101-529: The Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU) (French: Unité interarmées d'intervention du Canada, UIIC ) of the Canadian Armed Forces was created "to provide timely and agile broad-based CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) support to the Government of Canada in order to prevent, control and mitigate CBRN threats to Canada, Canadians, and Canadian interests". It is
202-604: A Brigadier-General, the Director General Cyber (DG Cyber). Within that directorate, the newly established CAF Cyber Task Force has been tasked to design and build cyber warfare capabilities for the Canadian Armed Forces. The Royal Canadian Medical Service is a personnel branch of the CAF, consisting of all members of medical occupations. The Royal Canadian Dental Corps is a personnel branch of
303-519: A Canadian veterans association estimates that 20,000 Canadians enlisted in the U.S. armed forces to fight alongside the Americans, while some historians put the number as high as 40,000. Of these, an estimated 12,000 saw combat in Vietnam, and at least 134 were killed or declared missing in action . The 2015 CBC story paid special attention to Rob McSorley, a teen-age Army Ranger from Vancouver who
404-603: A central position in the Canadian Armed Forces . The National Defence Act states that "the Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada, consisting of one service called the Canadian Armed Forces" and the Constitution Act, 1867 , vests command-in-chief of the Forces in the country's sovereign , who, since 1904, has authorized his or her viceroy , the governor general , to exercise
505-528: A collaboration only revealed to the public in 1981. Canada also allowed their NATO ally to use Canadian facilities and bases for training exercises and weapons testing as per existing treaties. Canadian diplomats covertly supported US counterinsurgency and espionage efforts in Vietnam, justifying these actions as a counterbalance to similar activities conducted by its Eastern bloc peers on the International Control Commission and
606-514: A deployed Joint Task Force through Canadian Joint Operations Command . On September 26, 2024, Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command (CAFCYBERCOM) was established. The Canadian Armed Forces have a total reserve force of approximately 50,000 primary and supplementary that can be called upon in times of national emergency or threat. For the components and sub-components of the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Force,
707-822: A half later, on March 30, 2009, the House of Commons of Canada again voted in a non-binding motion 129 to 125 in favour of the committee's recommendation. The Vietnam War continued to resonate in Canada long after the war was over. After the fall of South Vietnam in April 1975, hundreds of thousands of refugees, called boat people , fled Vietnam and adjacent nations. According to Canadian immigration historian Valerie Knowles, from 1979 to 1980 Canada admitted an estimated 60,000 of these refugees, "most of whom had endured several days in small, leaky boats, prey to vicious pirate attacks, before ending up in squalid camps". Knowles says it
808-477: A skill and broaden their opportunities. Starting in 1965, Canada became a choice haven for U.S. draft evaders and deserters. Because they were not formally classified as refugees but admitted as immigrants, there is no official estimate of how many draft evaders and deserters entered Canada during the Vietnam War. One informed estimate puts their number between 30,000 and 40,000. Whether or not this estimate
909-701: A sub-component of approximately 5,000 Canadian Rangers. Canada's peacekeeping role during the 20th century has played a major role in its positive global image. Canada has long been reluctant to participate in military operations that are not sanctioned by the United Nations (UN), such as the Vietnam War or the 2003 invasion of Iraq . Since the 21st century, Canadian direct participation in UN peacekeeping efforts greatly declined, with its military participation reallocated to UN-sanctioned operations through
1010-721: A sub-unit of the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM). Subsequent to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 , and the Chief Review Services Report on Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence of the same year, it became evident that the Canadian Forces needed to increase the breadth of its nuclear, biological and chemical defence (NBCD) capabilities. The federal government, under then– Prime Minister Jean Chrétien , allotted $ 30 million in
1111-623: A year in Vietnam. Twenty-eight years later, on March 22, 2000, while he attempted to drive a lumber truck across the US-Canada border (in Metaline Falls, Washington) he was arrested by U.S. Customs agents and jailed at Fort Sill . He was discharged from the Army with an Other Than Honorable discharge in April 2000. Other noteworthy deserters from that era include the following: In February 2009, text on how both draft evaders and resisters of
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#17327732704331212-615: Is a formation capable of operating independently but primarily focused on generating special operations forces (SOF) elements to support CJOC. The command includes Joint Task Force 2 (JTF2), the Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit (CJIRU) based at CFB Trenton, as well as the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) and 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron (SOAS) based at CFB Petawawa. Among other things,
1313-623: Is accurate, the fact remains that emigration from the United States was high as long as the U.S. was participating in the war militarily and maintained compulsory military service. In 1971-72, Canada received more immigrants from the United States than from any other country. Estimates vary greatly as to how many males from the U.S. settled in Canada for the specific reason of dodging the draft or "evading conscription ," as opposed to desertion, or other reasons. Canadian immigration statistics show that 20,000 to 30,000 draft-eligible males from
