Calgary – Canadian top military is ready to increase military expenses, including a increment for military personnel when uncertainty is high on the world platform.
NATO leaders – including Canada – have approved a plan to increase defense spending in Western alliance up to five percent of the GDP in the Western alliance in the next decade.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said that five percent of GDP will be 3.5 percent for military expenses and 1.5 percent-Agale for Defense-related infrastructure in 10 years.
In an interview with Canadian Press Saturday, Defense Staff Chief General Jenny Kariganon said that work is underway to find out how to distribute about 20 percent of the salary hike promised by Defense Minister David McGinti.
“This is an envelope that will be favorable for what we want. Some of these will increase the salary, some of it will be for the benefit of specific trades or specific tasks,” Karignan said.
“Yes, this year one will increase. Yes it is the purpose so we want everything to be ready for the fall and winter time.”
Kariganon said that the amount of increment will depend on the rank of a soldier and allowance will be allocated to specific trades where CAF requires more people.
“Recruitment and training is a priority for example. We want to ensure that we encourage the trainers in our schools so that they are going to be additional benefits as an example,” he said.
Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCan said that additional salary and profit would be a morale booster for military personnel.
McCan said, “We are currently in a great place where a lot of attention has been paid to defense. It is outstanding for soldiers because that is why we joined. We want to serve. We want to be a part of Canada’s defense,” McCain said.
“We want the equipment to train the equipment, so whatever is coming is really positive and we have 107 trades that are highly competitive with the civil industry, so take people in, train them, to train, pressurize the soldiers already there.”
Karigan said that it has been a good year for recruitment with CAF to cross its objective for the first time in 10 years. He said that less people are also leaving service. About 18 percent of new recruitment women are women.
“A very good retention rate and many more people mean that we are growing in CAF at this time and are very positive.”
Karigan said there are plans to promote the number of military personnel.
“We are regularly focusing on returning to the Canadian armed forces members and reserved forces to return to their full complement, so it is 30,000 reserves we are targeting and for 71,500 regular forces,” she said.
“We have additional positions that are approved and like -as time passes and we are close to our roof, we will add additional forces.”
Kariganon said that additional funding will help keep Canada safe.
“Our geography does not protect us and is also used. We really need to invest more to use our sovereignty in Canada and of course it means Arctic,” he said.
“It is contesting more elections, more traffic, more people interested in this field, so we must definitely invest more in Arctic to ensure that our sovereignty is respected.”
Carignan wants to see more radar locations and to be able to scramble jets or ships if necessary.
“We must have a sensor – once you saw that you have the ability to do intercept or actually act,” he said.
“These are all building blocks that go to provide defensive currency in our Arctic.”
This report of Canadian Press was first published on 6 July 2025,
Bill Graveland, Canadian Press
