Prime Minister Mark Carney recently pledged Canada's commitment to a two-state solution in the Middle East, including deploying Canadian troops to enforce peace. However, Canada's military is already stretched thin with understrength forces and limited resources, raising concerns over the feasibility of deploying troops to both Ukraine and Gaza.
ON TARGET: Canadian Armed Forces: You Can't Handle the Truth
Canada’s military faces a readiness crisis, with nearly half its equipment unserviceable and critical shortages in personnel and spare parts. Major-General Robert Ritchie admitted the Army lacks vehicles to train at home, forcing pre-deployment exercises for NATO in Latvia. Leadership continues to downplay issues, despite growing operational risks.
ON TARGET: CAF: Coming up a Buck Short and a Day Late
Canada’s defence spending has long lagged behind NATO’s 2% GDP target. PM Mark Carney pledged to meet it this year through new funding and restructuring, including moving the Coast Guard under National Defence. But with NATO raising its benchmark to 5% by 2035, Canada faces tough capability and procurement choices.
ON TARGET: Canadian Armed Forces: Putting Lipstick on a Pig
China staged its largest-ever military parade in Tiananmen Square, showcasing modern weapons and hosting leaders like Putin and Kim Jong-Un. While spectacles project power, history shows parades don’t equal combat effectiveness. Canada’s own NATO forces in Latvia also suffer from readiness issues, raising concerns about true military capability behind the showmanship.
ON TARGET: Prime Minister Carney: Writing Cheques the CAF Can't Cash: Security Guarantees for Ukraine
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s European tour raised concerns after hinting Canadian troops could join a post-ceasefire deterrence force in Ukraine. With Canada’s army already overstretched in Latvia, aging equipment, and readiness issues, experts warn deploying to Ukraine without major re-equipping and mobilization risks leaving Canadian soldiers dangerously underprepared.
ON TARGET: CANADIAN ARMED FORCES: Yet Another Black Eye in the Media
The Canadian Armed Forces face another scandal after five soldiers were suspended for giving Nazi salutes in a 2023 video. This follows recent extremist and misconduct cases, further eroding public trust. Army Commander Lt-Gen Wright called the behavior “deeply disturbing” and stressed hateful conduct has no place in the military.
ON TARGET: CANADIAN ARMED FORCES: Make National Service Mandatory to Boost the ranks
A recent Angus Reid poll shows strong Canadian support for mandatory national service in civilian roles—health, environment, youth, and civil protection—at over 70%. Military service, however, drew only 43% support. Advocates argue a structured national service program could benefit society while boosting Canadian Armed Forces recruitment through optional incentives.
ON TARGET: Elbows Up: Time to rethink Canada's F-35 Purchase
In March, PM Mark Carney, facing Trump’s tariffs and threats, vowed to boost defence spending, end reliance on US arms, and review Canada’s F-35 purchase. Despite alternatives like Sweden’s Gripen, RCAF bias toward F-35s persists since 2004. A final report is due this summer, but change seems unlikely.
ON TARGET: Canadian Armed Forces: Scandalous Accountability
A private Facebook group tied to the Cameron Highlanders erupted into scandal after hateful and inappropriate posts surfaced. Despite early inaction by Military Police, a media exposé reignited the case. Two officers were relieved. Meanwhile, a senior officer convicted for firing at ducks kept his job. Accountability remains inconsistent.
ON TARGET: Serving CAF Soldiers Arrested on 'Terrorism' Charges
Four men with ties to the Canadian Armed Forces were arrested by the RCMP for allegedly planning to form an anti-government militia. Charged with terrorism and weapons offences, they had stockpiled explosives, firearms, and trained in military tactics. The case raises serious concerns about extremism within military ranks.
ON TARGET: Pomp & Ceremony: Is it Time to Let Go of Historical Traditions?
Canadian soldiers from Lord Strathcona's Horse performed the King's Mounted Guard in London from July 11–21, a rare honour marking their 125th anniversary. While visually striking, the author argues such ceremonial duties misuse military resources amid personnel shortages, suggesting civilian re-enactors could fulfill these roles instead of trained combat soldiers.
ON TARGET: Exposing the 'Blue Hackle Mafia'...LITERALLY!
The “Blue Hackle Mafia” scandal exposed a private Facebook group of roughly 200 Canadian soldiers, mostly from the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, sharing explicit images and hateful content. Despite early internal warnings, leadership delayed action. The military’s attempt at media damage control backfired, revealing deeper institutional accountability concerns.
ON TARGET: CAF: Is it time to Re-introduce Conscripted Service in the Military?
Despite a major defence budget boost under PM Mark Carney—from $43B to $62.7B this year and a projected $150B by 2035—the Canadian Armed Forces remain in crisis. Readiness levels are near historic lows, and full operational recovery is now delayed until 2032 due to personnel shortages, training delays, and structural challenges.