1414-686: Is an operational element established in October 2012 with the merger of Canada Command , the Canadian Expeditionary Force Command and the Canadian Operational Support Command . The new command, created as a response to the cost-cutting measures in the 2012 federal budget, combines the resources, roles and responsibilities of the three former commands under a single headquarters. The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM)
1515-1036: Is headed by the commander of the Canadian Army and is administered through four divisions—the 2nd Canadian Division , the 3rd Canadian Division , the 4th Canadian Division and the 5th Canadian Division —the Canadian Army Doctrine and Training System and the Canadian Army Headquarters. Currently, the Regular Force component of the Army consists of three field-ready brigade groups : 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group , at CFB Edmonton and CFB Shilo ; 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group , at CFB Petawawa and CFB Gagetown ; and 5 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group , at CFB Valcartier and Quebec City . Each contains one regiment of artillery , armour , and combat engineers , three battalions of infantry (all scaled in
1616-648: Is responsible for the operational command and control of Air Force activities throughout Canada and worldwide. 1 Canadian Air Division operations are carried out through eleven wings located across Canada. The commander of 2 Canadian Air Division is responsible for training and support functions. 2 Canadian Air Division operations are carried out at two wings. 3 Canadian Space Division is responsible for delivering space power effects in support of Canadian Armed Forces operations, including space domain awareness, space-based support of military operations, and defending and protecting military space capabilities. Wings represent
1717-947: Is still used to refer to part-time members. Canadian Forces entered the Second World War in September 1939, after the Canadian Crown-in-Council declared war on Nazi Germany . Battles and campaigns during the Second World War that was particularly notable to the Canadian military include the Battle of the Atlantic , the Battle of Britain , the Battle of Hong Kong , the Dieppe Raid , the invasion of Sicily and Italy , Operation Overlord ,
1818-549: Is usually a major-general or rear-admiral , and is divided into four components that are each operationally and administratively responsible to its corresponding environmental command in the Regular Force—the Naval Reserve (NAVRES), Land Force Reserve (LFR), and Air Reserve (AIRRES)—in addition to one force that does not fall under an environmental command, the Health Services Reserve under
1919-588: The Canadian Human Rights Act and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . As a result of these reviews, the department changed its policies to permit women to serve at sea in replenishment ships and a diving tender, with the army service battalions, in military police platoons and field ambulance units, and most air squadrons. In 1987, occupations and units with the primary role of preparing for direct involvement in combat on
2020-482: The 1997 Red River flood to help with evacuation, building dikes, and other flood-fighting efforts. The operation was considered a "public relations bonanza" for the military. The Forces were also deployed after the North American ice storm of 1998 , with relief efforts beginning on 8 January, after the provinces of New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec requested aid. Over 16,000 troops were deployed, making it
2121-612: The 2nd Canadian Division each have two Reserve Force brigade groups, while the 4th Canadian Division and the 3rd Canadian Division each have three Reserve Force brigade groups. Major training and support establishments exist at CFB Gagetown , CFB Montreal and CFB Wainwright . The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is headed by the commander of the Royal Canadian Air Force . The commander of 1 Canadian Air Division and Canadian NORAD Region , based in Winnipeg ,
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#17327732704332222-975: The American Revolution ." Major communities of war resisters formed in Montreal, the Slocan Valley , British Columbia, and on Baldwin Street in Toronto , Ontario. They were at first assisted by the Student Union for Peace Action, a campus-based Canadian anti-war organization with connections to Students for a Democratic Society in the U.S. Canadian immigration policy at the time made it easy for immigrants from all countries to obtain legal status in Canada. By late 1967, draft evaders were being assisted primarily by several locally based anti-draft organizations (over twenty of them), such as
2323-706: The Canadian Forces Health Services Group . The Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service (COATS) consists of officers and non-commissioned members who conduct training, safety, supervision and administration of nearly 60,000 cadets aged 12 to 18 years in the Canadian Cadet Organization . The majority of members in COATS are officers of the Cadet Instructors Cadre (CIC) branch of
2424-634: The Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu . Officers will generally either directly enter the Canadian Armed Forces with a degree from a civilian university or receive their commission upon graduation from the Royal Military College of Canada . Specific element and trade training is conducted at a variety of institutions throughout Canada, and to a lesser extent,
