The state of the Royal Canadian Navy | L'état de la marine royale canadienne

The RCN faces some very serious challenges right now that could mean that we fail to meet our force posture and readiness commitments in 2024 and beyond.
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La MRC fait actuellement face à de très graves problèmes qui pourraient faire en sorte que nous ne respecterons pas nos engagements en matière de posture et de disponibilité opérationnelle en 2024 et au-delà.

[@exJacktar]

You can thank your predecessor Lloyd for the chaos in the MarTech trade. You Admirals shot yourself in the foot with the amalgamation and killing off three trades as a cure for the Stoker problems. In the matter of a couple of years, this decision wiped out a base of knowledge the RCN took a century to build. Congratulations, take a bow...

[@JA-re6yy]

Took my CFAT and hoping to get a marine tech job offer. What’s the biggest critique of the trade? Most people say it’s in shambles but aren’t very specific as to the issues other than being overworked and understaffed.

[@Notmysteezhomie2]

@@JA-re6yyjust join and find out lol

[@Andy7Penguin]

Training or lack therof, overworked, undercompensated vs other departments especially given the new demand to know 3 trades within one, asinine watch systems, loss of identity and traditions

[@exJacktar]

@Andy7Penguin the amalgamation is a contributing factor on why l retired before l had to. I didn't want to be a Stoker or ET. I couldn't recommend the navy as a career choice, which is a shame, as l would have at one time.

[@damiancayer2003]

I knew you were a HT! I feel the same. Been out now almost 2 years.@@exJacktar

[@hyperboreanesoterica6588]

The CAF will never admit it but it doesn’t have a recruiting issue, it has an attrition issue, but if they admit that then they have to admit that they have a CoC issue, and the top brass will never admit that they're in the wrong.

[@KRAZYKAISER007]

...and the biggest catalyst was the CDS's mandate that put the crippling of the CAF into hyperdrive. It will be noticed more, as more of the adverse side effects of the forced experiment are revealed over time.

[@dereklacroix6596]

Facts

[@richardlane9582]

Yep. Because the TOP BRASS...in Canada, don't get to be the TOP BRASS; in Canada...until they learn that politicians are their main concern...not the men and women under their command. Sad state.

[@andrelalonde5176]

let's start with getting better political leaders then.@@richardlane9582

[@Colinpark]

Couple of suggestions, you absolutely have to have the guts to tell the government that you cannot deliver what they ask with the ships and crew you have. Start now by tying up one Halifax per coast and bring the remaining ships up to their full crew status. Have those tied up ships go in for a refit for their hotel systems to get the mold out of trunking, fix sewage systems and make livability better onboard, cycle the ships through that refit. Make sure your crews get time ashore and are not forced to jump from ship to ship to maintain ops tempo. Unless you reduces Ops tempo now, the ships and crews will force you to do it sooner than later. As for recruiting, fix the various bottlenecks and don't be afraid to take basic risks in recruiting people that might be kicked later on. also don't expend your energy, time and budget trying to recruit from demographics that are not interested and instead look to the core groups that do already join and recruit there. Finally, bite the bullet and sign a deal with South Korea for the KS-III with minimal changes, have them built in SK and start replacing the Victoria class. That will boost Canada's abilty to project power immensely particular with missiles for the VLS they are fitted with. The above requires Senior Commanders to say "No" to allies and politicians. Stop pretending that we can "Meet the challenges" when we cannot.

[@sierravortec2494]

It’s a simple fact the government doesn’t have the slightest interest in making this happen.

[@JSaltyfabricator]

I believe these suggestions to be pretty bang on. Everyone pretty much agrees with the above, nothing new. It's almost like we should have seen all these issues coming...

[@abrahamdozer6273]

@@sierravortec2494 Alas, it's not just the government. It's the taxpayers of Canada who haven't supported our Forces over the decades. The Canadian Navy has been making bricks without straw since the 1960s and there is no outcry or interest out there among the Canadian public. If you the Taxpayer really care, make it an election issue. There are currently no votes for Defense issues in Canada and it might take another 1939 style disaster to snap everybody out of it.

[@frogonket]

@@abrahamdozer6273 I'm joining when I'm old enough I just hope we don't need another 1939 to snap people out of it although I think we all know that we do need another to wake people up however much I don't want to believe it unlike the federal government I'm not scared of the truth

[@chrisburke624]

@@abrahamdozer6273 I agree with you. I think the big issue with this though, is the RCN isn't visible in the everyday life of most Canadians. The Army has reserve units in various cities and towns, and deploys on Lentus every summer. Major disaster? Army is right there beside the citizens... The RCAF has a bit more visibility than the RCN - people go to air shows, see the odd aircraft flying overhead, see flyovers at CFL games, or Griffons flying around if they live near a base But the RCN is invisible to most Canadians. Sure there are the Navy Reserves, but unless there is a local call-up for assistance, how visible are a few reservists when out one night a week? (And assuming they don't drive...) It will be hard to make this an election issue (especially right now with JT in office) when the Canadian public doesn't "see" anything RCN related unless it's on the news

[@jesseklooster8175]

Not hearing anything about retention here. We're loosing a Mar-tech every 2 days, and still only focused on recruiting......

[@thenorthernwill]

Exactly. CDS told us not to "retreat into retirement". That the only retention plan I'm aware of.

[@brianhouston5368]

Can't fill a colander by pouring water in faster. Until they address the issues of WHY people who are already in keep leaving, they'll never fix the problem.

[@ph3426]

Minister Blair just announced CAF forces are down to 35,000 and expect it to decrease to 30,000 members by the end of December mainly because of DIE, plus how unequipped, unhoused and under paid they are; all the while we are suppose to retain 100,000 soldiers.

[@thenorthernwill]

@samsical2597 did you complete an exit interview. I've beenhearing those aren't happening as often as the CAF wants people to think.

[@jesseklooster8175]

​@@samsical2597 unfortunately almost every suggestion to improve retention we've made at every Mar-tech brief and town hall over the last decade has been met with "that's out of our control" or some variation of this.

[@evilbred974]

Good to see a leader unafraid to be honest with the current situation, and yet focused on the solution.

[@doogleticker5183]

He is just another "yes" man using KZbin to seem like he will actually accomplish anything. He is part of the problem...he olds out "optimism"...but no action will follow before it is too late. Instead, Canada has built AOPS and acts as if they are valuable warships (they have one 25mm bushmaster autocannon, a helo pad, cannot break ice year-round), just as they have been doing with the ridiculously designed Kingston class (totally obsolete). So, pivot to the CPFs? Canada can barely task two Halifax class CPFs, which are junk status now. And the useless subs...OMG - the Brits built them and sold them ASAP. That says it all. Canada has gone below the threshold of "Navy" status. The RCN's trajectory was set in the late 1960s and 1970s. Only the yes-men/women (preferably from Québec) survive to live useless lives and watch people go as ships also go, but everything will be alright by 2040!! LMAO. Plus, recruitment has gone woke. Discipline is at an all-time low, and "be yourself" has replaced the needed "be a part of ONE team." The little things about looking like a military member create the feeling of being part of a single entity where your identity is not an issue. It is not the role of the RCN to be woke and follow woke ideology...these top brass clowns need to have the guts to prioritize uniformity over identity ideology. The current direction of the RCN is a dead end. Please be sure to smile while you fight back with fire hoses... Look up what the RCN actually has regarding operational weapons. It is no wonder people won't stay in the shameful RCN. Even with decent pay, it is like working in a funeral parlour.

