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Ukraine

Canada is working closely with our Allies and partners to help Ukraine protect its sovereignty and defend itself against Russia's illegal war.
Since February 2022, Canada has committed over $1.5 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
This includes armoured vehicles, heavy artillery, body armour, gas masks, helmets, drone cameras, funding for high-resolution satellite imagery, anti-armour weapons systems, rocket launchers, small arms and ammunition, as well as other highly specialized pieces of military equipment.
We continue to train Ukrainian forces in third country locations under Operation UNIFIER, through which we have trained over 36,000 members of Ukraine's security forces since 2015.

Canada's military contributions, including training, equipment, and transport, have been integral in Ukraine's counter offensive to-date, and we will continue to provide Ukraine with the support it needs to defend its sovereignty, freedom, and independence.
The Canadian Armed Forces training of Ukrainian Armed Forces is currently underway in Latvia, Poland, and the UK.
On July 12, 2023, the Prime Minister announced additional support to Ukraine including:
- As part of Operation UNIFIER, the Royal Military College Saint-Jean will welcome Ukrainian cadets for a three-week training program developed in partnership with NATO;
- A contribution of $48.8 million to the Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP) for Ukraine. This contribution, in addition to the $34.6 million announced in April 2023, will support NATO's provision of non-lethal practical assistance to Ukraine; and
- $2.7million in cyber security assistance for Ukraine.

Canada is working closely with our Haitian and international partners to help restore security in Haiti.
For its part, National Defence continues to support broader interdepartmental efforts.
For example, we deployed two maritime coastal defence vessels in the spring to conduct presence patrols in and around Haitian waters.
This closely followed the deployment of a CP-140 Aurora to the region to provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
I look forward to speaking to my counterparts at Public Safety and Global Affairs to see how Defence can continue its work in supporting them on this important file.

Canada will continue to support the people of Haiti and explore ways to help the Haitian people emerge from this crisis.
Two Royal Canadian Navy Kingston-class ships (His Majesty's Canadian Ships Glace Bay and Moncton), with over 90 Royal Canadian Navy sailors, conducted presence patrols in and around Haitian waters from 3-19 March 2023.
In February 2023, a CP-140 Aurora aircraft was deployed to support Canada's efforts to disrupt the activities of gangs in Haiti and demonstrate Canada's commitment to the Haitian people.
Three Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles, purchased by the Haitian government, were delivered in March.
Led by Public Safety, Global Affairs Canada and National Defence are developing options to enable the Haitian National Police in both a third location and potentially in Haiti.

Recommendation 5 of the Independent External Comprehensive Review (IECR) raises multi-jurisdictional and multi-departmental issues that require thorough analysis of several complex policy, operational, and legal considerations.
100 percent of Criminal Code sexual offence charges are now being laid in the civilian justice system and no new sexual Criminal Code offence charges are being adjudicated in the military justice system, per former Supreme Court Justice Arbour's interim recommendation.
Concurrently, through a Federal-Provincial-Territorial ad hoc Deputy Minister's Committee and ongoing bilateral engagement with provinces and territories, we are charting a permanent path forward on the implementation of the multi-jurisdictional elements of Recommendation 5.

October 2021: Madame Arbour submits interim recommendation to immediately refer sexual assaults and other criminal offences of a sexual nature under the Criminal Code to civilian authorities.
November 3, 2021: Minister of National Defence accepts Madame Arbour's interim recommendation.
November & December 2021: The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM) and the Director of Military Prosecutions, as independent military justice actors, issue their respective directions related to the implementation of the interim recommendation.
May 30, 2023: The Minister announces that 100% of Criminal Code sexual offence charges are now being laid in the civilian justice system.

May 20, 2022: Madame Arbour provides her report to the Minister of National Defence which includes Recommendation 5.
Recommendation 5 states that Criminal Code sexual offences should be removed from the jurisdiction of the Canadian Armed Forces, and these cases should be prosecuted exclusively in civilian courts.
Consultations with Federal, Provincial, and Territorial partners are ongoing.
As we advance this important work, we remain focused on ensuring the necessary support to victims.

Canada is unwavering in its commitment to the NATO Alliance, to the defence of Euro-Atlantic security, and to the rules-based international order.
Our Strong, Secure, Engaged Defence Policy will increase the Department of National Defence's budget by more than 70% from 2016-17 to 2026-27.
In 2022, Canada's defence spending was $33.9B, an increase of 6% compared to 2021 ($32B).
We are forecasting to spend $39.3B on defence in 2023, an increase of 16% in dollar terms from 2022.
We will continue to make important contributions to global peace and stability alongside our NATO Allies, as we are doing in Latvia, Ukraine, and the Middle East.

New and emerging threats require us to conduct a defence policy update and meet today's security challenges.
This update will set out a clear plan of action to ensure that the CAF has the necessary direction, resources, and future-ready capabilities to adapt to a dynamic and complex global operating environment.
I look forward to receiving updates from the Defence team on this initiative.

Fiscal Year 2022-23: Canada's estimated defence spending is 1.22% of its GDP and 11.5% of its defence spending on major equipment.
Canada is the 6^th largest contributor ($163.3M) to NATO's common funded budget.
For capabilities more specifically, Canada will begin exceeding the 20% guideline on military equipment spending in 2023, reaching approximately 33% by 2026.
Canada will host a NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence in Montréal.
Budget 2023 allocates $30.1 million over four years, and $10.4 million ongoing to establish the new North American regional office in Halifax for NATO's Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).