Experts say it is unlikely that the long-awaited reform of defense policy will take place after the election.

News analysis

Canada is considering renewing its defense policy only in the event of a catastrophe, which is basically not a problem in federal elections, says a professor of political science. He added that the situation would probably remain the same after the election, despite its shortcomings.

James FergusonHe is also the Deputy Director of the Center for Defense and Security Research at the University of Manitoba, telling the Epoch Times that the liberal long-term “strong, security, engagement” (SSE) defense policy introduced in 2017 is outdated. From the moment it was released.

“The rise of China and the resurgence of Russia are two major threats to North Americans,” he said. “The world has changed.”

Ferguson said the SSE also lacks details on North American defense modernization and is projected to be a costly undertaking and needs immediate attention.

A meeting of the Defense Associations Association (CDAI), a registered charity that conducts research and education on defense and security policy, has a similar view that the SSE plans to review and update.

“It lacks an extensive analysis that extends to national security and foreign policy,” CDAI said in a campaign. Primer About defense policy.

The institute pointed out that building defense capabilities would take years or decades, and future governments would be limited in their options by current policies.

Ferguson added that the re-elected government has never returned to undertake an overall defense policy review, and the newly elected minority government is unlikely to change the situation significantly.

In addition, the fight against pandemics and economic support have significantly weakened the government’s financial position, and defense spending tends to be one of the leading candidates for reduction.

Whichever party is chosen, they will say, “What will be the problem under the current economic conditions in relation to the impact of COVID-19 and the debt and deficit issues?” Will push things into the future. It’s a matter of money, “Ferguson said.

Cybercrime

Political party campaign platforms tend to focus cybercrime on defense and public security responsibilities, as they are associated with hacking and foreign interference, even when cyber is included in the territory of public security.

Canada has been the victim of a state-sponsored cyberattack by the Communist Party of China. The federal government believes that the attack is aimed at stealing intellectual property and large amounts of personal information.

Global Affairs, Defense and Public Security said in a joint statement on July 19 that China’s National Security Ministry is confident that it is responsible for hacking Microsoft Exchange Server in early March.

Ferguson says cyber is a far greater threat to the United States than Canada, but Canada suggests considering ways to address the issue through better coordination between the various government sectors.

“Perhaps we need to think about how to improve relationships between different bureaucratic levels, how to get out of silos, what we need to do with cybersecurity … all that makes sense to me. “He said.

“The probability is that it’s not a reality. It won’t change,” Ferguson said.

Canada’s Communications Security Bureau The (CSE) focuses on cyber operations as one of the country’s leading security and intelligence organizations, with Russia, China, and Iran being the most foreign government-sponsored cyberattacks on democratic processes around the world. Is likely to be responsible.

“Canadian voters are very likely to encounter some form of foreign cyber interference (ie, cyber threat activity by foreign actors or foreign influences online) before and during the next federal elections. We judge it to be expensive, “said CSE in July 2021. update.

The most comprehensive conservative

Conservative platform under the leader Erin O’Toole Having served in the military for 12 years, he offers the most detailed strategies for tackling many areas of defense and national security.

Conservative initiatives include defending Arctic sovereignty, protecting against cyberattacks, modernizing NORADs, and targeting disinformation and foreign interference. Canada is a Pacific country and conservatives will take a stricter approach to China’s aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

One of Canada’s defense challenges is military procurement, especially fighters. Conservatives are the only parties to address procurement bottlenecks. They aim to streamline the process and “remove politics from procurement” in order to prioritize fighters and facilitate the acquisition of the equipment needed by the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).

Incumbent liberals defended the SSE and repeatedly secured the resources needed to address many threats, including environmental threats. They didn’t specifically mention procurement because it’s related to defense. Like the NDP and Greens, they discussed this issue only from the perspective of the Green Initiative on the campaign platform.

The NDP touched on defense on page 109 of the platform on page 115, prioritizing a multilateral approach to peacekeeping around the world. New Democrats has also added an indigenous aspect to Green Factor as a guide to procurement decisions.

NS National Party of Canada It does not specifically address defense and security on that platform.Like any other party, it touches veteranIssues such as acknowledging their unique sacrifices, supporting them and providing a fair disability pension.

Greens wants to reorganize its army to prioritize disaster preparedness while maintaining readiness for combat. They also want to engage with a wider variety of international partners and focus on disarmament defense policies.

The leader should be expected to provide a comprehensive position on defense issues, a meeting between the Defense Association (CDA) and CDAI said on August 23. statement..

“Canadians deserve to be informed about the threats we face as a nation and what promises we have made to our allies,” the statement said.

The two organizations asked both parties to discuss and investigate defense policy, defense resources, Canadian-US cooperation on North American territorial defense, NORAD modernization, and issues of sexual misconduct within the CAF. I asked.