[@AveTrainOnDaTrack]

Can the Halifax class even last another 15 years 😂😂 they’re already falling apart as we speak

[@melissajurchuk7902]

The hulls have already had to have pieces replaced, there's even been structural I beams that have snapped.

[@bill4807]

These HCMs are obsolete.. believe that Huties are better equipped

[@Wile-.E.-Coyote]

I got out because of the martech situation but a lot of other issues were also demoralizing. It became very clear to me that Ottawa views the Navy as a public works project first and a national defense asset second. Otherwise we'd be focused on getting effective equipment and investing in what we need to maintain it. Beyond that, the amount of prayers and duct tape holding the ships together is obscene. I have many times spent multiple man-hours cobbling together a temporary solution which would be resolved by a two dollar part. And that temporary solution will be functional, but will end up causing problems that lead to dozens more hours of corrective maintenance. This policy of trying to get to sea and meet every tasking is going to lead to an ever less functional fleet. It'd be like if your car is burning two quarts of oil an hour, which you're out of, so you keep topping it off with a hydraulic fluid to limp home. But then the next day, instead of going to a mechanic, you decide to drive across the country because your boss asked you to.

[@JA-re6yy]

Took my CFAT & hoping to get a MarTech job offer and be posted to Esquimalt. Any advice?

[@thenorthernwill]

This is precisely the problem. L1's who refuse to say "no". So many sails and deployments with critical equipment in a non-operational state. You'll have to excuse me Admiral, if I don't believe that people are your top priority when you knowingly put crews to sea with totally inadequate equipment.

[@chrisburke624]

@@JA-re6yy Yes - be patient and roll with things as the military goes through the painful transition it is currently in. Understand that Ottawa is run by morons, be patient, and stick with things until we come out the other side...which should have us in a pretty good state Pay attention on course, be flexible, and strive to be useful. Plug the gaps where you can, so leadership notices you are professional & help them out so you'll be considered for promotion more often - it's easier to affect real change when you have a bit of rank behind you

[@brandondbourne]

​@@chrisburke624the navy has been going though this painful transition since I joined 17 years ago. They told people to go flip burgers elsewhere during COVID if they didn't like their job do they left. Only thing is none of them are flipping burgers. They are working for seaspan, be ferries, Irving and VicShipyards loving their decision immensely. They get hotels and they get paid for overtime. Oh and they are treated with dignity and respect. You know that basic human right?

[@Mark-fh5lp]

@@JA-re6yy DONT do it. Go work in the private sector. Im a former military officer.

[@COIFISHGAMING]

Appreciate the transparency, 15 year RCN veteran here. I enjoyed my service however this rant is for all of the people that did not that I dealt with on a daily basis. Want to fix the RCN? The issue was always the same, it's middle management that stops good ideas and solutions from actually reaching the top brass (NCOs and Middle Ranked Officers) and the class based life style on a ship. There is absolutely no reason for separate messes, want to build a team that trusts each other? Stop separating Officers, NCOs and NCMs for the sake of "Tradition". The problem was always the lower decker's getting treated like literal garbage and not being valued or heard. Imagine for a moment your at sea for weeks at a time without a port visit, your boss is a absolute tyrant, yet you have to clean his toilet and basically do their job for them... This same boss that you are trapped at sea with craps on you day in and day out with no escape because if you bring anything up you are an administrative burden. Add to that little to no sleep, you are away from your family. You have to compete with your peers for PER points to get promoted to put enough food on the table for your family you never see. The Navy needs to focus more on retention then recruitment. A highly trained person who loves their job will provide much better results than a dozen people that do not want to be there. Stop filling seats, make people never want to give their seat up in the first place.

[@sailpunk1425]

I am going to both disagree and agree with you. I believe in keeping messes separate as you don't want your boss around you all the time. In the corporate world as a senior manager I always left the Christmas party first. Junior Officers today are taught that your number one priority, asset and function in life is to support your sailors. I'd rather die in the fires of hell than not support, promote and develop my shipmates. I agree that there was a tradition that was unhealthy, and quite frankly the worst abuse of authority has been from NCOs towards NCMs but that is all anicdodal. All I can be is the change I want to see.

[@COIFISHGAMING]

@@sailpunk1425 Things have changed if thats the case! Thanks for the update. We all fight for the same side the superority complex was brutal and served zero purpose in mission effectiveness.

[@keahililia8208]

Added note. Get rid of the dumb "Requested/Required" pipes. If you're needed somewhere, GO THERE! I heard too many Officers and NCOs bitching at the bosnmate for not getting that ego stroking pipe correct. Nut up and go to where your told to go.

[@doogleticker5183]

Perhaps too many people have been in crappy ships companies. Leadership is always the issue, even in teamwork. Poor leaders abuse subordinates. However, going to a Marxist organization cannot work. I do not want to share a mess with my superior officers or with the junior hands...everybody needs a place to blow off steam...even in the best ships companies. It is great to be part of a ship's company where the officers are strong leaders, competent and respected for that, and who respect all others and create a dynamic that uses the vast experience of the NCOs. However, the NCOs must also be leaders and develop the junior ranks - not abuse them. I've found that all the best ships I've served on were well-led; everybody knew exactly what was going on, and we were all keen to get that ship to reach its potential as a deadly weapon of war. We were one team with the primary objective of being ready to fight to the death. That is when we had warships...I feel bad for the personnel of today. Unsurprisingly, the conditions no longer exist to maintain a fighting navy. Regarding the "middle management" hypothesis, it seems to me that you have experienced "managers" who were not also "leaders." I hear you. But what you have lived through is NOT Navy tradition. There is not one example of a Marxist democratic Navy in history. If it could work better that way, it would exist.

[@LumpyGents]

I've been in the recruitment process for a year and a half...that should just not happen. A lot of the delays have been around paperwork or extremely slow responses. I WANT to join and I can't imagine how many others are experiencing the same thing.

[@theogrant528]

Have you gotten a security clearance yet? I've got a buddy that was stuck waiting for one for over a year. Might be faster if you are a Canadian citizen though.

[@That_boatswainmate]

Happened to me too had to wait a year back during the pandemic just be patient it’s a long process

[@johnnymindorff4885]

I'm almost two years in!

[@josemanzano1033]

Do not worry, you will get in. It took me 2 years but never gave up.

[@LumpyGents]

My wider point guys is that this shouldn't be a thing that happens. For any other job would you wait 2 years to be recruited?

[@seanphoenix8049]

Right off the hop, FIX RECRUITING ! ! It has been broken since before I enlisted in '85...... Potential recruits waiting 6 months to a year is asinine .... AND STOP THE VIRTUE SIGNALLING.... Enlist who walks in and wants to join !!!

[@thenorthernwill]

2 year wait for some theee days. And the progressive policies have totally infiltrated the institution. Recruiting numbers in some regions are trending up, which is great, but the quality of person coming through the door is not the same as it once was. The abysmal attrition numbers in the RCN need to change before recruitment matters anyways.

[@madelinepeer5609]

Diversity, inclusion and equity are counterintuitive to a battle-ready force. Viewing personnel as avatars of group identity, particularly based upon race and sex does not strengthen the group: it weakens it.

