Canada Launches Public Consultations on Defense, with Review to Follow
Speaking from Ottawa, Sajjan said members of the public will be invited to provide comment during the public review, which starts Wednesday and runs until the end of July.
Canadians can submit feedback online until July 31. As well, the government will host six roundtable meetings with various stakeholders across the country.
These public consultations will help inform new defence policies that the government hopes to release in early 2017, Sajjan said.
"I want an opportunity for all Canadians and I encourage all Canadians to actually participate in this," Sajjan said in appearance on CTV's Power Play.
The minister said the consultations will help the government make the decisions required to confront new security threats, including those posed by terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram, as well as cybersecurity threats.
"Times have changed … in the world, there's a lot more complexity and we need to refocus our defence,” said Sajjan.
"So making sure we have the right makeup, make the right choices (on) how we're going to be working in a multilateral environment around the world."
Sajjan said earlier on Wednesday that the consultations mark the first major public review "of this magnitude" in more than 20 years. (end of excerpt)
Click here for the full story, on the CTV website.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Clearly, the decision to launch a consultation, to be followed by a defense review in early 2017, means that all meaningful decisions, including on the procurement of a new fighter and on the promised withdrawal from the F-35 program, will be put off until at least mid-2017).
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The Department of National Defence (DND) has launched public consultations in the development of a new defence policy for Canada.
From now until July 31, 2016, we will be engaging all Canadians and many key stakeholders to discuss three fundamental areas:
-- The main challenges to Canada’s security
-- The role of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in addressing current threats and challenges
-- The resources and capabilities needed to carry out the CAF mandate
Defending Canada and protecting Canadians is the Government’s most fundamental responsibility. This review will provide the clarity needed to balance priorities, respond to emerging challenges, and invest appropriately in Canada’s military.
Why are we reviewing Canada’s defence policy?
The strategic context in which the CAF operates has shifted in the last decade, in some ways significantly. Canada is facing a range of new challenges, from the rise of terrorism in ungoverned spaces, to the expanded use of hybrid tactics in conflict, to new opportunities and vulnerabilities associated with the space and cyber domains.
Important choices will have to be made to ensure that DND and the CAF have what they need to confront new threats and challenges in the years ahead. A credible, realistic, and evidence-based review of defence policy will ensure that DND and the CAF are able to deliver results for Canadians.
Have your say!
We are committed to engaging all Canadians on the issues and decisions that affect them. This is why we encourage you to join the online conversation and provide feedback on the type of military Canada needs to represent its interests at home and abroad.
To help guide an informed discussion, we have prepared a public consultation paper to educate and inform the public on the role of the Canadian Armed Forces and the issues affecting their current operating environment, defence capabilities, and the future defence force.
There are two main ways you can provide feedback: anonymously, via a workbook, or by joining a discussion forum, which requires you to log in and will allow you to see what others have posted and discuss the issues. Both of these services are being offered by an independent research firm.
Other ways we will engage stakeholders:
**Roundtable Meetings
Six cross-country roundtable meetings will take place with defence experts and other key stakeholders, ending in July 2016.
** Engaging Parliament
We have invited the House and Senate Committees on National Defence to study issues of relevance to the policy review, and we will ask Parliamentarians to encourage their constituents to engage as well.
** Engaging Allies and Partners
International Allies and partners will be engaged during bilateral and multilateral meetings, including the United States, which is Canada’s closest defence partner.
Hosting a consultation event
Will you be hosting a defence policy consultation in your region? If so, you can have your event listed on our website by filling out this form.
Click here for the full statement (with onward links etc) on the DND website.
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