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Prime Minister Stephen Harper has announced a 20-year, $30-billion renewal of the Canadian Forces in a broad plan that coalesces several previously announced defence initiatives.
Accompanied by Defence Minister Peter MacKay, Mr. Harper introduced the “Canada First Defence Strategy,” which includes pledges of long-term stable funding, new equipment and the recruitment of new troops and reservists.
“If a country wants to be taken seriously by the rest of the world, it needs to have the capacity to act. It's just that simple,” Mr. Harper said Monday during a press conference at the Halifax Armoury, where he was flanked by regular Canadian Forces personnel and members of the Princess Louise Fusiliers, a reserve infantry regiment that has sent some of its members to Afghanistan.
Much of the Conservative strategy has been announced before and there were few new details Monday.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a long-term strategy for Canada's military on Monday. (The Canadian Press)
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The centrepiece of the plan is the long-term funding commitment the Conservatives first pledged in the 2008 budget, which involves automatic annual increases in defence spending from 1.5 per cent to 2 per cent beginning in 2011-12.
The plan also emphasizes the government's commitment to Arctic sovereignty, highlighting the 2008 budget allocations for a new polar class icebreaker and Arctic seabed mapping, as well as previously announced plans for a new deep-sea port in Nanisivik and a new Arctic military training facility in Resolute Bay.
The government wants to expand the regular troop force of about 65,000 to 70,000, and to add another 6,000 reservists to the current total of about 24,000.
Six of the Canadian Forces' core equipment fleets will be replaced over the next 20 years, including destroyers, frigates, aircraft, fighter planes and land combat vehicles. Many of those procurements have been under way for a few years.
The government also plans to refurbish or replace half of the Defence Department's roads, buildings and properties over the next 20 years.
“The newest thing about this announcement is that it is a long-term plan,” Mr. Harper said, suggesting that previous announcements of this type took a piecemeal approach.
“We are establishing a 20-year plan with an escalating budget framework.”