[@frankc9158]

It divides us heavily as well. The navy.. at least the west coast is on another level with all that stuff.

[@mr.t8562]

This comes right from the PM. I don't think he's ever played on a Team before. You don't develop a team by respecting everyone's differences (as per his Christmas message); you develop a Team by highlighting that everyone has the same goal and everyone needs to use their strengths to achieve that goal. This rot of thought has permeated our entire Leadership and we are worse for it. Diversity is not our strength; Teamwork is our strength.

[@ProfessorxVile]

Looking at that personnel chart, it seems like retention is a much bigger problem than recruiting is... why is there no mention of that?

[@thenorthernwill]

Because the attrition is directly related to the culture and real world state of the CAF. Since CRCN can't change the culture, he has to focus on the more black&white pieces of the puzzle. The reality is that if Canada wants to recover its military, we need a government willing to temporarily withdraw from some extremely high level commitments to NATO. Create a national defense force that we can sustain, then in a few decades, once reconstitution is complete, head back onto the global stage, if required.

[@ph3426]

Because the driving force of losing recruits is the Diversity, Inclusive and Equity government brainwashing, according to my son who's in CAF. The forces has turned into a nut house.

[@brandondbourne]

Because they are responsible for retention, it's a different L1 responsible for attraction and recruitment. Redirect the spotlight from under his own skirt 😂

[@Berlin-Kladow]

I'm surprised these comments which are the truth haven't been censored .

[@JSaltyfabricator]

Truly shocking actually.

[@k54g]

The CAF needs to fix its recruitment, Remustering, and retention problem before you can fix anything else! How can you expect people to wait 1-2 years for a job offer? Its completely broken

[@dennisp.2147]

As an American this is beyond depressing. Whether we'll admit it out loud or not, we've depended on our neighbor to the North for nearly a century now. At the end of WWII Canada had the third largest navy in the world, behind the USN and the Royal Navy with just shy of 1,200 vessels. After Pearl Harbor, we had to depend on the Canadians to shepherd the lend-lease aid up the Atlantic seaboard across the North Atlantic to Britain, as the US military was fighting a two front land war and the USN was battling in every ocean. Canadian sailors protected American Merchant vessels so the British wouldn't starve. Ya'll need to do something. The world isn't getting more friendly, and as the US starts its slow decline it's only going to get worse.

[@zacharydurocher4085]

Trump avait raison quand il nous a traité de « Free-riders ». On profite des États-Unis comme c’est pas possible. Nos gars dans les forces armées ont besoin d’aller au banques alimentaires pour avoir de quoi à manger parce que le coût du loyer coûte un rein et un bras.

[@bill4807]

In the ship building industry Canadians are lead by RCN rejects, with no clues to build a platform so good luck... Canadians are dumping tax dollars into the Sand and are in a crisis

[@samuelpettington2241]

When the world needed us the most, we were not ready. Shame.

[@shawnomack3927]

If a MAR tech is leaving every two days, maybe its the leadership in the trade thats causing them to quit. Recruitment sucks and process time takes about a year from submitting your application, to getting into bmq

[@Andy7Penguin]

I did my ql5 as a mareng/martech and of the 15 on course, only a few years later much less than half remain. My serial was not an outlier either. From a changing culture and relaxing of standards across the forces, burnout within the trade, vaccine mandates, to training difficulties it has made it clear to members that the headache is not worth it. Topshee and all the other sycophants in the brass has directly contributed to this mess and now has the gall to be bleating about what they've created. The officer cries out in pain as they stab you in the back.

[@chrisburke624]

When I worked in recruiting during the Afghan war years, it took me 1 month to get someone from applicant stage to sworn in. 1 month... Now?? What the heck is taking so long for applications to be processed?

[@niweshlekhak9646]

@@chrisburke624 spies is most likely the reason, at that time it was just Afghanistan you had to worry about. Now you are facing adversaries that have good military equipment.

[@chrisburke624]

@@niweshlekhak9646 spies are causing the significant delay? Or do you mean they are screening applicants much more now because they are worried about spies getting in? The military should just require a basic clearance when first joining. Quick police background check, quick credit check, check references & credentials - the unit recruiter could do that in a morning (I know this to be fact, I did it quite often) - schedule the interview & medical on the same day, BOOM. Done! If they require a secret clearance or above, they can get started on that when the time comes My 2 cents anyway

[@oldmanbucksaw]

I'm happy to see that he didn't say "punching above our weight class" or "doing more with less". These two idioms, often parroted by senior leaders have done more harm than good.

[@alphariusallalong1258]

I think he understands more than most that buzzwords will only get one so far at this point.

[@jeremythebeer8609]

This is absolutely depressing... RCN (CAF) take note that my 14yo and 12yo sons pick up on this already and comment how Canada's military "has no chance!". We've ruined the military. Our MPs earn a greater salary and eat a free lunch while the CAF starves.

[@thenorthernwill]

My sons will never join this institution. As a parent, it would be irresponsible for me to endorse it.

[@sparklessconnectionselectrical]

The only Navy that has basic frigates costing more than nuclear substances

[@paulerickson6270]

You see all those people wandering around topside. I think I know the reason.

[@skychaser59]

Topshee aren't you the guy that spearheaded CF personnel having to pay for parking on bases? Post living diffential evaporated. The CF has way too many officers compared to enlisted.

[@brandondbourne]

Oh and he told people during COVID if they didn't like to go to sea to fight an invisible enemy, "club burgers at McDonald's. Thanks Sir! I would make more with OT working at McDonald's.

[@SW-li7gd]

First figure out how to pay your current sailors on time and correctly. Second, the two coasts are simply unaffordable for most. There is a housing shortage in Victoria, where one bedroom rents for 2200 per month.

[@wyldhowl2821]

Yup. But this is not much different from any other occupation. Decades of watching real income of ordinary people decline compared to housing costs while billionaires pay jack shit in taxes (and still somehow complain about it). What does that do to recruitment for the military, when even people who might prioritize public service over money are forced to just give up those plans and always be hustling for dollars just to survive?

[@cyleenos4218]

1,600 dollars a month... that's why the low rates.

[@alphariusallalong1258]

this is it. I’ve got guys who literally cannot afford to rent a studio in a shitty part of Halifax, which is insane considering that Halifax used to be the most liveable out of the two coasts.

[@benjaminedelman3523]

Thank you for the honesty VAdm

[@doogleticker5183]

If you think he's being honest...naïve AF.

[@TK-wg8xt]

People are qutting every two days and the focus is recruiting? That'll fix it.

[@_Matsimus_]

Interesting video

[@HRHRemington]

I am in full agreement of the Admirals assessment and the readiness of our Royal Canadian Navy and other parts of the Canaforces We are always falling behind and meeting the needs of our sailors, airman and soldiers. It’s a constant battle with the government to get the proper funding and the property support our equipment so that we do not endanger those who serve our country proudly.

[@corytaylor2983]

You could of saved 100s of millions of dollars and had newer ships by now if you never got Irving to build our ships. Should of built out of country. We could of had a whole new fleet at quarter of the cost

[@Colinpark]

To be honest, there was no political way to get the NSS off the ground without including Irving, they have to much pull. That being said if we stay the course on NSS, we will have a sustainable ship building industry.

