NDVA Committee Report

CONCLUSION

The improvements made to leadership training as well as those made in terms of quality of life and care of the injured affect the most important asset of the Canadian Forces, the men and women who serve in the military. There are a number of concerns about the readiness of units and of pieces of equipment. Furthermore, the long-term effects of cuts in defence spending during the 1990s and only slight increases since then are very worrisome.

However, let there be no doubt about the quality and dedication of the men and women in the Forces. Throughout the study, the Committee heard many comments about the skills and determination of the members of the Forces and about their ability to make the best out of often trying circumstances. The tempo of operations during the last decade has been gruelling by any standards and although it has by no means always been easy, the men and women of the Forces persevered to carry out the missions assigned to them.

If the last ten years are any indication, the road ahead is full of uncertainties and Canada’s military personnel will again be placed in harm’s way on many occasions in the future to defend Canadian interests and to help restore international stability. There is no doubt that the men and women in the Canadian Forces, whatever the situation, will demonstrate the same readiness as their predecessors to serve their country and the cause of international peace and stability. However, efforts must still be made to improve the readiness of the various units to which they belong and to provide them with the best tools possible so that they can discharge their duty as effectively and as safely as possible.

When we began this study, there was already considerable concern about the state of readiness of the Canadian Forces. The strain of the tempo of peacekeeping operations on our military personnel was already evident and the implications of budget and personnel cuts during the 1990s were becoming clearer. The events of September 11th complicated matters because it highlighted the threat posed by international terrorism not only to world stability, but also to this country’s security. Now that homeland defence needs more and more attention, the task of resolving the readiness problems of the Canadian Forces is even more complex.

In this report, we have underlined our concerns and indicated our recommendations for actions that will help resolve these readiness problems. However, this Committee is not the only group or organization which can contribute to the improvement of the capabilities of the Canadian Forces. The military itself will have to continue to explore ways of resolving its problems and to keep pace with international and technological developments. The Committee therefore welcomes the efforts made by the military to determine the best direction to take to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. The Navy’s document, Leadmark. The Navy’s Strategy for 2020, and the Army’s recent statement, Advancing With Purpose. The Army Strategy, indicate their strategy to use their resources as efficiently as possible to fulfil their commitments in a constantly changing world.

However, all Canadians have a stake in seeing Canada’s military adjust to the new realities. Our study gave a number of academics, defence analysts, and other commentators, not to mention departmental officials, the opportunity of developing a vision of how Canada’s military must retain its core capabilities and shape them to better meet the challenges of the future. However, the broader picture of Canada’s place in international affairs and in multinational security efforts also needs to be re-examined and policies have to be updated. As stated in this report, there is a need to review Canada’s foreign and defence policies in light of not only the terrorist threat, but also all the other changes happening in the world around us. In short, our report is only one element in the debate on this country’s relationship with the rest of the world. However, it also reminds Canadians that much of the influence that we can and do exert on world affairs depends on maintaining and improving our military capabilities.