writing tip on spelling the noun honour and its derivative honourary.

www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca

Thanks for that - another republican step backwards from our Royal roots, linked to "His Majesty the King in Right of Canada"

 

[Navy_Pete]

Hopefully a chunk of this is a restoration of the 900M cut from annual O&M, plus a boost there.

No idea where we are getting the procurement people to spend it though, not many to be found.

 

[MilEME09]

Hopefully a chunk of this is a restoration of the 900M cut from annual O&M, plus a boost there.

No idea where we are getting the procurement people to spend it though, not many to be found.

Im sure there's a few unemployed CWOs who could use work

 

[dapaterson]

Hopefully a chunk of this is a restoration of the 900M cut from annual O&M, plus a boost there.

No idea where we are getting the procurement people to spend it though, not many to be found.

Step one is "we're exercising existing options on contracts"... not as demanding as letting a mess of new contracts.

I strongly suspect there will be significant growth in the DND workforce supporting the CAF.

 

[Eagle_Eye_View]

First step would be to remove red tape disguised as “good governance”.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Globe and Mail breaks down some numbers.

View attachment 93783

Carney says Canada too reliant on U.S. for defence as he hikes military spending

The Prime Minister says the boost is necessary, while pushing back at NATO members’ calls to raise defence spending even further

www.theglobeandmail.com

So basically they are counting all NATO defence spending even in other depts (RCMP - 6 billion, CCG -2.5 billion, veterans affairs - 6 billionetc... however they make that calculation).

Also the "push back" against NATO 3.5% seems more of a "I'm getting the plastic surgery for myself not anyone else" sort of statement. Selling to Canadians that 2% is based on security needs not a foreign organizations numbers.

They will not last too long with the 2% stand if the rest of NATO goes with 3.5%. If they can push to 2.5-2.75% by 2029 they might be able to fend off the chatter but there are alot of unknowns that far out.

The reality is, IF they can get RegFor up to 71,500 by 2029 and have them actually adequately equipped, they should be well over 2% by then.

 

[rmc_wannabe]

First step would be to remove red tape disguised as “good governance”.

Second step would be telling both ISED and PSPC to get bent when they're standing in the way of progress.

 

[MilEME09]

They will not last too long with the 2% stand if the rest of NATO goes with 3.5%. If they can push to 2.5-2.75% by 2029 they might be able to fend off the chatter but there are alot of unknowns that far out.

The reality is, IF they can get RegFor up to 71,500 by 2029 and have them actually adequately equipped, they should be well over 2% by then.

I think the number the CDS floating was 86,000 for the reg force

 

[dapaterson]

Second step would be telling both ISED and PSPC to get bent when they're standing in the way of progress.

Can we do the same to 3*s derailing things? Or to 2*s complaining about how slow things are when a file spent six months awaiting their review?

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Can we do the same to 3*s derailing things? Or to 2*s complaining about how slow things are when a file spent six months awaiting their review?

That's Step Three

 

[Kilted]

So if I understand this correctly, the CCG (maybe RCCG soon), is going to be part of DND, but not part of the CAF, so therefore not liable to the CSD?

 

[brihard]

I hope there’s a plan to significantly boost the resources that process security screenings and clearances for CAF members, DND employees, suppliers, and contractors. That’s a backlog that will cause significant choke points to both bottom line and specific capabilities growth.

I also hope there’s a plan for adequately staffing the CAF side of the procurement world. Actually spending this money to buy stuff is gonna be a challenge.

 

[Czech_pivo]

Yes, I just looked and saw that number - the timeline is also after 2040 to reach it......so 15+yrs out we will grow the total number by 20,000.

Anyone think that the timeline of 2040 can be shrunk down to say 2033-2035 with the right amount of money/effort/planning/will?

 

[KevinB]

Globe and Mail breaks down some numbers.

View attachment 93783

Carney says Canada too reliant on U.S. for defence as he hikes military spending

The Prime Minister says the boost is necessary, while pushing back at NATO members’ calls to raise defence spending even further

www.theglobeandmail.com

So basically they are counting all NATO defence spending even in other depts (RCMP - 6 billion, CCG -2.5 billion, veterans affairs - 6 billionetc... however they make that calculation).

You can (could already) count VA $ and several other things, but Canada cannot count the RCMP and CCG as they do not conduct Defense missions as laid out by NATO for Defense spending Calculations.

Spending - Canada.ca

Supplementary Estimates (B) - Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces - House Standing Committee on National Defence (NDDN) - 21 November 2024

www.canada.ca

Defence Spending

• Fiscal Year 2024-25: Canada's defence spending is projected to reach 1.37% of its GDP, with 18.6% devoted to major equipment, up from 1.31% of GDP and 14.8% on major equipment in fiscal year 2023-24.

So perhaps I'm missing something - but the delta between 1.37% and 2% is roughly 13.5B not 9.3B, and would be 1.8004% not 2...

 

[brihard]

2% by March. None of today’s announcements named specific major acquisitions, so I suspect there’s still spending yet to be announced that will bridge the gap.

 

[PuckChaser]

I hope there’s a plan to significantly boost the resources that process security screenings and clearances for CAF members, DND employees, suppliers, and contractors. That’s a backlog that will cause significant choke points to both bottom line and specific capabilities growth.

I also hope there’s a plan for adequately staffing the CAF side of the procurement world. Actually spending this money to buy stuff is gonna be a challenge.

There is. Past cuts to L101 saw a lot of the contracted staff at DGDS let go. They're allegedly hiring 40 people before the fall and working on implementing a new system that will detect the QC errors before submission (ie: dates not being concurrent) that slow down reviews. CMP mentioned it at a recent townhall.

 

[ytz]

Second step would be telling both ISED and PSPC to get bent when they're standing in the way of progress.

PSPC gets a lot of unfair hate. I've never come across a procurement officer who didn't want to help. Their hands are tied by law though.

ISED is worse because their actual mandate often runs contrary to DND interests.