ON TARGET: Canada's Defence Budget to Triple: 5% of GDP by 2035
At the NATO summit, PM Mark Carney pledged to raise Canada’s defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2026 and eventually 5% by 2035. While $9B is new funding, most is reallocated. A broader definition of defence could support mining projects like Yukon’s Mactung tungsten deposit to reduce reliance on China.
ON TARGET: Canada Needs to Buy European Defence Hardware: Not U.S.
On June 9, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to raise defence spending to 2% of GDP by 2025–26, increasing the budget from $40B to $62.7B through new funds and budget reshuffling. Carney also announced CAF pay raises, new hires, a Coast Guard realignment, and a review of F-35 fighter jet purchases.
ON TARGET: PM Carney's 2% of GDP on Defence Spending Plan
On June 9, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada will immediately meet NATO's 2% defence spending target—$62.7 billion annually—boosting DND's budget by $9.3 billion. However, shortages in trained personnel, broken equipment, and housing delays hinder readiness. Meanwhile, NATO eyes a 5% target by 2035, raising future spending expectations significantly.
ON TARGET: Liberal Party To Boost Defence 'IMMEDIATELY'...or 'Very Soon'...or?
At CANSEC 2025, new Defence Minister David McGuinty pledged swift action to rebuild Canada’s military in partnership with industry. His use of “immediate” sparked optimism, though no concrete steps followed. Days later at NATO, he softened his stance, reflecting skepticism about Canada’s ability to meet rising defence spending targets.
ON TARGET: Quebec Port Call Highlights RCN’s Missed Opportunity
From May 19–23, Quebec City hosted two French warships, including the powerful Mistral helicopter carrier. Canada once had the chance to acquire similar vessels at a bargain price, but political and budgetary hesitations led to missed opportunities. Egypt ultimately purchased them, and Canada continues to lack such versatile naval assets.
ON TARGET: Canada Out of Step on Military Parades
Photo: LS Erica Seymour, 4 Wing Imaging
By Scott Taylor
It would seem that US president Donald Trump is pushing ahead with plans to stage a massive military parade on June 14.
That date will mark the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the Continental Army. This military force was established to fight for liberty from British rule and once independence was achieved the Continental Army has evolved into the modern American Armed Forces.
Putting that historical milestone aside, June 14 will also mark Trump's 79th birthday.
According to Pentagon planners, Trump's vision for a military spectacle will involve some 6,600 troops, and over 150 combat vehicles. The logistics for this parade are challenging. The soldiers will be deployed from all over the United States to Washington DC.
There are makeshift plans to house these troops temporarily in government buildings within the capital region. Much of the firepower, vehicles and weaponry on parade will be a demonstration of modern battlefield capability.
However, there is also a Pentagon plan to have soldiers in various period uniforms marching to represent past wars in which American soldiers were victorious. Which I'm guessing will exclude Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Another challenge for the organizers is that of the weight of the larger combat vehicles. Nothing instils awe in onlookers like the rumbling, ground shaking roll-past of a 70 ton Abrams main battle tank. However that sort of heavy traffic plays havoc with urban road surfaces.
This is not a hypothetical as that is exactly what happened when the US Army did just that when they staged a Victory Parade in Washington DC in 1991. That spectacle was to celebrate the liberation of Kuwait from Iraq's Saddam Hussein, otherwise referred to as Operation Desert Storm. Thus the cost of this upcoming parade has to factor in the aftermath repair costs as well. Not including soldiers' salaries and training interruptions, Trump's pending tribute is estimated to cost between $45 million to $91 million. Which, of course, Trump says is "a good investment".
Here is where Trump and I disagree, and I think that his plan might actually backfire. Like the Canadian military, the US Armed Forces have a weight problem. Statistically 40-50 per cent of the US military is overweight with 20 per cent being considered obese. That is a reality.
Sure, parade planners could cherry pick the best candidates but you are still going to fall short of the mark. Real authoritarian dictatorships know how to parade martial prowess. On May 9, Vladimir Putin paraded nearly 10,000 troops and 150 combat vehicles on Red Square honouring the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2. Both China and North Korea sent detachments to march in this parade.
For those who have never seen either a North Korean or Chinese mass military parade I would advise you to check it out. The North Koreans employ a weird bone-shaking goose-step that looks like it would jar hips loose. The Chinese for their part have perfected martial uniformity on a scale that seems unfathomable.
What I I fear is that Trump's planned spectacle will look like amateur hour compared to what Russia, China and North Korea routinely stage for their masses. Trump is virtually handing international viewers a direct apple-to-apple comparison; US Military fitness, drill and deportment against the super well-rehearsed Russian, Chinese and North Korean showboats.
This is not to say that Canada could even hold a candle to what the US are about to stage. We last mounted a little Victory Parade in Ottawa in November 2011.
If few remember that 'spectacle' it is because it involved merely 300 marching troops and a flypast of a handful of aircraft.