[@SW-li7gd]

​@@Colinparkthat's a wishful thinking. Want guess where the steel for the new ships are coming from?

[@Colinpark]

Unless we have new builds here, you will not have the shipyards to repair the vessels in the future.@@SW-li7gd

[@DarthTigger]

It is sad to say, and it seriously hurts our ability to defend our country when politics weighs so heavily on our decisions but that is the reality that we have to work in. That is Democracy for you.

[@thomasklimchuk441]

Buying votes with jobs

[@stevenmulvay3292]

Trying to combine the 3 services into one didn't help

[@jameshovey7877]

It is not only a problem with the navy. It is problem throughout the whole Canadian military. How can you train when most of your equipment is old and probably broke down for lack of parts or techs to fix it. We have spent how millions of dollars because one party of our government doesn't like what the other side did so they cancel it with huge penalties. We promise other countries equipment and take the best of what we got and send it to them leaving or military to deal with the junk. Politicians who have no concept of military needs but dictate on how one piece of equipment is suppose to serve multiple roles and ends up falling at them all.

[@ph3426]

My son's a gunner in the 4th Regiment, they have 30 G-Wagons, eight are operational, the rest they can't get parts for. CAF Procurement is full of fools buying what the USA was replacing because of the issues with them, but we saved a few bucks because it was such a sweet deal.

[@KUZICANBEATS]

i applied for the RCN last week !

[@brandondbourne]

Be careful. It's where dreans go to get ruined m only to never dream again.They use you until they can't then they dispose of you and deny they did anything wrong. Full of Rapists, Racists and Les by the dark three, sociopaths, psychopaths and narcissists.

[@KUZICANBEATS]

what do you mean @@brandondbourne

[@jean-marccote9829]

Je lit et connais la marine Canadienne depuis 1984, ils ont toujours été en problème de personnel mais, dans ce vidéo, je reconnais et je supporte la franchise , la transparence et s'en est incroyable et l’authenticité de la narration bravo je vous souhaite de réaliser vos objectif

[@doogleticker5183]

C'est rien que de la blah blah.

[@SailorGerry]

This experience might sum up a lot of the problems with the RCN: I went to an information session one evening at a naval reserve unit, in a downtown location of a major Canadian city. Short videos were shown and an 'naval officer' explained the application process, trade and position availability, training, etc. Afterward there was a Q & A session, along with (the mandatory) coffee and donuts. In conversation with the 'naval officer', I questioned him about his current experience and qualifications, where as all I could garner were something about being an accounting major at the local university and an additional litany of obscure acronyms relating to the navy. I then asked him how much sea time he had, and noticing that the 'naval officer' seemed somewhat confused by the question, I rephrased the question and asked him how much time on board naval or reserve ships did he have? He bowed his head and, in a near-whisper, replied 'none'. I rest my case...

[@gardenvarietysquid1389]

Depends what kind of officer he was. If he was an intelligence or logistics officer, some NEVER sail. There are only two LogO on a frigate: the real LogO and a trainee. Sometimes there is an IntO, sometimes not. If the guy giving the presentation was a Naval Warfare Officer, it would be impossible for him to progress in his trade without sailing.

[@vinnycent007]

A "Naval Officer" is a very blanket term. They consist for Naval Warfare Officers (the ones you see on videos), Naval Combat System Engineering Officers, Marine System Engineering Officers, Logistic Officers, and other officers trades. There are some hard sea trade such as the first three which needs to have a mandatory time at sea before getting operationally qualified. Others trades like Logistic and Intelligence Officers is not mandatory to go to sea as they are a support trade. In addition, it also depends on whether they are reservist or regular force since the answer might varied.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

This isn't a new problem too. I had a friend who served 20 yrs in the navy as an NCM (10 RegF and 10 NavRes), retired as a PO1. He told me he spent a total of less than 6 months on ship during his career and this was during the Cold War era. They just had more personnel than they had ships to serve on at the time.

[@mactravel112]

Ready to fight??? Ur not capable of fighting for anything in the world of modern naval warfare. The RCN has become as close to utterly irrelevant as possible.

[@XG0WNLUK3X]

Parkade for Halifax would be nice...

[@mattedmartinful]

This is so underrated but so needed. That alone would help morale across the entire fleet

[@thenorthernwill]

Crazy that this is where we are at in our efforts trying to obtain it. Literally a decade and a half of waiting for parking. Fucking crickets. People first Angus? Prove it

[@brianhouston5368]

@@mattedmartinful Yes, an easy, obvious win. And yet, multiple base commanders over the last couple decades just keep kicking this can down the road and refuse to give their people what they're asking for. It's idiotic and self-defeating. The first step in actually fixing what's wrong with the RCN and the CAF is listening to the people in uniform. The second step is actually doing what they ask for. Service members know what they need, but the brass and those in Ottawa seem to do almost everything in their power to not listen.

[@alphariusallalong1258]

what’s the excuse for not doing it? is it still that “Irving owns the land”?

[@TheFalazure]

Good luck with that one...that idea was shot down years ago XD.

[@E-Doggy-Dog]

Its difficult to get excited about our military as a whole when researching to join you see so many reports of under funding and then 1B dollar budget cut again this year..

[@randyP369]

He’s the worst when it comes to taking care of his people

[@transientwanderer533]

I couldnt find the link for the gofundme page

[@jamesmacdon9351]

Leadership is horrid in all the CAF right now….endless meetings/conferences/studies of nothing and no action on recommendations. CFRCs are only enrolling minorities now whom in many cases CFAT scores are waived (which will cause massive safety and trainability issues short/long term). A badly broken, mismanaged system that needs a complete sweep. Nothing will change though as those in their powerful ivory towers will drive it all right in the ground before accepting any required changes.

[@JD-ws2cu]

The Navy needs to be in every high school in the country. I lived and went to high school in the United States and the military was very present in high school. Former student would come in their dress uniform. It was huge recruiting tool.

[@ianpaone2008]

Agreed, universities as well. Unfortunately, school boards want nothing to do with us. They think we’re recruiting child soldiers

[@ph3426]

In today's social culture, the schools wouldn't allow it because it might "trigger" the students, creating anxiety and fear of life.

[@JD-ws2cu]

@@ph3426 that's very unfortunate. Bring back the draft then. Lol

[@Broxty]

We can't even fill bunks in a boat.... now you want us to fill classrooms??

[@VladsGamingCH]

Wonder if they explored options of leasing ships that work from other countries

[@FluffyMuffinBoy]

They've been doing this for a few years. NRU Asterix, and The Almirante Montt, as well as OP Regulus. (basically a semester aboard for junior officers)

[@jifferz]

perhaps if there wasn't a scandal involving CAF leadership every few months, people would actually take pride in enlisting.

[@jifferz]

​@ArmorofGod2.0?

[@kevinpothier7030]

The long and short of it is your best recruiters are vets that brag the navy (army) air force life. BUT when you treat your members with so much disrespect and vets having to fight tooth and limb to get help. Our government cutting right down to the quick. Why would any vet encourage anyone to join. Just the opposite. How many vets? How many voices speak for or against? Think about it.

[@vsirrmk]

Oh, for Christ sake! You should be concerned about training and hiring the BEST people, not playing diversity games! The best!!! no matter the colour or gender!

