A major focus of the federal government’s defence policy update is the need to develop quantum-based defence technology that will help Canada address two big threats: the Arctic and cyber security.
Damage from a tornado is seen in Dunrobin, Ont., west of Ottawa, in September 2018.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Governments and the media remain focused on responding to disasters, not preventing or preparing for them. Here’s what must change — and will and won’t work — as Canada faces increased disaster risks.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces stand at attention during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Montréal on Nov. 11, 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes
Efforts to improve the diversity and inclusiveness of Canada’s military do not need to compete with those maintaining military standards. In fact, each goal reinforces the other.
Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs Chair Senator David Richards and Deputy Chair Senator Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu at a news conference releasing the committee’s report on the need for psychedelic-assisted therapy for veterans on Nov. 8, 2023 in Ottawa.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
One in seven Canadian veterans is living with PTSD. Developing a psychedelics research program for veterans should be a public health priority.
Smoke from the McDougall Creek wildfire fills the air and nearly blocks out the sun as people take in the view of Okanagan Lake from Tugboat Beach, in Kelowna, B.C., in August 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Canadians should demand greater accountability from their governments to reduce the need for last-minute humanitarian efforts in the face of climate-related disasters in their communities.
Cadets stand together during training at the West Point military academy in New York state.
(AP Photo/Mel Evans)
The scourge of workplace violence necessitates a seismic shift in our perspective and response. Decisive action is required to prevent and end this crisis within the RCMP and other police forces.
Defence Minister Anita Anand and Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Wayne Eyre take questions from the media in January 2023 in Ottawa.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has a serious problem with sexual violence. The military’s chronic and unresolved toxic culture puts the country’s national security at risk.
An Ontario Provincial Police tactical officer looks on from the top hatch of an armoured vehicle during protests against COVID-19 restrictions at the Ambassador Bridge on Feb. 12, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canada’s police services are becoming increasingly militarized. This undermines the fundamental aims of policing and fosters public distrust of police.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to the media during a visit with members of the Canadian Armed Forces at CFB Kingston in Kingston, Ont., in March 2023.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Canadians are dubious about boosting defence spending for an array of reasons. It’s time for politicians and pundits not to admonish them, but to listen to them.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau say goodbye at 4 Wing Cold Lake air base in Cold Lake Alta, in August 2022 after a Stoltenberg visit.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Canadians were shocked by how fragile their health-care system was under the stresses of the COVID-19 pandemic. But our military is under similar stresses and only a major disaster will open our eyes.
Canadian and German troops take part in a Canadian flag-raising ceremony as the first Canadian troops arrived at a UN base in Gao, Mali, in June 2018. Was the initiative just an exercise in box-checking for Justin Trudeau’s government?
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Far from Canada being back as a major player on the world stage, its presence has been diminished under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Defence Minister Anita Anand holds a media availability on Parliament Hill in December 2022 on her report to Parliament on culture change reforms at the Canadian Armed Forces. It’s the latest of many pledges to reform the CAF’s culture.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Sexual violence in the Canadian Armed Forces is a common, dominant and serious issue that can have severe consequences for victims. Why is the military so slow to seriously address it?
Defence Minister Anita Anand chats with Armed Forces personnel in Halifax in November 2022. The government needs to focus on more action, less talk when it comes to defence policy.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Canada’s military faces financial, procurement, human resources and culture challenges. The federal government has known about them for years, so why another defence policy review?
Soldiers salute during the national apology to the No. 2 Construction Battalion in Truro, N.S. on July 9, 2022.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Riley Smith
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s apology to Black soldiers who served in the First World War was a good first step, but real action is needed to address racism in the Canadian Armed Forces.
A crew member throws a line ashore as the Royal Canadian Navy’s newest Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship, HMCS Harry DeWolf, docks in Victoria after arriving from Vancouver in October 2021.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Srdjan Vucetic, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
Canada’s F-35 flip-flop amid the Ukraine war underscores the need for a far-reaching, comprehensive review of the defence, security, diplomatic and development issues facing the country.
A woman waves a Canadian flag as the frigate HMCS Halifax heads from the harbour in Halifax in January 2021 to start a six-month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea to assist in NATO counter-terrorism patrols.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
Canada’s ‘fireproof house’ defence strategy is causing problems among its allies. When you are convinced you live in a gated community, the pressure to invest in alarms for your home disappears.
Purge survivors, at the Fredericton, N.B., Pride Parade in 2018.
(Boom! Nightclub)
The Canadian Armed Forces is struggling with sexual misconduct allegations and poor inclusion and diversity. It is imperative to again document the stories of LGBTQ+ soldiers and their spouses.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces march during the Calgary Stampede parade in Calgary in July 2016.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Simply including more women at organizations without addressing underlying power structures and practices does little good. Representation isn’t synonymous with change.