2525-560: The Canadian Royal Family also act as colonels-in-chief , honorary air commodores , air commodores-in-chief , admirals, and captains-general of Canadian Forces units, though these positions are ceremonial. The Canadian Forces operate out of 27 Canadian Forces bases (CFB) across the country, including NDHQ. This number has been gradually reduced since the 1970s with bases either being closed or merged. Both officers and non-commissioned members receive their basic training at
2626-487: The Canadian Special Operations Regiment . More funds were also put towards recruitment, which had been dwindling throughout the 1980s and 1990s, possibly because the Canadian populace had come to perceive the Forces as peacekeepers rather than as soldiers, as shown in a 2008 survey conducted by the Department of National Defence. The poll found that nearly two-thirds of Canadians agreed with the country's participation in
2727-556: The Citizenship and Immigration website occurred in the same month that its multi-party counterpart, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration was debating that issue: On February 12, 2009, that multi-party committee passed, for the second time, a non-binding motion reaffirming Parliament's earlier (June 2008) vote which recommended that the government let Iraq War resisters stay in Canada. A month and
2828-619: The Fenian raids , Red River Rebellion , and North-West Rebellion . Consequently, the lineages of some Canadian Army units stretch back to the late 18th century, when militia units were formed to assist in the defence of British North America against invasion by the United States. The responsibility for military command remained with the British Crown - in-Council , with a commander-in-chief for North America stationed in Halifax until
2929-641: The Government of Canada website in the year 2000, when the Liberal Party of Canada , led by Jean Chrétien , was in power and responsible for the content of that website but in 2009, the Ministry of Stephen Harper [took] "a much dimmer view of dozens of U.S. soldiers who've come north after refusing to serve in the invasion of Iraq . Some had already been deported to face military jail terms ranging from about six to 15 months ." The removal from
3030-538: The International Commission of Control and Supervision . Between January 28, 1973, and July 31, 1973, Canada provided 240 peacekeeping troops to Operation Gallant , the peacekeeping operation associated with the International Commission of Control and Supervision (ICCS) Vietnam, along with Hungary , Indonesia, and Poland . Their role was to monitor the cease-fire in South Vietnam per
3131-617: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Prior to Confederation in 1867, residents of the colonies in what is now Canada served as regular members of French and British forces and in local militia groups . The latter aided in the defence of their respective territories against attacks by other European powers, Indigenous peoples , and later American forces during the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 , as well as in
Canadian Joint Incident Response Unit - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-664: The Paris Peace Accords . After Canada's departure from the Commission, it was replaced by Iran . In a counter-current to the movement of U.S. draft evaders and deserters to Canada, about 30,000 Canadians volunteered to fight for the U.S. in Southeast Asia. Among the volunteers were 50 Mohawks from the Kahnawake reserve near Montreal. U.S. Army Sergeant Peter C. Lemon , an immigrant from Canada,
3333-721: The Regular Force or the Reserve Force, which has four sub-components: the Primary Reserve , Supplementary Reserve , Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service , and the Canadian Rangers . Under the National Defence Act , the Canadian Armed Forces are an entity separate and distinct from the Department of National Defence (the federal government department responsible for
3434-491: The Siegfried Line Campaign , Operation Veritable , as well as the strategic bombing of German cities . At the end of the Second World War, Canada possessed the fourth-largest air force and fifth-largest naval surface fleet in the world. Conscription for overseas service was introduced only near the end of the war , and only 2,400 conscripts made it into battle. Originally, Canada was thought to have had
3535-532: The advice of his or her ministers in Cabinet , including the prime minister and minister of national defence, who are accountable to the elected House of Commons . The Canadian Forces' 92,600 personnel are divided into a hierarchy of numerous ranks of officers and non-commissioned members . The governor general appoints, on the advice of the prime minister, the chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) as
3636-416: The " brain drain " that Canada had experienced. While some draft evaders returned to the United States after a pardon was declared in 1977 during the presidential administration of Jimmy Carter , roughly half of them stayed in Canada. Prominent draft evaders who stayed in Canada permanently, or for a significant amount of time, have included: Distinct from draft resisters, there were also deserters from
3737-733: The 1950s, the recruitment of women was open to roles in medicine, communication, logistics, and administration. The roles of women in the CAF began to expand in 1971 after the department reviewed the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women , at which time it lifted the ceiling of 1,500 women personnel, and gradually expanded employment opportunities into the non-traditional areas—vehicle drivers and mechanics, aircraft mechanics, air-traffic controllers, military police, and firefighters. The department further reviewed personnel policies in 1978 and 1985, after Parliament passed