[@raelmacintyre974]

Make the navy fun again, work hard, play hard, stop doing wuos everyday. Get better ships. Stop recruiting people that can't even make it on city street. The navy needs some true leadership and stop trying to do more with less. It's been going downhill for a longtime and now we are seeing the results.

[@ErnimusPrime]

Wonder how many CPF's will be laid up at a 180 days of readiness till the new ships come out

[@SkynetVanNoided]

As a stoker who left years ago and went to school for my Transport Canada tickets instead of staying for the disaster amalgamation QL5, this is hilarious.

[@Berlin-Kladow]

I used to be in CAF as officer in 1990’s. I am discouraging any family or friends from joining . These days it’s all about your demographics for promotion and how you feel. Members give their unlimited liability to Canada and in return the government from the top down couldn’t care less about you or the military. So fu , let the newcomers you accommodate take the risks and give their unlimited liability

[@Generik97]

When I was fresh out of high school I sincerely wanted to enlist in the Royal Canadian Navy but was denied the ability to serve because of my aptitude score. No alternative was provided for me I was simply rejected. Ultimately I found my civilian calling after 8 year and it pays as much if not more with fewer obligations then what the CAF especially in its current state will ever provide and while I want to say patriotism might keep me warm at night it wouldn't keep a family.

[@lylebrennan691]

Join the reserves. Not a full tike commitment, and you can still serve.

[@bc4447]

Sucks to suck

[@joelcusick8799]

Serving in the Navy should be a privilege. However, many while sticking their neck out there for the country only inherit misery. Members of the CAF deserve lives that many would envy. Much of what I see is pretension, impractical nonsense, and a government that doesn't care enough for our service members. Obviously, more funding is required, along with necessary reforms to improve the standards of our Navy along with the lives of its personnel. Ironically, the government seeks cuts while pretending to do more. I'd like to know how they square that circle.

[@brandondbourne]

It's so sad. My Grandfather who was in the Navy during both wars and has multiple stars cried when I described my experience over the last 15 years in peace time. We need cultural help and supervision inserted I to the organization. We need INTERNAL MONITORS.

[@MarzMindset]

I'm a Metis Canadian with 5 years IT experience. I am joining NAVY RESERVES as MARS TECH? I heard it is not good, are there any other trades you guys recommend for Navy and for someone who enjoys trouble shooting?

[@RCNMRC]

Have a look into the Naval Communicator trade, a few bullet points are: - Radio-teletype - Computer networking - Satellite, tactical voice and visual communications - Classified and unclassified computer networks - Computer-based message processing network - Radio communication control systems - Cryptographic and satellite equipment in support of high speed data and imagery exchanges

[@ysoangri]

Is CL DVR direct entry? Do I need to be a Port Inspection diver first?

[@malcolmewenmackenzieross7728]

Clearance Diver is not a direct entry trade. You need prior experience (I believe 2 years?) before going for selection, but it can be in any trade, provided you can pass all the medical/etc. requirements.

[@nickfoster9350]

I'm forty five years old, and I have always dreamed of joining the RCN, but, as a dyslexic person, the aptitude tests have always been my downfall, as they rattle my brain. Having very recently learned that the CFAT is no longer required in many departments to be excepted into into BMQ, I have renewed hope that I can achieve a life long dream.

[@Canada-_]

glad to see are top generals/admirals publicly taking a stance on the funding of are CAF I hope to be flying helicopters in the RCAF maybe even on a ship, we need more of this and way more support from Parliament hill. In my opinion I think a way harder stance should be taken but I know that we only see half the picture. I hope in my life time I see the RCN and the rest of the CAF get the support and funding you had in the 60's and get back to being a world renowned peacekeeping force like the stories my uncle tells about Yugo and other missions he did. ❤❤

[@ChristopherBosch-ff1dt]

Test out the water cannon J Town😊 flood

[@proudcanadian67]

So sad what our Admirals have allowed to happen to our Navy.

[@Abc-kf4qx]

So how’s that diversity hiring working out for you? Plummeting applications and this ad…

[@oddity8645]

You guys bud lighted yourself. What do you think will happen

[@joshuaculp9417]

You would get more reservists if you supplemented lost pay from their normal day jobs. I would argue that you would get quality candidates if you supplemented. It's not right to expect someone to let their family pay the monetary price for Canadians, so they can take months off for CAF training. They are already doing that with time, you don't need to include wages too. For reference I wanted to join as an officer but I would have lost $17k over the training period required, and that is factoring in the pay I would receive from the reserves.

[@Awakeningspirit20]

Maybe if the military was run by its own government, not a foreign one, it would attract more recruits?

[@danlabss]

There needs to be a bigger focus on recruitment, now more than ever. Perhaps take some pages from the american playbook? New ads, more public apperance?

[@irequisite]

Americans can get up to $50k signing bonus for a 3 year contract. Then retention bonuses when most resign

[@masterbateman3288]

​@irequisite the admiral believes retention bonuses don't work

[@cellphone7223]

American recruitment is down 450K+.

[@thenorthernwill]

Everything woke turns to shit. That's PROVEN true for Canada and the US.

[@ProfessorxVile]

Recruitment is fine... the problem is staffing the training system so those recruits can get qualified instead of sitting around waiting for courses for months or even years. The biggest shortages are in the middle ranks, and that only gets fixed by working on retention, which wasn't even mentioned in the video.

[@exo232]

These guys aren't failing to get numbers of individuals on-boarded, they are failing to on-board people in general. Both me and my wife applied and got no response at all. We're both very well educated and skilled in our current industries (She's got a bachelor degree, and I've got 25 years of solid work xp). Trudeau is looking to demilitarize Canada ... probably.

[@earlgreystoke3324]

How has General Jennie Carignan's diversity, inclusion & equity propaganda adversely affected recruitment & retention in the RCN?

[@voidvev]

Why did they have Steward on the list ..... they're phasing out that trade last I heard. And 2040 for the halifax class still pushing that I see why the fuck are they giving these numbers out

[@SeaDog337]

Through duck tape and necromancy we'll keep the CPFs going, but we need to upkeep our sailors. They're frustrated and tired, and it's all compounded by the rising cost of living/housing. Recruiting is all well and good, but the lack of MS to PO1 is only going to make reconstitution harder with all their experience and mentorship disappearing.

[@alphariusallalong1258]

I’m calling the WENG techs necromancers from now on. They’re about one more breakdown away from going full AdMech on us, anyway!

[@FucklesTheDog]

If we cut the caf mensroom tampon budget we might be able to offer more signing bonuses

[@JohnLee-]

It ok to stay in port

[@mikegauthier3617]

You reap what you sow.

[@williamstewart7725]

PS: If we want a military, a navy, as Canadians we need to spend the money: try 3% GDP.

[@danlegris387]

"History tells us that the best sailors, not the best ships, win at sea." Then cancel the CSC project and choose a simple design that is easy to build, easy to maintain and is more affordable. At $6bill per ship, $4bill build cost, $2bill for development, design, project management, initial armament and spare parts, that shouldn't be too hard, air craft carriers like the Queen Elizabeth class don't even have a $4bill build cost ffs Try finding a worse ship for $6bill ea, the only 1 is the 1 was selected and that's because by the time we start building them they costs will go up again.

