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MILITARY

Canada has a long and proud military history of brave men and women sacrificing themselves for the good of the nation. The majority of Canadians falsely believe that Canada's Armed Forces have historically been about peace keeping. The majority of Canadian peace keeping came about during the cold war, where Canada was acting as an intermediary on behalf of the United States of America or the United Nations in the fight against Communism. In some instances, it was to prevent fracturing of NATO alliances by providing support or managing delicate situations. While Canadian politicians may have proclaimed that the efforts were due to humanitarian crisis, the reality is that they were strategically and politically motivated.


The Canadian Armed Forces perform extremely important roles:

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  1. Part of the Canadian identity. Canada has a proud military history and Canadian soldiers are considered some of the best in the world;

  2. National defense, which includes defending the territory and its citizens;

  3. Disaster relief, both domestically and internationally;

  4. Regional defense, which allows Canada to be a player on the international stage by supporting allies as a valuable resource. Canada works in tandem with the United States of America to safeguard North America;

  5. Internal stability, by assisting provincial and local police;

  6. Search and Rescue, both domestically and internationally; and

  7. Criminal interdiction, such as assisting the RCMP with surveillance.

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The current state of the military is that it is underfunded. Veterans are not able to receive their benefits, soldiers use old and/or obsolete equipment, and the equipment that is procured is not necessarily the best one for the task.  The Canadian Armed Forces will be imperative in dealing with the numerous challenges that Canada will be facing such as Arctic sovereignty and fresh water scarcity. It is in our best interest to significantly increase the military budget and overhaul the procurement process. Our goal is not to create a militarized society but to ensure Canada's military is modern and capable.

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Procurement:

The majority of the equipment used by the Canadian Armed Forces is decades old and uses outdated technology. The majority of our vehicles are second hand and many of them spend more time being maintained or repaired than actually used.

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When the government procures equipment or vehicles, it is generally the least suited for the job and is purchased on the basis of cost. The equipment and vehicles we procure are considered scrap or surplus by most of the countries we buy them from.

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While it is more expensive in the short term to buy a new piece of equipment than a used one, the maintenance cost of older military equipment makes it more expensive in the long term.

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The Canadian Armed Forces are extremely vital for the defense and prosperity of Canada, and the equipment should be procured on the basis of function, first and foremost.

The Centrist Party of Canada would completely overhaul the current procurement process, with a focus on acquiring the right equipment for the job, with a reasonable budget.

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Veterans:

Despite having sacrificed their bodies and minds, with the promise that the Canadian government would take care of them, our veterans have been abandoned.

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The Liberal Party had promised that, if elected, veterans wouldn't have to fight the government in court for their benefits and would be taken care of. This promise has been repeatedly broken.

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Prior to 2006, veterans who were injured received a lifelong pension of a maximum of $2,733 CAD (tax-free), per month, based on the extent of their injuries.

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All political parties voted unanimously in favor of the New Veterans Charter, which would mainly provide lump-sum payments that would equate to less money over the course of a life time. This means that new veterans, post 2006, will receive at least 40% less money than pre-2006 veterans.

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Canada must take care of its veterans. The Centrist Party of Canada would see a retroactive payment for veterans, in addition to re-instating the previous payment system for veterans. The Centrist Party of Canada would also seek to enshrine in to law the obligation of the government towards veterans.

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