PHOTOS: ADAM DAY

Left to right: General Rick Hillier; Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor; and Major-General Walter Natynczyk and Maj.-Gen. Andrew Leslie discuss Canadian Forces transformation at the Conference of Defence Associations seminar.

Once again, the Conference of Defence Associations’ annual meeting in Ottawa provided a forum for the Canadian defence world to come together, talk about their visions and share their plans for the future.

In theory at least, the seminar was organized around the topic of North Atlantic Treaty Organization transition and its impact on Canada. In practice the conversation ranged right across the spectrum, from Canada’s much-debated new combat role in Afghanistan to the details of the Canadian Forces’ efforts to transform. There was much talk of new capabilities–new command structures, new special forces units, a three-ocean navy, a revitalized air force, and also much talk of new equipment. From planes and helicopters to trucks, the CF has a long shopping list.

It was an impressive gathering, with dozens of government officials, ministers, former ministers and more general officers than you could comfortably count all crammed into a grand ballroom at the Chateau Laurier Feb. 23-24. They took turns giving speeches, sitting on panels and sharing information. From the confident vision of Canada’s chief of defence staff, General Rick Hillier, to the equally bold announcements by Canada’s new minister of national defence, it was clear there are some big changes in store for Canada’s military.

At last year’s CDA meeting, there was a feeling among many participants that the Canadian Forces were turning the corner, that for the first time in almost two decades the CF was going to begin receiving the required support.

One of the most notable moments was the first public address by National Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor. In addition to announcing key troop increases–regular forces and reserves will both gain an addition 10,000 members–O’Connor was also keen to introduce himself and share a little of his perspective on the CF.

“Those who know me know that I was a soldier for 32 years and that my father, uncles and brother all wore the uniform at one point or another,” said O’Connor, establishing his military credibility right off the bat. “Through my experiences, I learned all too well how our military men and women were being let down by successive governments. Lack of funding, personnel shortages, substandard equipment, poor housing…were all becoming the institutional reality for these men and women.”

From there, O’Connor went on to address one of the seminar’s most recurrent themes, the role of military and defence organizations in these changing times, specifically how the current threat environment–global terrorism–requires new solutions based on spreading stability: “It’s obvious to me that, since the end of the Cold War, there hasn’t been a direct conventional military threat to Canada. And, I think you’d all agree that, as far as we can see, there’s little chance of a global conflict between great powers. But it’s also clear that the world remains a very unpredictable and dangerous place.

“The priority of the Department of National Defence and of our armed forces must therefore be to defend Canada. In other words, protect Canadians here at home.

“Defending Canada means that the Canadian Forces must fulfil essential national responsibilities, such as the surveillance and protection of our territory and approaches.

“Beyond North America, Canada’s defence is also tied to stability in the rest of the world.

“Canada must squarely address threats to our sovereignty and security before they reach our shores. This is what generations of Canadian veterans did when they put on the uniform and went overseas to defend our interests, our values, and our way of life.”

Touching on another of the conference’s major themes, O’Connor spoke about Afghanistan and gave a rather blunt estimation of why Canada is there and why we should stay there: “We will stay the course because our mission in Afghanistan is important. It’s important for the future of Afghanistan. It’s important for the stability of the region. And it’s important for international security. But most of all, our mission to Afghanistan is in our national interest. On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacked North America and Canadians were killed. Let me be clear: when terrorists attack Canadians, Canada will defend itself. That’s why we’re in Afghanistan.”

General Rick Hillier continued to improve his impressive record of public speaking victories, amusing the crowd with his oft-noted charm while still getting across some strong, carefully worded messages. In addition to calling on Tim Hortons to set up shop in Kandahar (which was successful, as the company announced days later that it would indeed make the trip), Hillier also delivered a nuanced overview of the new combat mission in Afghanistan.

“We are in Afghanistan firstly because we as a country, we as Canadians refuse to accept terrorism and its indiscriminate violence as a way of making change. Equally important, however, is that we are in Afghanistan to help Afghans,” said Hillier. “We’re not there to build an empire. We’re not there to occupy a country. But we are there to help Afghan men, women and children rebuild their families–not an easy task after over two million of them were killed and over eight million were driven out of their country, out of a population of approximately 27 million. We’re there to help those families rebuild their communities to a level where perhaps the medical standards are improved enough so that two children out of five do not die before the age of five, where security means that not dying from a suicide bomber’s actions while shopping for food is possible, where schools are open and where students, both boys and girls, are being taught by teachers who do not fear being killed and decapitated for what they do, communities where women can play an equal part in the society.”

Hillier, perhaps sensing now would be a good time to make a case for some new big-ticket items, made it clear that of all the things the CF needs, new aircraft and more money are the most important.

“Without the replacement of the C-130 Hercules in the very near future we run a risk that that fleet will end up grounded and our ability to conduct operations significantly constrained or stopped internationally or domestically. In the triage of military life this is urgent.

“We need money. So you’re clear what our challenge is on the dollar side, we remain short about three-quarters of a billion dollars just to sustain the present Canadian Forces, everything from married quarters to spare parts to ammunition to running of simulators to gas or oil and to rations and to everything else necessary to march or fly or sail.

“The bow wave, as it is sometimes described, of things that we have not done, that we have put off, that we have pushed to the side but still remains, whether that’s maintenance of buildings or equipment fleets that have to be replaced or equipments that have to be upgraded is enormous and it is going to take us billions of dollars to dig out of that hole and I mean billions with a capital B.”

General Ray Hénault, former CDS and now NATO’s top military man, was also present at the seminar to report on NATO’s current situation. With 30,000 troops deployed under its command, spanning three continents, NATO, which Hénault called “the world’s most experienced peacemaking force,” has never been busier. Staying on the theme of Afghanistan, Hénault gave some strategic reasoning for why NATO has undertaken combat operations there.

“Since the fall of the wall, in order to guarantee our security at home we are required to go much further afield,” said Hénault. “There is now very little distinction between homeland defence and forward defence. While a passive-reactive force might have been appropriate during the Cold War era, it certainly isn’t now. The posture has changed from static defence to global outreach.”

And with the debate swirling across Canada about the nature of that ‘global outreach,’ special guest Omar Samad, Afghanistan’s ambassador to Canada, gave an interesting speech about his country and its enemies.

“We know very well that their dark and oppressive vision, where schools are torched and women are enslaved, where cultural heritage is destroyed and the country is turned into a terrorist training camp, is not representative of our people’s aspirations or of our culture and religion. Contrary to Islamic principles, theirs is a vision of violence, extremism and intolerance,” he said.

“Unfortunately…the diehards who continue to recruit, regroup, rearm and re-infiltrate our borders aim to undermine our efforts to bring lasting stability to the country. Their goal is to use time and a battle of nerves to tire us, to intimidate us, make us doubt our objectives, to sow dissention and turn it into a contentious political debate.

“In Afghanistan, this debate does not exist. Afghans agree that we need to secure the whole country, secure our borders to the extent possible, stabilize the situation to allow for economic growth, reconstruction and investment to improve the poverty-stricken condition of the people.”

Samad’s point seemed to resonate well with seminar attendees, as a major reason for transforming the CF and NATO is to help bring security and prosperity to places like Afghanistan. And with Stephen Harper’s promises of increased defence spending, a former military man as defence minister and the inimitable Hillier still at the helm, all signs point toward a very healthy Canadian Forces.