Defence Minister Bill Blair admitted on Thursday that more people have left the Canadian Armed Forces than joined it over the past three years — and will loosen the medical requirements applicants must meet in order to help fill a 16,000 member shortage.
Speaking at an Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence, Minister Blair said he’s asked military leaders to abolish “outdated medical requirements where they are not meaningful and relevant.”
It’s gotten so bad under the Liberal government’s 8-year tenure that the DND has turned to practically begging Permanent Residents to join the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
Since making Permanent Residents eligible to join the CAF in 2022, over 15,000 applied, but only 100 of them were accepted.
“Quite frankly that’s unacceptable,” minister Blair said.
Minister Blair further promised changes to the enrollment process to make it easier and faster for Permanent Residents to get accepted — without compromising the CAF’s “high standards.”
Recent polls have indicated a growing demand among Canadians for increased defence spending.
Former navy commander calls Canada’s Defence readiness “borderline atrocious”
Minister Blair’s remarks come one day after a recent internal Department of National Defence (DND) presentation painted a stark picture regarding the combat readiness of the CAF.
The report stated that only 58% of the forces are ready to respond to a crisis call from NATO allies, and nearly half of the military’s equipment was deemed “unavailable and unserviceable.”
Upon learning of the shortfalls, vice-admiral Mark Norman – a former navy commander – called the situation “borderline atrocious.”
“Readiness is all about measuring the ability of your armed forces to do what it is they’re expected to do. And fundamentally, that’s all about going somewhere and fighting. And, you know, it’s a pretty dire situation when you’re … not where you need to be,” he said.
Recruitment and wokeness negatively correlated
Critics have suggested that Canada has wokeified its military with (racist) “anti-racist” values, and gender ideology, leading to a lack of enthusiasm among people who are willing to die for their country.
In May, Conservative MP Cheryl Gallant scolded the Liberals for their short-staffed military and abysmal recruitment numbers, blaming Trudeau for referring to Canada as a “post-nation state.”
The Royal Canadian Navy more recently released a shocking video on social media where they broadcasted to the world that many of Canada’s ships aren’t operationally capable and staffing is only at about 60% capacity.
The National Post’s Tristian Hopper later noted how the latest edition of the Canadian Military Journal focuses almost exclusively on a “culture change” that’s needed within the military, including a “feminist intersectional trauma-informed approach to reimagine and transform CAF culture.”
