Canada’s defence spending shortfalls are having a real impact on the Canadian Armed Forces, a former military leader says, and revelations about “significant” errors in the government’s plan to increase that spending means those issues may continue longer than promised.
Retired general Tom Lawson, who served as chief of the defence staff from 2012 to 2015, says pressure may have to come not just from Canada’s international allies but also from Canadians themselves in order to effect real change to how the government invests in its military and defence.
Failing to do so can affect overall combat readiness in the future, he adds — which could impact the U.S.-Canada relationship in particular.
“When you look at the military that I was in charge of 10 years ago and the military that exists today, the things that are very similar is that … we don’t maintain our bases and we don’t maintain our equipment,” Lawson told Mercedes Stephenson …