[@niweshlekhak9646]

dude UK is not going around sharing their aircraft carrier tech. One Virginia class submarine costs 3 billion that doesn't mean US will sell us one.

[@danlegris387]

@@niweshlekhak9646 If you believe that $6bill for each CSC and $5bill for each new diesel submarine isn't too much money for Cdn taxpayers to spend then what would your cutoff number be?

[@niweshlekhak9646]

@@danlegris387 6 billion is lifetime cost not , not up front, you don't understand how military works.

[@danlegris387]

@@niweshlekhak9646 ROFLMAO No, $4bill for build cost, $1.6bill for project management, design, initial armament and spare parts, those are 2022 numbers so before the expected 9% increase. The lifecycle costs of the project are over $300bill. Read the PBO reports so you understand how the money works

[@coucoucestmoi5662]

I opened a file to join the Navy, my goal is working as Boatswain and become NTOG OPERATOR full time after. I heard a lot of bad things with RCN right now…. As what, they will tell you « join the navy you will travel « but at the end you will not sailing as you think. People joined Navy are here to travel, now, if it’s just to work on a port. Better to join the Army and not the RCN. What do you think guys ? ( guys actually working with RCN or FORCES ). Now, here is what I’m thinking about the government (this is personal) I respect what the people opinion have too. But be under Liberals do not help at all CAF…….. Sorry for my English, born and raised in France became Canadian citizen

[@user-cp9lg1bf2h]

Canada is a small country. Work with the Canadian Coast Guard on obtaining reserve commissions for all graduates of the Canadian Coast Guard College. Then Coast Guard vessels could augment the Navy by conducting close shore ops leaving the Navy to be a true blue water navy”.

[@JSaltyfabricator]

Canada is literally the second largest country in the world and the only one that borders three oceans and has the longest coast line in the world. Coast Guard is not armed. That is not their duty.

[@rushdiahmad2435]

Canada is small country???

[@user-cp9lg1bf2h]

Small population, small budget.

[@DdosedRS]

I wonder what the promotion situation would be like if theyre in that dire needs of sailors.

[@MrBobbyBrown2006]

You should treat retention the same as you treat recruitment. You're bleeding people faster than you can fill the holes. Get it together.

[@gavincross2902]

Perhaps "change" is not working! Perhaps people need discipline, goals, and uniformity. A member of the CAF should be driven to be the best from day one. You are now saying "that has changed", "we are more inclusive", "we have lowered standards". Epic fail and hearing this from a government talking head is very sad. Nobody wants to join the CAF exactly because the CAF is no longer The Very Best. Why would anyone wanting to be the best join up? They are not.

[@devineartwork2827]

Give sailors better pay, benefits and a pension. Maybe some of those are already a thing, but clearly if you want more recruits we you can't rely on peoples patriotism alone. Money talks.

[@theogrant528]

The forces just got a pay raise this moth and back pay to 2021 but simultaneously the equalization payments for posting to places with higher costs of living (like Esquimalt, BC were the navy sends half is people) was curbed.

[@jesseklooster8175]

​@@theogrant528that's not a raise it's an economic adjustment, and it was less than inflation over the same period.

[@windaddiction]

Martechs... Lots of help if you guys want to leave for the civi world. Never been a better time. All you need to do is reach out.

[@JSaltyfabricator]

Not for new MARTECHs. They just have not been trained to the standard that HTs, ETs, and Stokes were. Even after their RQS1 /QL5 coursing, they have not specialized enough in one area to be gainfully employed in equivalent civilian trades.

[@windaddiction]

@@JSaltyfabricator maybe not equivalent trades however the skills they have learned are still very attractive to employers. It gives you a great head start to get into the construction trades.

[@jazzmandan7056]

I’m glad this video finally surfaced (pardon the pun..😁 I say, well done! ..this is loooong overdue. Forgive me for my ignorance, or lack of knowledge here, as some of my comments and/or statements may be somewhat out of place and/or disjointed.. Please bear with me. I have absolutely no time whatsoever in the CAF, although I did try only once and got turned down. This was when they were trimming some of the ranks back in the early eighties and they basically had their pick of the litter, so.. Believe it or not, I had recently considered aiming for the reserves but I think my age would disqualify me. I have/had family and friends who served in the RCN, RCAF and Army. One thing that stood out in my mind during many discussions over the years were the shrinking budgets. If the budget was (for simplicity’s sake here..) 100, and they only needed/burned through 90, then that additional 10 never came back and they had to then exist within that ‘new’ budgetal framework. This became the familiar, persistent pattern, hence the downward spiral with regards to investment. Tighter and even ‘tighter.. Yes, the Berlin Wall fell and all that. All countries breathed a sigh of relief, not to mention those whose capital expenditures on military budgets were astronomical and needed a break. If history is any indication, there is always a threat brewing somewhere in the world and maybe our threat indexes / matrices didn’t factor in a few things. The fall of the Soviet Union allowed some of the former republics to go at it again. If one wants peace, one has to be able to wage war.. Acquisitions then became an exercise of trying to get blood out of a stone ( the list is loooongg..) never mind dealing with the ‘procurement’ department and all things that had to be ‘Canadian’.. I get it, but look at the outcome now. Perceived ‘reliance’ on our neighbors to the south probably took root in the minds of some decision makers here who opted to ‘cheap out’, thinking that we could be the northern insulation that our neighbors wanted, so we didn’t have to put out as much..Just calling a spade a ‘spade’. We don’t need to be armed to the teeth, just prepared and well equipped. Sadly, we are not. The current administration (in my opinion here..), does not give a rats ass about our CAF and cares more about woke issues and other societal ‘things’ of late that are going on. When acquisitions are done, the optics suggest that it’s more important to look good on the industrial level in the publics eye than anything else rather than what was best for the CAF. Look! We’re spreading money around! No wonder why the PLA and ‘others’ are thumbing their noses at us thinking we can defend ourselves with our canoes. The only reason why they haven’t landed on our shores is because of our good neighbors to the south of us. However, They’re getting a little fed up that we aren’t carrying our weight and see us as a parasite within NATO.. I could not agree more. We can’t build submarines here, we just can’t. Not now anyways.. They are a different breed of machine. Off the shelf and / or technological transfer / partnership / hybrid agreement, call it what you will. They could build the hulls there (wherever that is..), and we finish them off here would be best, but not the entire boat. The Korean, Japanese and German variants seem to be making the short list. Nuclear? Not gonna happen.. No political will or leadership here for that, nor can the public stomach that option. Our military leadership has to stand up to the political masters and tell them that we just cannot do what is being tasked, not without significant investment. It is obvious that they, the political masters, have their fingers stuck in their ears.. 2%, eh? Acknowledging what’s happened in the past and it’s mistakes is important but focussing on the future is much more important. What’s done is done. While it’s easy to ‘armchair’ quarterback, chirping (like what we do in hockey 😁), isn’t going to solve all of this. Time to rebuild. Yes, visibility in the high schools would be a start. An organization is made up of people. No people, nothing moves..Ships, airplanes, vehicles are useless without the right people. They should have a National Guard component like what they have in the US so that people who want to transition to civilian life, can still keep a foothold in the military or vice versa if they so choose. I’ve seen some comments with regards to The ‘I’ team on the East coast. I don’t know a lot in this realm however, I’ve noticed a lot of ‘political drag’ and other things over the years when having to deal with this organization. The optics suggest less politicking and arm twisting with the taxpayers money is required. There are two other shipyards in this country. All in all, what I see is a serious lack of leadership here. It seemed when Singh and Anand were at the helm, there was hope.. Now, I’m not so sure. At least they got their act together on the P8 Poseidon.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oZrFiIF-p56bmsksi=BV5TnX3jy3qNqG8P A brutally excellent take on the current state of the RCAF ✈️ Yes I know.. that was long winded.. thanks for reading to the end 😎 D

[@Joe3pops]

Careerists would happily learn Klingon if N.D.H.Q. deemed it necessary for progression in the ranks.