The occasion was the recently concluded NATO-led coalition's victory over Libya. The parade cost taxpayers over $850,000 and for the record Canada was the only member state of the 19 nation coalition to stage such a victory lap.
I'm guessing the others realized that their powerful alliance having taken over 200 days to overthrow the leader of Libya was really not such a crowning martial achievement. That NATO left Libya plunged into a violent anarchy which remains in effect to this day, makes Canada's Victory Parade in 2011 all the more ironic.
The last major CAF ceremonial display in Ottawa was the July 2, 2008 Chief of Defence Staff, Change of Command. It was organized by outgoing CDS General Rick Hillier who paraded nearly 1,000 troops from all three service branches, plus the Ceremonial Guard band. To cap off his illustrious career, General Hillier climbed into a Leopard main battle tank and rode off the parade square.
I honestly do not believe that the CAF could mount a spectacle of that magnitude in 2025. Sad but true.
ON TARGET: NDHQ: Gone to the Birds!
By Scott Taylor
The headline in the May 1 edition of the Ottawa Citizen was admittedly quite alarming.
It read "DND warns of Spring geese takeover of Carling Campus". This facility is of course the site of the Canadian Armed Forces National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa and therefore vital to the security of our nation.
For those of us of a certain age, the term 'Wild Geese' conjures up memories of the 1978 Hollywood blockbuster war-flick of the same name. That movie was based on the real life exploits of British mercenary commander Michael 'Mad Mike' Hoare and his infamous 5 Commando. These elite mercenaries flew wild goose flags and sported shoulder flashes of the same image. Hoare's 'Wild Geese' mercenaries were also the scourge of post -colonial Africa.
However, far from being a copycat combat organization threatening Canada's defence headquarters, it turns out this current threat is from actual Canada geese, of the fowl variety.
Residents of our nation's capital are all too aware of how threatening these geese can be during the spring mating season after they have laid their eggs. It turns out that the military's Carling Campus is smack dab in the centre of Ottawa's Green Belt, which just happens to be a prime nesting area for these particular Canada geese.
The presence of aggressive birds on Carling Campus resulted in the staff at Canadian Forces Support Group issuing a directive to personnel on how to react in the case of a hostile goose encounter. Service members are advised to “remain calm and do not panic. Try to move away slowly and quietly without turning your back to the goose. Maintain eye contact while you back away.”
The directive further stated, “If the goose charges or hisses, raise your arms to appear larger and back away slowly".
The quantity of these wild geese aggressors is unknown, as DND told the Ottawa Citizen that the CAF does not track the number of geese at NDHQ Carling.
There is also no plans for a counter offensive as Canada geese are a protected species that cannot be relocated after they have nested.
It may seem slightly humbling that Canada's military cannot secure its own NDHQ from a flock of angry birds, however this scenario pales in comparison to the embarrassment suffered by the Australian Armed Forces against an even larger feathered foe. I'm referring of course to the Great Emu War of 1932.
For those not familiar with this chapter in Commonwealth history, allow me to recap. Following World War 1, the Australian government had allocated farm plots to veterans if they resettled in Western Australia. The soil was not that fertile and in the midst of the Great Depression wheat prices had been driven down.
As these former soldiers turned farmers began their harvest in October 1932, they faced a new threat from a massive flock of some 20,000 Emus. These flightless birds stand up to two metres high and weigh around 40 kilos. Naturally these migratory Emus found the farm fresh wheat fields to their liking.
The stricken farmers called for the military to assist them. Sir George Pearce, the Defence Minister of the day agreed. Post-haste a Major Gwynydd Meredith and two sergeants off the 7th Heavy Artillery Regiment were dispatched to Western Australia armed with two Lewis machine guns and 10,000 rounds of ammunition.
What the Australian military thought would be a simple cull, or a 'turkey-shoot', proved to be misguided. It turns out that while flightless, Emus are actually extremely flight of foot.
Once the Lewis guns opened up on them they streaked off in all directions at around 40 kilometres an hour. Major Meredith tried to rectify this by mounting the Lewis guns on a truck to chase the birds. However the primitive automotive suspension of the day precluded a cross-country truck speed which could actually catch the Emus.
After six days of combat, Field Force Meredith had expended all their ammunition with only several hundred Emus claimed as KIA. Back in parliament Sir Pearce was asked if a special medal would be struck for these vaunted warriors of the Emu War.
This caused an opposition member to quip that it was the Emus who deserved the medal as they had in fact won the war. In the end the Emu scourge was countered with the provision to local farmers of 500,000 rounds of ammunition and a paid bounty on each verified Emu kill.
Given that Canada geese migration and mating is an annual occurrence, perhaps our military planners could avoid a repeat of this year's dilemma by having service dogs on the campus ground to prevent the geese from making nests during that brief spring period.
Or we could deploy an artillery Major and two sergeants armed with machine guns. Just spit balling.