Operations

Description

Detect, deter and defend against threats to or attacks on Canada. Assist civil authorities and law enforcement, including counter-terrorism, in support of national security, domestic disasters or major emergencies, and conduct search and rescue (SAR) operations.

Detect, deter and defend against threats to or attacks on North America in partnership with the United States, including through North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD).

Lead and/or contribute forces to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and coalition efforts to deter and defeat adversaries, including terrorists, to support global stability. Lead and/or contribute to international peace operations and stabilization missions with the United Nations, NATO and other multilateral partners. Engage in capacity building to support the security of other nations and their ability to contribute to security and the security of Canadians abroad. Assist civil authorities and non-governmental partners in responding to international and domestic disasters or major emergencies.

Planning highlights

To achieve Canada's defence objectives, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) must be able to undertake its eight core missions, as set out in Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada's Defence Policy (SSE), to ensure that Canada remains Strong at home, Secure in North America and Engaged in the world.

The Defence Team will identify clear objectives and performance metrics in order to inform operational assessments that will allow the CAF to measure success and identify and rectify shortcomings as required in a timely manner. We will collaborate with our Five Eyes allies (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States). NATO Partners, and key regional allies to foster regional coherence, which is critical to strategic unity. In addition to increased efforts to synchronize and optimize our efforts on a regional scale, the attention paid to ongoing and emerging missions will remain steadfast.

We will improve situational awareness, the means to acquire it, and position ourselves to face constantly evolving threats and crises. We will develop and expand our intelligence networks abroad to ensure rapid and timely exchanges of information and intelligence with our forces and our allies and partners. Further, we will continue to develop Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance through the newly established CAF Joint Operations Fusion Lab. The Lab, located at the Canadian Joint Warfare Centre, is a venue for experimentation and evaluation focusing on Command and Control, Targeting, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance data and networks and emerging concepts. It also serves as an innovation test bed for new ideas and technology.

The Joint Information Operations Force Employment Concept, pending approval, will define the CAF's functional approach to compete with, contest, confront, and, when necessary, combat our nation's adversaries in the information domain. Canada and its allies face increasingly dangerous competition from malign and hostile rival powers. Governed by autocratic leaders, these powers aspire to redefine the existing international rules-based order and undermine core Canadian and allied interests, specifically our security, prosperity, democratic institutions and political independence. The Joint Information Operations Force Employment Concept outlines a shift in mindset as to how the CAF conducts Joint Information Operations at the operational-level in support of strategic direction. It provides the foundation for developing relevant doctrine and assists with Force Development, Force Generation, and Force Management of the future Joint Information Operations function and related capabilities within the CAF. It illustrates current thinking that underpins the present approach to operational Information Operations and establishes a concept for Joint Information Operations in the CAF. There is an opportunity to grow the organization's Information Operations capability in order to effectively act in Canada's best interest within the contested information environment.

The CAF will continue participating in the Evolution of North American Defence (EvoNAD) Study to analyze current and emerging threats, plans and initiatives in order to identify, develop and recommend modifications and investments to close the capability gaps across the air, maritime, cyber, space, information and land domains.

We will expand pan-domain awareness in the Arctic in support of continental defence and NORAD missions through innovative options for Northern Approaches Surveillance. This includes, but is not limited to, the modernization of the North Warning System and carrying out the All Domain Situational Awareness Executive Group mandate.

Developing the defence and security capabilities of partner forces serves to increase regional stability, lessens the likelihood of future crisis interventions by the international community, and promotes interoperability among our partner forces, positioning them to share the burden for international security, while providing commanders the option to achieve effects with reduced resource commitments. As capacity building of partner forces becomes an increasingly viable option to enhance the security of partners and the stability of regions, the Department of National Defence (DND)/CAF must evolve to ensure that it can conduct capacity building in a meaningful, flexible and timely manner so as to meet the evolving needs of partner forces. This is a focus for FY 2021-22.

To meet increasing demands and deal with the complexity of the global security environment and the expanding scope of support required for possible new Joint Operating Areas, the department will conduct regular Regional Operational Outlook conferences with our partners to better understand emerging threats and crisis, as well as to foster regional coherence and effectiveness.

The CAF will assume an assertive posture in the cyberspace domain. We will develop an effective and capable cyber force that will establish and seek to preserve our freedom to manoeuvre within cyberspace and provide the Government of Canada with flexible cyber response options.

DND/CAF will collaborate with Shared Services Canada and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security to maintain cyber superiority by strengthening their partnership.

DND/CAF and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) will continue the unified development of active cyber operations capabilities on behalf of the Government of Canada. Under a unified leadership and management structure, highly skilled cyber operators will work together to assume a more assertive posture in the cyber domain by conducting and supporting joint cyber operations.

The department is developing a refined Cyber Event Management process that streamlines response coordination internally and with other agencies. In addition, Defence is developing Cyber Protection Conditions that link threat identification with defensive measures.

The department is continuing to develop capabilities, capacity and expertise in order to support deployed operations in a contested cyber environment.

The CAF is striving to modernize and strengthen its capability to connect and communicate with allies via its classified network.

Planned Costs for Major Canadian Armed Forces Operations and information on current CAF operations and exercises are available on the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' website.