3838-427: The 1990s, the introduction of women into the combat arms increased the potential recruiting pool by about 100 percent. Women were fully integrated into all occupations and roles by the government of Jean Chrétien , and by 8 March 2000, even allowed to serve on submarines. All equipment must be suitable for a mixed-gender force. Combat helmets, rucksacks, combat boots, and flak jackets are designed to ensure women have
3939-588: The British fashion), one battalion for logistics , a squadron for headquarters / signals , and several smaller support organizations. A tactical helicopter squadron and a field ambulance are co-located with each brigade but do not form part of the brigade's command structure. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Canadian Divisions each have a Regular Force brigade group, and each division except the 1st has two to three Reserve Force brigades groups. In total, there are ten Reserve Force brigade groups. The 5th Canadian Division and
4040-486: The CAF. The Health Services Group is a joint formation that includes over 120 general or specialized units and detachments providing health services to the Canadian Armed Forces. With few exceptions, all elements are under command of the Commander, who may also be appointed Surgeon General when the position is filled by a medical officer, for domestic support and force generation, or temporarily assigned under command of
4141-725: The CAF. Members of the Reserve Force Sub-Component COATS who are not employed part-time (Class A) or full-time (Class B) may be held on the "Cadet Instructor Supplementary Staff List" (CISS List) in anticipation of employment in the same manner as other reservists are held as members of the Supplementary Reserve. The Canadian Rangers , who provide surveillance and patrol services in Canada's arctic and other remote areas, are an essential reserve force component used for Canada's exercise of sovereignty over its northern territory. Canada and
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4242-478: The Canadian Armed Forces dates from 1 February 1968, when the Royal Canadian Navy , Canadian Army , and Royal Canadian Air Force were merged into a unified structure and superseded by elemental commands, known as Air Command, Land Force, and Maritime Command. On 16 August 2011, the names for the three elemental commands were reverted to their historical predecessor, although the unified structure of
4343-885: The Canadian Armed Forces was maintained. Deployment of Land Forces during this period has included NATO efforts in Europe, peacekeeping operations within United Nations-sanctioned conflicts and combat missions. The Canadian Forces deployed in Afghanistan until 2011, under the NATO-led United Nations International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), at the request of the Government of Afghanistan. The Forces have also deployed domestically to provide aid during emergencies and natural disasters. Over 8,500 military personnel were sent to Manitoba after
4444-462: The Canadian Forces Aptitude Test. However, Brigadier-General Virginia Tattersall (commander of military forces generation, including the Canadian Forces Recruiting Group [CFRG]) said, "There are no occupations that we restrict based on gender", though "diversity is a consideration" and near the end of the recruiting year, "We will look at diversity applicants first." In March 2021, Lieutenant-Colonel Eleanor Taylor resigned citing sexual misconduct among
4545-418: The Canadian Forces Electronic Warfare Centre (CFEWC), the Canadian Forces Network Operations Centre (CFNOC), the Canadian Forces Signals Intelligence Operations Centre (CFSOC), the Canadian Forces Station (CFS) Leitrim , and the 764 Communications Squadron. In June 2011 the Canadian Armed Forces Chief of Force Development announced the establishment of a new organization, the Directorate of Cybernetics, headed by
4646-411: The Canadian military include the Second Battle of Ypres , the Battle of the Somme , the Battle of Vimy Ridge , the Second Battle of Passchendaele , as well as a series of attacks undertaken by the Canadian Corps during the Hundred Days Offensive . During this period, a distinctly Canadian army and navy were established, followed by an air force, that, because of the constitutional arrangements at
4747-627: The December 2001 budget to enhance this capability and create the Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Company (JNBCD Coy). In September 2007, JNBCD Coy was reorganized into CJIRU, a rapid deployment response team due to the company's vast operational capabilities, duties, and responsibilities. Due to the requirement for rapid deployment of the unit, CJIRU is based alongside airlift assets at 8 Wing Trenton , Ontario. The former-JNBCD Coy Headquarters were at CFB Kingston , Ontario. Canadian Armed Forces The Canadian Armed Forces ( CAF ; French : Forces armées canadiennes , FAC ) are
4848-456: The Forces. Canada has served in over 50 peacekeeping missions, including every United Nations (UN) peacekeeping effort from its inception until 1989. More than 125,000 Canadians have served in international peacekeeping operations, with approximately 130 Canadians having died during these operations. Canada's strong support for multilateralism and internationalism has been closely related to its peacekeeping efforts. Canada's role in
4949-419: The Indo-Chinese nationalist and communist parties, Canada remained militarily neutral but provided modest diplomatic and economic support to the French. Canada was, however, part of the International Control Commission (along with Poland and India) that oversaw the 1954 Geneva Agreements that divided Vietnam, provided for French withdrawal, and would have instituted elections for reunification by 1956. Behind
