From the Minister

As Minister of National Defence, it is a privilege to present the Departmental Plan for fiscal year 2021-22. This report provides information about how the military and civilian Defence Team serves Canada and outlines the results we plan to achieve on behalf of Canadians.

When the previous Departmental Plan was presented to Parliament, COVID-19 was just emerging. During the last year, this worldwide pandemic added a new layer of complexity to an already challenging global security environment. The steady progress achieved since 2017 on the initiatives in Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada's Defence Policy has ensured that the Defence Team was well-positioned to adapt and act in the COVID-19 environment.

From the beginning, the Defence Team was part of the national response to help minimize the impacts of the pandemic, while continuing to meet Canada's security needs at home and abroad. This past year, Canadian Armed Forces personnel helped bring home Canadians stranded overseas, deployed to assist long-term care facilities in Quebec and Ontario, provided direct support to northern and remote communities, assisted the Public Health Agency of Canada in the management and distribution of personal protective equipment, and helped Public Health Ontario with contact-tracing efforts. The Canadian Armed Forces and the civilians at the Department of National Defence continue to work to support the Public Health Agency of Canada and our provincial, territorial and Indigenous partners with the vaccine roll-out through Operation VECTOR.

As Canada and the world continue to deal with the public health, social, and economic consequences of COVID-19, threats to global security have increased. State and non-state actors have accelerated their attempts to destabilize the rules-based international order and undermine peace. Mounting tensions in some regions of the world have heightened the risk of conflict. This environment is a powerful reminder that if Canadians are to remain secure at home, we must contribute to peace and stability abroad. Protecting Canada demands robust domestic defence, and it requires active support to allies and partners to tackle global threats that can affect the security and prosperity of all our citizens. It is why we continue to stand with our partners in Ukraine as part of Operation UNIFIER, the United Nations through our Tactical Airlift Detachment in Uganda, our NATO Allies by leading the enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Latvia as part of Operation REASSURANCE, and with our partners in the Asia-Pacific region with our monitoring of North Korean sanctions with Operation NEON.

With that in mind, we will continue to invest in and build a more diverse and inclusive Defence Team that remains ready to answer the call at home and abroad.

Health and wellness programs to ensure the well-being of our personnel mean they can perform at their best as they serve Canada. Investments in ships, aircraft, land vehicles, innovation, and Defence infrastructure help our military members advance national security objectives by equipping them for mission success. These investments also contribute to the economy by sustaining thousands of jobs in communities across the country as Canada grapples with the economic impact of COVID-19.

Members of the Canadian Armed Forces and National Defence employees live and work in every province and territory, poised to respond when the country needs them. I am confident that the Defence Team will meet the challenges of the coming year with the skill and excellence Canadians expect.