After almost a decade in government, the Conservatives have failed to effectively manage the Department of National Defence (DND), and have left the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) with a legacy of outdated equipment, bungled procurements, and a shameful disregard for CAF members when they need help.
A new vision is necessary to ensure that our military can defend Canada, protect Canadians, and contribute to international peace and security with an agile, well-equipped, world-class force.
As a result of Conservative cuts, already long overdue new equipment purchases are being delayed for years. The attempt to sole-source the F-35 fighter jet while hiding the full costs was just one of several major procurement failures on the Conservatives’ watch.
But the most shameful failure of the Conservatives during their time in office is the treatment of members of the Canadian Armed Forces and veterans.
CAF members who have to sell their homes at a loss when they are transferred have been unfairly compensated. The grievance process simply isn’t working to resolve CAF members’ issues. The Universality of Service policy has led to the unnecessary discharge of men and women, many of whom have been coping with mental or physical injury that could have been accommodated.
Moreover, many have been released without adequate support to transition to a new life outside of the military. Additionally, the failure to acknowledge and address the problem of sexual harassment and assault in the military has been well-documented.
Given these challenges, it’s clear that Canada’s defence policy requires review. It’s time for a made-in-Canada defence strategy that reflects modern global realities.
The NDP will:
Provide the Canadian Forces with the personnel, equipment and training they need to defend Canada and protect Canadians.
Carry forward the National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy to ensure Canada has the ships we need, and focus on industrial and regional benefits to support our shipyards.
Ensure fairer treatment of our men and women in uniform and their families by improving the grievance process.
Immediately address the deficit of mental health supports in the Canadian Forces, and provide psychologists in uniform as part of deployable mental health teams.
Reform the Universality of Service Principle, which is unfair to our men and women in uniform.
Draft a new Defence White Paper by 2016 to articulate a clear strategic vision for the Canadian Armed Forces and Canada’s defence policy in the 21st Century.
Meet our military commitments by maintaining Department of National Defence budget allocations.
Improve our search and rescue systems to meet international standards with respect to response times, and ensure that our capabilities are sufficient to meet the needs of the North.
Launch a comprehensive review, as part of the Defence White Paper, to determine how best to meet Canada’s needs in the replacement of our aging fleet of CF-18 Fighters, and ensure that any new program is subject to a competitive process.
Implement a fair and open process for military purchasing, ensuring that Canadians get the most competitive price and that military personnel get what they need.
Increase transparency within the Department of National Defence through the creation of the Office of the Inspector General.
Implement the recommendations of former Supreme Court justice Marie Deschamps to address sexual harassment and assault in the military, and continue the movement to reform and civilianize the military justice system.
Tom Mulcair would get us back to being #1 in peacekeeping again. The NDP will work to increase our contribution to UN peacekeeping missions every year so Canada can become the top western contributor to peacekeeping. The NDP will also seek to contribute personnel who can play a leadership role and prioritize the contribution of personnel to situations requiring advanced linguistic, logistical and intercultural expertise.