5050-418: The Information Management Group is responsible for the conduct of electronic warfare and the protection of the Armed Forces' communications and computer networks. Within the group, this operational role is fulfilled by the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group, headquartered at CFS Leitrim in Ottawa, which operates the following units: the Canadian Forces Information Operations Group Headquarters (CFIOGHQ),
5151-487: The NATO Airborne Early Warning Force is also based at NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen near Geilenkirchen , Germany. The RCAF and Joint Task Force (North) (JTFN) also maintain at various points throughout Canada's northern region a chain of forward operating locations, each capable of supporting fighter operations. Elements of CF-18 squadrons periodically deploy to these airports for short training exercises or Arctic sovereignty patrols. The Canadian Joint Operations Command
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#17327732704335252-401: The Pentagon. Another $ 10 billion in food, beverages, berets and boots for the troops was exported to the U.S., as well as nickel, copper, lead, oil, brass for shell casings, wiring, plate armour and military transport. In Canada unemployment fell to record low levels of 3.9%". Although these exports were sales by Canadian firms, not gifts from the Canadian government, they nonetheless benefited
5353-437: The U.S. armed forces who also made their way to Canada. There was pressure from both the United States and Canada for the deserters to be arrested, or at least stopped at the border. The deserters have not been pardoned and may still face pro forma arrest, as the case of Allen Abney demonstrated in March 2006. Another similar case was that of Richard Allen Shields: He had deserted the U.S. Army in Alaska in 1972 after serving
5454-422: The U.S. came to Canada as immigrants during the Vietnam era. The BBC has reported that "as many as 60,000 young American men dodged the draft." Estimates of the total number of U.S. citizens who moved to Canada due to their opposition to the war range from 50,000 to 125,000 This exodus was "the largest politically motivated migration from the United States since the United Empire Loyalists moved north to oppose
5555-406: The U.S. forces, not sending these directly to South Vietnam but to the United States. The goods included relatively benign items like boots, but also aircraft, munitions, napalm, and commercial defoliants , the use of which was fiercely opposed by anti-war protesters at the time. In accordance with the 1956 Defence Production Sharing Agreement , Canadian industry sold $ 2.47 billion in materiel to
5656-411: The U.S. war effort. The first official statement about the Canadian economic support given to the United States armed forces was by Lester Pearson on March 10, 1967, when he stated that the export of goods to Canada's southern ally was "necessary and logical" due to the extreme integration of both economies, and that an embargo would be a notice of withdrawal from North American defense arrangements. As
5757-463: The U.S., with the approval of the Canadian government. Canada also sent foreign aid to South Vietnam, which, while humanitarian, was directed by the U.S. Canada tried to mediate between the warring countries, aiming for a conclusion that could allow the U.S. to leave the conflict honourably. It has also been commonly believed, as reported at the time, that the Canadian government of Prime Minister Lester Pearson publicly criticized U.S. war methods. Yet,
5858-424: The United States between 1965 and 1973. Many of the companies were owned by US parent firms, but all export sales over $ 100,000 US (and thus, the majority of contracts) were arranged through the Canadian Commercial Corporation , a crown corporation which functioned as an intermediary between the United States Department of Defense and Canadian industry. In some cases Canadian defence contractors were even sent to
5959-415: The United States, as trade between the two countries continued without interruption or hindrance. In total, Canadians firms sold over $ 12.5 billion of war materials to the US during the war, including machinery, munitions, clothing, food, and raw materials. Testing of Agent Orange also took place in Canada. "500 firms sold $ 2.5 billion of war materials (ammunition, napalm, aircraft engines and explosives) to
6060-649: The Vancouver Committee to Aid American War Objectors and the Toronto Anti-Draft Programme. As a counselor for the Programme, Mark Satin wrote the Manual for Draft-Age Immigrants to Canada in 1968. It sold nearly 100,000 copies overall. In 1970, Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot recorded his song " Sit Down Young Stranger " to express his views on Canada's acceptance of American draft evaders. The influx of these young men, who, as mentioned earlier, were often well educated and politically leftist, affected Canada's academic and cultural institutions, and Canadian society at large. These new arrivals tended to balance
6161-399: The Vietnam War Canada did not officially participate in the Vietnam War . However, it contributed to peacekeeping forces in 1973 to help enforce the Paris Peace Accords . Privately, some Canadians contributed to the war effort. Canadian corporations sold war material to the U.S. government. In addition, at least 30,000 Canadians volunteered to serve in the U.S. armed forces during
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#17327732704336262-412: The Vietnam War were ultimately allowed to stay in Canada suddenly vanished from the website of the Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada ." Originally, the Government of Canada website had contained the following statements: ... Starting in 1965, Canada became a choice haven for American draft resisters and deserters, ... Although some of these transplanted Americans returned home after
