Canadian navy will get new tanks to exchange Leopards going to Ukraine: minister – Nationwide | Globalnews.ca
Canada might be buying extra tanks to exchange those being despatched to Ukraine, Defence Minister Anita Anand stated.
Her remark comes on the heels of an announcement Friday that Canada might be sending a further 4 Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine, bringing the full variety of tanks being despatched by the federal government to the embattled nation to eight.
Nevertheless, Canada’s contributions to Ukraine’s conflict effort have come amid considerations concerning the Canadian Armed Forces’ capacities right here at house.
“I’m all the time involved to be sure that the Canadian Armed Forces have what they should serve and defend this unbelievable nation,” Anand stated, chatting with The West Block host Mercedes Stephenson in an interview, aired Sunday.
“What meaning is we’re going to be buying extra tanks for the Canadian Armed Forces.”
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These tanks, she added, won’t be precisely the identical because the eight Leopard 2 battle tanks Canada gave to Ukraine.
The Canadian navy, Anand stated, desires to make sure it has “essentially the most modern and trendy options.”
“So it’s not essentially the case that the Leopard 2A4 goes to be the substitute car,” she stated.
“We now have to be sure that we’re recapitalizing with essentially the most up-to-date expertise that’s interoperable with our allies, as we’ve performed up to now, as we’re doing with the F-35.”
As Canada works to rebuild its provides, Anand stated she’s pushing to make sure our “precedence placement” within the provide chain whereas “doing no matter is important from a home innovation perspective.”
“So we’re working in a short time when it comes to the Canadian provide chain, when it comes to worldwide procurement, in addition to capitalizing Ukraine with the tools that it must combat and win this conflict,” she stated.
The promise to buy extra tanks comes as Canada faces critical challenges with recruitment and retention of personnel within the Canadian Armed Forces.
Whereas it’s presupposed to be including about 5,000 troops to common and reserve forces to satisfy a rising record of calls for, the navy is as an alternative brief greater than 10,000 educated members – which means about one in 10 positions are at the moment vacant.
Along with an absence of recruits, the Canadian navy continues to face longstanding challenges in procuring new tools, sustaining ageing gear, and monitoring down substitute elements.
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The continued challenges throughout the Canadian navy have left the highest soldier within the nation involved.
In an interview with Stephenson aired in late January, Chief of the Defence Workers Gen. Wayne Eyre warned that Canada’s navy can be “exhausting pressed” to do something greater than merely meet its NATO pledges because it grapples with these points.
“We’re not the one ones going through the individuals crunch. I’ve had good chats with Australia, New Zealand, NATO counterparts — this can be a phenomenon throughout the West – tight labour power, not as a lot curiosity in navy service,” Eyre stated.
“That worries me from a collective skill to defend democracy at massive,” Eyre stated. “We’ve acquired to do our half with getting our numbers again up … I’m involved, however I’m involved for the broader West as effectively.”
Whereas navy officers aren’t putting blame on any single subject with respect to the recruitment and retention issues, the Canadian Forces have been shaken in recent times by a sexual misconduct disaster that touched even the very best ranks, together with wider consideration on systemic racism.
The reputational downside has been compounded by considerations concerning the presence of right-wing extremists and racism within the ranks, which a overview stated final 12 months had been elements “repulsing” new recruits.
Anand introduced final 12 months that fixing the navy’s tradition was her high precedence.
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