In recent months, amid serious international threats from Russia, China, several non-state actors and terrorist groups, increasing numbers of Canadians feel that our federal government must move quickly to rebuild and rearm our beleagured Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) – including our military's Reserve and Regular components.
Under the previous Trudeau-NDP Coalition government, the Reserve and Regular components of the Canadian Army – including our own Oshawa-based Ontario Regiment – were hollowed out by record high levels of attrition, a broken recruitment system and a lack of operational tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, air defence systems or other mission-critical equipment including protective gear, pistols, radios and night-vision systems.
Most of the Royal Candian Navy (RCN) warships, including the 12 Halifax-Class Frigates with form the backbone of its fleet and were first introduced in 1991, are approaching the rust-out stage. The RCN's forty-year-old second-hand diesel submarines are routinely sit in dry dock awaiting repairs and rarely able to set sail. The RCN is also unable to sustain crewing levels and often rely on augmentation from Canada's Naval Reserve.
Similarly, many of the Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) dwindling fleet of CF-18 fighters, first introduced in 1982, can no longer be deployed into many NATO or Allied operations given their age and inability to operate with more advance NATO or Allied aircraft. Several of RCAF squadrons have been shuttered owing to a lack of personnel, training, spare parts or equipment.
As of early 2024, only 58 per cent of "committed CAF force elements [were] ready to meet NATO notice move". At the end of 2023, the Department of National Defence admitted that the CAF was short 15,780 members – a sum that encompasses both the Regular and Reserve components.
Canada's Armed Forces are at the breaking point. Our women and men in uniform need your help.
Join us in demanding that the Liberal government take immediate action to restore the capabilities of the Reserve and Regular components of Canada's military, on land at sea and in the air.
Add your name below.
The Petition
Whereas Canada's Armed Forces, including the Regular and Reserve components of the Candian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force are in crisis;
Whereas the previous Trudeau-NDP government failed to provide the funding, personnel, training and equipment to meet Canada's domestic or international obligations;
Whereas recent public opinion surveys indicate that 62% of Canadians strongly or somewhat support the announcement of increased defence spending and over 65% of Canadians believe the new federal government should spend significantly or somewhat more on Canada’s defence than it does currently;
And whereas, Oshawa's constituents wish to ensure that locally-based members of our military have the training and equipment required to perform their mission and tasks,
Therefore
We, the undersigned, demand the immediate re-equipping, re-arming and restoration of the CAF's funding, staffing and equipment levels to meet its domestic and international obligations.
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