6363-420: The Vietnam War, most of them put down roots in Canada, making up the largest, best-educated group this country had ever received. The above statement (now gone from the website) was part of an extensive online chapter on draft resisters and deserters from the Vietnam war, which was found in the larger online document,"Forging Our Legacy: Canadian Citizenship and Immigration, 1900–1977" It was originally posted on
6464-524: The acquisition of specific equipment (main battle tanks, artillery, unmanned air vehicles and other systems) to support the mission in Afghanistan. It has also encompassed initiatives to renew certain so-called "core capabilities" (such as the air force's medium-range transport aircraft fleet—the C-130 Hercules —and the army's truck and armoured vehicle fleets). In addition, new systems (such as C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft and CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters) have also been acquired for
6565-409: The administration and formation of defence policy), which also exists as the civilian support system for the forces. The commander-in-chief of the Canadian Armed Forces is constitutionally vested in the monarch , Charles III . The chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the Canadian Armed Forces, who under the direction of the minister of national defence and together with
6666-471: The assistance of the Armed Forces Council , manages the operations of the Canadian Armed Forces. In 2023, Canada's military expenditure totalled approximately US$ 27.2 billion, or around 1.3 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) — placing it 16th for military expenditure by country . The Canadian Armed Forces are a professional volunteer force that consists of approximately 68,000 active personnel and 27,000 reserve personnel, with
6767-429: The border seeking permanent residence in Canada. According to Valerie Knowles, draft evaders were usually college-educated sons of the middle class who could no longer defer induction into the Selective Service System . Deserters, on the other hand, were predominantly sons of the lower-middle and working classes who had been inducted into the armed services directly from high school or who had volunteered, hoping to obtain
6868-435: The country's integral participation in NATO during the Korean War , First Gulf War , Kosovo War , and in United Nations Peacekeeping operations, such as the Suez Crisis , Golan Heights , Cyprus, Croatia, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Libya. Canada maintained an aircraft carrier from 1957 to 1970 during the Cold War, which never saw combat but participated in patrols during the Cuban Missile Crisis . The current iteration of
6969-443: The department was merged into the Department of National Defence . The first significant overseas deployment of Canadian military forces occurred during the Second Boer War when several units were raised to serve under British command. Similarly, when the United Kingdom entered into conflict with Germany in the First World War , Canadian troops were called to participate in European theatres. Battles that are particularly notable to
7070-434: The development of and participation in peacekeeping during the 20th century led to its reputation as a positive middle power . Canada's successful role in mediating the 1956 Suez Canal Crisis gave it credibility and established it as a country fighting for the common good of all nations. The Canadian public came to identify the nation's peacekeeping role as the country's top contribution in international affairs. In
7171-565: The disparaging term "draft dodgers") and military deserters who sought refuge in Canada during the Vietnam War would ignite controversy among those seeking to immigrate to Canada, some of it provoked by the Canadian government's initial refusal to admit those who could not prove they had been discharged from U.S. military service. This changed in 1968 with the installment of Pierre Trudeau as prime minister. On May 22, 1969, Ottawa announced that Canadian immigration officials could not ask about immigration applicants' military status if they appeared at
7272-500: The duties ascribed to the post of commander-in-chief and, since 1905, hold the associated title. All troop deployment and disposition orders, including declarations of war , fall within the royal prerogative and are issued as orders-in-Council , which must be signed by either the monarch or governor general. Under the Westminster system 's parliamentary customs and practices, however, the monarch and viceroy must generally follow
7373-540: The final withdrawal of British Army and Royal Navy units from the city in 1906. Thereafter, the Royal Canadian Navy was formed, and, with the advent of military aviation, the Royal Canadian Air Force . These forces were organized under the Department of Militia and Defence , and split into the Permanent and Non-Permanent Active Militias —frequently shortened to simply The Militia . By 1923,
7474-473: The ground or at sea were still closed to women: infantry, armoured corps, field artillery, air defence artillery, signals, field engineers, and naval operations. On 5 February 1987, the minister of national defence created an office to study the impact of employing men and women in combat units. These trials were called Combat-Related Employment of Women. All military occupations were open to women in 1989, except submarine service, which opened in 2000. Throughout
7575-592: The grouping of various squadrons , both operational and support, under a single tactical commander reporting to the operational commander and vary in size from several hundred personnel to several thousand. Major air bases are in British Columbia , Alberta, Saskatchewan , Manitoba, Ontario , Quebec, Nova Scotia , and Newfoundland and Labrador , while administrative and command and control facilities are in Winnipeg and North Bay . A Canadian component of