[@alanparker4209]

Yes as a officer you get paid well as a enlisted personal you pay sucks

[@PotatoSalad614]

I hope the Royal Navy publishes a video like this

[@gardenvarietysquid1389]

Same situation?

[@PotatoSalad614]

its been cut from nearly 70 surface warships in 1990 to just 19 in 2023@@gardenvarietysquid1389

[@jamesscanlan2607]

One of the major issues is the fact that any English speaking person has no incentive to join as their is no chance for real advancement unless the are bilingual. The majority of Canadians are English speaking. Having worked for the federal government, and prevented from even applying for any senior position because I don't speak French. Is not only frustrating but career ending, even though you win awards for the work you do acting in that same job for over 18 months. Big problem that has to change or expect to have mostly immigrants and French from Quebec, that you won't be able to depend on when they called upon to fight.

[@thenorthernwill]

Not true! There are loads of senior positions and opportunities that don't require French. It's true that French will bolster your chances of obtaining certain high-level jobs, but it will be many years into your career before that's a requirement. Also, if you are competitive enough and show enough potential, the CAF cab put you on a 1 year French course, where you are paid to learn the language. Don't let a second language deter you. If you like the current messaging of the CAF, then it may be a good option for you.

[@dennisp.2147]

@@thenorthernwill Your reading comprehension is... poor and your comment is schizophrenic. First you say there are loads of senior positions that don't require French, and then you admit that it will be many years before it's a requirement. Only one of those things can be true. Read his comment again and try to understand what he says. Like his use of the past tense, "prevented from even applying".

[@barryj388]

@@thenorthernwill do tell where these "loads of senior positions and opportunities that don't require French" are within the Federal Public Service...or the military. If you're unilingual, especially if you're not a member of one of their four employment equity groups, don't waste your time with the federal government or the CAF. There's more equality of opportunity in the private sector.

[@thenorthernwill]

@barryj388 no sweat! So I can only speak to the CAF, as that is the world I live in, and know. I'm fairly certain there are public service opportunities outside the CAF which are monolinquistic in requorment. Internally, it is the case that until one reaches Chief Petty Officer 1st class (Chief Warrant Officer), typically 20 years of service to achieve, they can be English only, without any pressure. Once a NCO rechaes CPO1/CWO (the top rank for non-commissioned), they may be offered opportunities which could require a French profile. As officers in the CAF progress, the situation is relatively the same, up to Commander in the Navy, and LT Colonel in the Army/RCAF. I know for certain that the NCO claim is completely accurate, and am very confident that my appraisal of the Officer corps is as well, but I welcome anyone with other experiences to elaborate or provide other opinions.

[@barryj388]

​@@thenorthernwill Sounds like it's all right, as long as one is happy with NCO being their career ceiling. The majority of jobs in the PS are in the NCR and very, very few are unilingual. It is mostly lower level regional jobs that are unilingual. And now it's not just language barriers. They're adding DIE requirements into the mix. Each person will have to decide for themself whether they want to participate in that system.

[@ayomidebusari5881]

From the minute 2:37 till the end of this video, I was just crying😭😭😭 Can you pls tell us when the Royal Canadian Navy will create its aviation squadron/ branch…?? It can’t depend on the airforce for naval air sorties forever.

[@diegoalvarado1771]

Maybe pay your recruits better. and don't force them to go into credit card debt on base in Latvia...

[@graymalkin26]

Perhaps we should have spent the money we sent to Big Z on our own national defense.

[@roman618]

Can't say zelensky because of the fear of reprimand from the CoC?

[@briandopking35]

You can thank successive federal governments especially this one for the starving of the navy. I am embarrassed as a Canadian that this has happened.

[@joshrudolph3669]

im canadian and ive seen how vets are treated! fuk that ill fight when their knocking at my door!

[@abhijeetashtikar]

People are leaving (NCMs & Officers both) because of the 'affordability'. Esquimalt/Victoria BC is one of the the costliest places to live in Canada. Not that other base locations are cheapest. Today nowhere in Canada you can buy a decent house on one person's salary. Govt. & CAF top brass should see the reality on ground! 1) Offer free housing to ALL serving members 2) CAF members deserve better base pay & CAF needs to introduce overtime pay. A Police Officer earns more than the Capt./Lt(N)! In fact 2024 Basic Pay levels should be the 'in hand pay' after tax! So either 1) Increase the amount or 2) Waive off the income tax of CAF members! Can't we afford to spend atleast this much on making a soldier/sailor's lives easier? After all they are the ones who are guarding our borders & protecting our sovereignty! They deserve it more than anyone else!

[@brianhouston5368]

Our government is so apathetic and out of touch when it comes to the needs of the CAF, even in the current geopolitical environment, which seems to be getting worse every year. They have utterly failed in delivering on the security needs of Canada, Canadians, and our allies throughout the world. Our military and its people will NEVER be a priority under Trudeau's Liberals, no matter how much the CAF is hurting or how urgent the security matters are. Every year, the government invests less in the CAF, and yet gives it more and more to do, thereby shifting more responsibility, work and stress onto an ever-dwindling CAF population. A complete logical disconnect that ends up hurting the armed forces even more, because an understaffed CAF has to keep turning to the same people over and over for revolving deployments and taskings, which burns more people out. The result is less time at home, more divorces, and more cases of depression and suicide among those in uniform and their families. It is little wonder that there are so few Canadians willing to sign up for the lion's share of holding our Armed Forces together, when the wealthy political elite in Ottawa, living lives of comfort and luxury safely in our nation's capital, can't even be bothered to do their part and provide adequate funding. Our politicians have a duty to ensure the armed forces are strong and ready for any mission they are called upon to do. Both Liberal and Conservative governments have been failing this duty FOR DECADES. That's why we are where we are today, because rich, powerful politicians can't be bothered to do their jobs. A change in management is desperately needed. Hopefully one day we get a Prime Minister who actually understands what is going on in the world, cares about those in uniform beyond the optics of Remembrance Day, and invests in the CAF accordingly.

[@gardenvarietysquid1389]

Ever since funding to the CAF was cut after the Cold War, the military has been in a slow decline. There hasn't been a PM in decades who has cared enough.

[@doogleticker5183]

An old retired vet here with a bit of perspective: funding cuts started in the 1960s, and by the time the FIRST Trudeau was in power, the RCN was in crisis mode. In 15 years as PM, Pierre Trudeau overspent on federal lemons, creating an enormous national debt-with substantial interest payments and thus choking tax revenue from present use in order to pay interest. It took three decades to partially recover Canadian federal governmental financial purchasing power. Underfunding the military became the status quo during that long recovery. Then in 2015, Canadians (ignorant voters) chose another effin' Trudeau...for at least 10 years of overspending and too much immigration too quickly... Now, finances are worse than ever, and present and future taxpayers will have less personal and federal purchasing power. So much tax money will be needed to pay the interest on the debt. It will be impossible to rebuild the Canadian Armed Forces unless the Feds shut down a lot of programs in departments that Canadians are addicted to. The other option is to reduce the "value" of the debt through inflation, making the taxpayers pay the debt down by lowering the value of every dollar, which will cause them to get poorer. Still, after decades, the government might run a surplus and more rapidly increase federal purchasing power...dream about a nation without crippling debts and interest payments!! This is what happens by voting for irresponsible clowns, by Canadians who never were taught the basics of macroeconomics or even geopolitics, for that matter. These topics are essential for democracies' survival. They should be taught to all Canadians before they can vote, perhaps in grade 12. Let's cut the crap. There will never be 84 F-35s purchased for the RCAF, the CSC program will be cut short from 15 ships, and all other programs will be reduced further or cut. The existence of the RCAF, RCN, and the Army will likely be an area where future governments will look to find savings." Why not end the military?" will be discussed ad nauseam. In the best case, rebuilding the military will take decades of rational PMs (politicians!). Good luck with that. The next PM will have an impossible job and will not be able to do much in the immediate future. Canadians will never get quick results and will probably vote poorly again because they do not recognize that recovery will take decades of wise governance. To be blunt, our government is ideologically charged and primarily comprised of sheeple and led by idiots that suck up to elected officials. Diversity is not Canada's strength - it is background noise that has become divisive. National unity could be Canada's strength. For this to be realized, DEI quotas must be called out for what they are-illegal and damaging to the nation. We should focus on Canadian values: freedom of expression, freedom to speak openly, open government, informed democracy, respect, and equal treatment under fair laws. I believe a nationwide discussion should be started to ensure a non-majority-holding political party can never again rule in collaboration with another party for a full term against the wishes of the majority of Canadians. We need to discuss the flaws in our democracy and the manner in which elected officials are not held accountable to the law of the land. Finally, the Senate needs to be revised entirely to reflect democratic values.

[@YOURPACHA]

I guess the Navy doesn't have a band.

[@alanparker4209]

Give them better pay living conditions on shore for there families .there living accommodation are sub standard, give them civilian accreditation for the trades that they do so when they have had enough of the lack of goverment support that they have to put up with that they can get a decent job that will support there families .

[@thenorthernwill]

Our pay is excellent compared to the typical Canadian. Anyone who complains about pay doesn't appreciate what the rest of Canadians have to go though in life with average or below-average wages. The problem is the culture. I'll take a pay cut ot work for someone with whom I share ideals and traits, but no amount of money will make me forget who I am and what I belive in. Sadly I'm an outlier in this.

[@thenorthernwill]

@SrgntProtector All trades in the CAF with civilian equivalents need to be treated better, not necessarily through pay, but training equivalency. As in your example, I think it should be mandatory that an 18 year old can come to the navy, stay for 10 years, and then leave, if they so choose, with total equivalence to the civilian world. We also need to employ our tradespeople and rely less on civilian workers. So many of my buddies who are electricians, hull techs and stokers are dissatisfied with their job because so much work has to be done by civilian docklands or workers due to contract commitments. That shit needs to stop. And remember, this organization is supposed to be one where those who serve, do so for out of duty and responsibility to the country. It shouldn't be about the money, but sadly, the current culture doesn't promote or permit that anymore.

[@thenorthernwill]

@SrgntProtector I know. I live there. The money is good. The cost of living isn't. The DND needs to better the use of its property. Hundreds of acres of unused land that could have been turned into housing units would have been a good start. Unfortunately for us, Canadians don't prioritize the military during election season, so the budget to build homes just isn't there. Not that I could trust Ottawa to spend any new money on PMQ's anyways. I'd never recommend anyone to join the military, especially the navy, in its current state. And if you have a family already, absolutly not. And the point I was trying to make is that I don't want civilians to do the work. I want the CAF to create an environment where any kid off the street can come to the military, gain the education required go do the job,and then be provided with the time to hone their skill. We don't have that, which is likely a reason why the quality of work that you see isn't good. The guys just aren't getting the exposure they need.

[@al4xqc]

You should pay your sailors better wages so they can afford a rent and have re-enlistment and housing bonuses maybe you wouldn't have retention problems. The bureaucratic nightmare to process applications should also be your #1 priority. I'm happy to have served 6 years but the CAF has too many issues to keep their members from leaving to better life opportunities.

[@Holdfast1812]

For thirty years the Marine Engineers knew and spoke up about the destruction of the trade and were ignored by careerists and senior officers (and sometimes CPO1's) who refused to act and ignored those warnings. From MORPs to the two watch system this was hardly a secret as attack after attack came, reducing the training, reducing the billets, and ejecting the very good people who didn't want to become a Chief Engineer in an unremitting debacle of destruction in a trade that could often double their money by leaving the military. Time after time, obtuse comments came from Ottawa about the Navy being "the employer of choice" or the CMS insisting that "he didn't have a manning problem." The Navy worked assiduously to dig itself into this hole with the government helping all along by attacking the very people it needed to fill those positions in a fit of wokeness. Hence the old curse - "be careful what you wish for."

[@kannabis7999]

Halifax class are rusting out and offer little capability at this point ,the CSC will be great at asw but lacks the vls to be relevant at anything else,our current subs rarely work and no replacement for atleast 15 years ,if the government cant take funding and procurement seriously why should anyone take joining seriously.

[@Colinpark]

I will disagree with your assessment the CSC are going to be a substantial step up in capability from the Halifax's which were great at ASW back in the day. The CSC will be able to do ASW, AD and some shore bombardment, depend on missile mix.

[@kannabis7999]

@@Colinpark 24 mk41 vls is less than the bare minimum for a ship to be able to fight and defend itself ,the propulsion system is maxed out before steel is cut ,the current Halifax frigates are glorified OPVs at this point and the CSC will have to be protected by a USN destroyer just like the Halifax class . The current CSC design is guttless from the lack of mk 41 vls to the propulsion system being maxed out and in a world of increasingly heavily armed warships the CSC can't keep up with no power reserves for energy based weapons and a tiny missile count .

[@Colinpark]

The know that they want more than 24 VLS, but if they change the current design now, that means a significant delay. So the plan is to build the ships in flights and there are design options to replace the multi-mission bay with VLS tubes which will be considered. The reality is there is no other design that is going to be perfectly optimal for us and we benefit from having two other navies using basically the same ship design. The real problem is the Combat systems require far more technicians than we currently have to effectively fight the ship. @@kannabis7999

[@tclem14]

Hire former members on civilian contracts.

[@myhounddog]

Question ❓ How many New Canadians join? Would you offer role's for older Women Canadians?

[@alanparker4209]

To serve does not men give up everything for you country this is a career choose as with any there are certain things expected from both sides and not having anything but PTSD from serving is not acceptable start treating the men and women with respect and proper pay and ability to flourish in there chosen career

[@johnchristian664]

Sad

[@doscassette871]

The recruitment process is a slog. Stream line it and refocus culture on our nation and institutions traditions/heritage. It gives something for natives to preserve and newcomer to help build

[@razorburn645]

We can't even send a ship to the Red Sea....