7676-865: The highest-ranking commissioned officer in the Armed Forces and its commander. In this role, the CDS heads the Armed Forces Council , which also includes the vice chief of the Defence Staff and the commanders of the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, Canadian Joint Operations Command , Canadian Special Operations Forces Command , as well as certain other designated personnel. The Armed Forces Council generally operates from National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa , Ontario. The sovereign and most other members of
7777-509: The invasion of Afghanistan , and that the military should be stronger, but also that the purpose of the forces should be different, such as more focused on responding to natural disasters . Then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Walter Natynczyk said later that year that, while recruiting has become more successful, the Forces was facing a problem with its rate of loss of existing members, which increased between 2006 and 2008 from 6% to 9.2% annually. Renewal and re-equipment efforts have resulted in
7878-473: The largest deployment of troops ever to serve on Canadian soil in response to a natural disaster , and the largest operational deployment of Canadian military personnel since the Korean War . The Forces were also deployed to British Columbia from 3 August to 16 September 2003, as a part of Operation Peregrine . The operation was conducted after the province was overwhelmed by 800 separate forest fires, and
7979-400: The negotiations, annoying President Richard Nixon, who succeeded Lyndon Johnson after his own election to the U.S. presidency in 1968. Canada's official diplomatic position in relation to the Vietnam War was that of a non-belligerent, which imposed a ban on the export of war-related items to the combat areas. Nonetheless, Canadian industry was also a major supplier of equipment and supplies to
8080-509: The order of precedence follows: after 2002 there is no sub-division of the Supplementary Reserve. Approximately 26,000 soldiers, sailors, and airmen, trained to the level of and interchangeable with their Regular Force counterparts, and posted to CAF operations or duties on a casual or ongoing basis, make up the Primary Reserve. This group is represented, though not commanded, at NDHQ by the chief of Reserves and Employer Support, who
8181-417: The provincial government requested federal aid. Over 2,200 soldiers were mobilized, and at its height, more than 2,600 military personnel participated in the 45-day operation. The Constitution of Canada gives the federal government exclusive responsibility for national defence, and expenditures are thus outlined in the federal budget . For the 2007–2010 fiscal year , the amount allocated for defence spending
8282-401: The purchase of new trucks for the Canadian Army, transport aircraft and helicopters for the Royal Canadian Air Force, and joint support ships for the Royal Canadian Navy. In 2008, the Government of Canada began efforts, through the " Canada First Defence Strategy ", to modernize the Forces, through the purchase of new equipment, improved training and readiness, as well as the establishment of
8383-647: The same level of protection and comfort as their male colleagues. Women's uniforms are similar in design to men's uniforms, but conform to the female figure, and are functional and practical. Women are also provided with an annual financial entitlement for the purchase of bras. In 2019, the National Post columnist Christie Blatchford reported, per an anonymous source, that the CAF had been fulfilling employment equity targets for internal job postings by secretly rejecting applications from white males, and by not requiring Indigenous candidates to either write or pass,
8484-408: The scenes, Canadian diplomats tried to discourage both France and the United States from escalating the conflict in a part of the world Canada had decided was not strategically vital. Canada laid out six prerequisites to joining a war effort or Asian alliance like SEATO : These criteria effectively guaranteed Canada would not participate in the Vietnam War. At the start of the Vietnam War, Canada
8585-405: The success of Expo 67 , Canada became far more independent and nationalistic. The public, if not their representatives in parliament, became more willing to oppose the United States and to move in a different direction socially and politically. In 1981, a government report revealed that Agent Orange , the controversial defoliant, had been tested at CFB Gagetown , New Brunswick. In June 1966,
8686-581: The text of a speech which Pearson delivered at Temple University in Philadelphia on April 2, 1965 has debunked this widespread rumor, with Pearson even stating "The government and great majority of people of my country have supported wholeheartedly the US peacekeeping and peacemaking policies in Vietnam." Meanwhile, Canadian industry exported military supplies and raw materials useful in their manufacture, including ammunition, napalm and Agent Orange , to
8787-577: The theatre of war to undertake company work, such as when de Havilland Canada sent mobile repair teams from the Downsview, Toronto plant to complete depot-level repair of battle-damaged de Havilland Caribou aircraft that were owned and operated by the U.S. Army. Furthermore, the Canadian and the American Defence departments worked together to test chemical defoliants for use in Vietnam,
8888-496: The third-largest navy in the world, but with the fall of the Soviet Union , new data based on Japanese and Soviet sources found that to be incorrect. Since 1947, Canadian military units have participated in more than 200 operations worldwide, and completed 72 international operations . Canadian soldiers, sailors, and aviators came to be considered world-class professionals through conspicuous service during these conflicts and
8989-722: The time, remained effectively under the control of the British government until Canada gained legislative independence from the United Kingdom in 1931, in part due to the distinguished achievement and sacrifice of the Canadian Corps in the First World War. In November 1940, the Canadian militia was formally renamed the Canadian Army. However, in the 1950s, Reserve Army forces were once again referred to in official documentation as "Militia", which, although rare,
9090-472: The top brass. Since then, the CAF has been under pressure over allegations of sexual misconduct. Former justice Louise Arbour , who was tasked to lead a probe into military harassment and sexual misconduct claims in CAF in 2021, issued 48 recommendations to change the culture of the CAF. She said that she saw no basis for the CAF to retain the jurisdiction over sexual offences as it has not improved efficiency, discipline and morale. The Crown has long occupied
9191-459: The two men somehow found ways to resolve their differences over the war and had further contacts, including later twice meeting in Canada. With the federal elections of 1968, which brought Pierre Trudeau to the prime ministry, Canadian policy changed radically to one of unrelenting criticism of U.S. policy in Vietnam. Trudeau called for immediate negotiations between the U.S. and North Vietnam and offered on at least one occasion to serve as mediator in
9292-643: The unified military forces of Canada , including land, sea, and air commands referred to as the Canadian Army , Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force . The CAF also operates several other commands, including the Canadian Forces Intelligence Command , the Canadian Joint Operations Command , and the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command . Personnel may belong to either
9393-463: The war escalated, however, relations between Canada and the United States gradually deteriorated. In his Temple University speech, while stating firm support for U.S. policy, Pearson also called for a pause in the bombing of North Vietnam. In a perhaps apocryphal story, when a furious President Lyndon B. Johnson met with Pearson the next day, he grabbed the much smaller Canadian by his lapels and talked angrily with him for an hour. After this incident,
9494-513: The war. At least 134 Canadians died or were reported missing in Vietnam. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of U.S. Vietnam War resisters immigrated to Canada to avoid the draft . Largely middle class and educated, they had a significant impact on Canadian life. After the war, tens of thousands of Vietnamese boat people were also admitted and became a unique part of Canadian life. During the First Indochina War between France and
9595-539: The west coast, and Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT) at CFB Halifax on the east coast, as well as one formation: the Naval Reserve Headquarters (NAVRESHQ) at Quebec City , Quebec. The fleet is augmented by various aircraft and supply vessels. The RCN participates in NATO exercises and operations, and ships are deployed all over the world in support of multinational deployments. The Canadian Army
9696-660: The world. As of 2013, the Canadian Forces have 68,000 Regular Force members and 27,000 reservists , bringing the total force to approximately 95,000. These individuals serve on numerous Canadian Forces bases in all regions of the country and are governed by the Queen's Regulations and Orders and the National Defence Act . The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), headed by the commander of the Royal Canadian Navy , includes 28 warships and submarines deployed in two fleets: Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) at CFB Esquimalt on
9797-517: Was CA$ 6.15 billion which is 1.4 percent of the country's GDP. This regular funding was augmented in 2005 with an additional CA$ 12.5 billion over five years, as well as a commitment to increasing regular force troop levels by 5,000 persons, and the primary reserve by 4,500 over the same period. It was further augmented in 2010, with another CA$ 5.3 billion over five years being provided to allow for 13,000 more regular force members, and 10,000 more primary reserve personnel, as well as CA$ 17.1 billion for
9898-485: Was a member of the International Control Commission (ICC) overseeing the implementation of the Geneva Agreements, and thus attempted to maintain an air of neutrality. However, the Canadian negotiators were strongly on the side of the U.S. One representative ( J. Blair Seaborn , younger brother of Robert Seaborn ) was even involved in secretly exchanging messages between the U.S. and North Vietnam on behalf of
9999-626: Was awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor for his valour in the conflict. This cross-border enlistment was not unprecedented: Both the First and the Second World War saw thousands of Americans join the Canadian military before the U.S officially declared war on Germany. In 2015, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) produced a story remembering the Canadians who fought and died in the war. According to that story,
10100-484: Was shot dead by North Vietnamese soldiers. Other Canadians who gave their lives and were recognized in the story include: In Windsor, Ontario, there is a privately funded monument to the Canadians killed in the Vietnam War. In Melocheville, Quebec , there is a monument dating from October 1989 funded by the Association Québécoise des Vétérans du Vietnam. U.S. draft evaders (often referred to by
10201-499: Was the highest number of boat people accepted by any nation, including the United States, during that period. The boat people constituted 25% of all newcomers admitted to Canada from 1978 to 1981. This created a substantial Vietnamese community in Canada, concentrated especially in Montreal , Vancouver , and Toronto . The Vietnam War was an important cultural turning point in Canada. Coupled with Canada's centenary in 1967 and
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