Gender-based analysis plus (GBA+)

The CAF has several organizations with full-time gender advisors to ensure that a GBA+ is applied in the planning and preparation of all our operations. The Defence Team applies gender perspectives to inform the conduct of our operations. Every named operation in the CAF employs either a full-time gender advisor, or a part-time gender focal point to help commanders and staff conduct GBA+ within their operating environment to inform decision-making. Integrating gender perspectives into the planning and conduct of operations provides a strategic advantage that supports mission success.

Experimentation

In FY 2021-22, DND/CAF will continue experimentation to improve operations, including through two key initiatives: Multi Domain Command and Control Concept Development and Experimentation and Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXperiment. Multi Domain Command and Control Concept Development and Experimentation will develop innovative solutions to help evolve CAF planning and Command and Control (C2) for the conduct of Multi Domain Campaigning. In support of this, Coalition Warrior Interoperability eXperiment will explore methods of improving information-sharing capabilities and C2 functions between NATO, allies and select non-NATO entities. This will assist with the development of concepts, organizational designs, and doctrine for assigned joint challenges.

Additional defence-related experimentation activities are outlined in this report under Core Responsibility 4 – Future Force Design.

Back to top

Key Corporate Risk(s)

There are many risks associated with the Operations Core Responsibility. Two of the Key Corporate Risks directly associated with Operations are articulated below:

Physical Environment – There is a risk that changes to the physical environment of Canada and the world, including changes due to climate change, will impact the type, frequency and conduct of DND/CAF activities.

Cyber Intrusion – There is a risk of serious harm (e.g. loss of sensitive data, disruption to the network, physical electronic damage, loss of confidence in institution/reputation, etc.) resulting from a cyber intrusion.

The risks above can affect the department's ability to achieve the Departmental Results of the Operations Core Responsibility.

As the Defence Departmental Results Framework reflects a chain of delivery from conceiving of the required armed forces, to developing them and then executing operations, the activities to mitigate the risks to Operations can also be found in other Core Responsibilities, which deliver building blocks that enable the results of Operations.

Departmental Result 1.1 – Canadians are protected against threats to and attacks on Canada

Information from several domains is used to maintain continuous watch over land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains. The CAF will build on Joint Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR) capabilities to improve our detection activities, along with other national initiatives, to detect threats to Canada. With better detection abilities, any threats to Canadians and Canadian interests could then be deterred and degraded through a whole-of-government approach. Specific contingency plans to address threats to Canada include NORAD, Operation LIMPID, Operation LASER, Operation LENTUS, and the Standing Operations Order for Domestic Operations. Further, DND/CAF will protect Canadians from threats by:

• Responding to Requests for Assistance, as directed by the Government of Canada, for a range of domestic emergencies by providing military support;
• Responding to medical evacuations and other humanitarian emergencies as directed by the Government of Canada;
• Responding to Requests for Assistance on an as-needed basis and only at the request of the provincial authority through the Minister of Public Safety. Of note, the CAF remains the force of last resort to respond to these emergencies by:
  • Responding to the impact of a worldwide pandemic situation (Operation LASER) and providing support for civilian authorities to ensure the transportation, delivery and administration of COVID-19 vaccines to Canadians (Operation VECTOR); and
  • Responding to provincial requests for disaster response assistance (Operation LENTUS).
• Conducting Operation LIMPID by detecting threats to Canada through awareness of air, maritime, land, space, and cyber domains;
• Strengthening our collaboration with and support to other government departments and agencies in order to maintain a cooperative National Security community by increasing and improving communication and coordination efforts, primarily through personnel exchanges and continuous communication;
• Conducting operational-level engagement with other government departments and agencies in order to enhance interoperability and mutual support as outlined in the Federal Emergency Response Plan and in support of CAF operations. Liaison officers are co-located at the Government Operating Centre and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). This inter-agency collaboration will grow in importance as we face emerging threats across multiple domains. In particular, during FY 2021‑22, DND/CAF will cooperate with Public Safety Canada as the lead department, and other involved government departments and agencies, in the National Priority Exercise. This exercise is designed to be a practice run of the whole-of-government response to a major disaster. The objective of the exercise is to align and coordinate selected training events from across the Consequence Management community in pursuit of whole-of-government readiness;
• Working with other authorities and agencies in support of Law Enforcement and National Security. Ongoing operations include support for the RCMP and other counter-drug operations and support for Parks Canada for avalanche control (Operation PALACI). In addition, during FY 2021-22, we will collaborate with the RCMP, NAVCANADA and Transport Canada in the development of Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems, policy and procedures; and
• The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command will remain positioned to identify, confront and defeat threats to Canadians and Canadian interests at home and abroad through its ability to integrate domestic and expeditionary special operations forces effects within the inter-agency domain and through strengthened collaboration with whole-of government partners.

To support CAF operations, the department is continuing to develop capabilities, capacity and expertise to conduct active cyber operations in response to threats and attacks.

Defence will assume an assertive posture in the cyber domain to ensure our ability to defend, as well as improve the capability to conduct active cyber operations against potential adversaries in the context of government-authorized military missions. We will continue to work with Government of Canada colleagues assigned to provide cyber security across the government, so as to ensure that our combined cyber capabilities are aligned. It is essential for our cyber equities to be fully protected and able to be effectively defended.

The department is increasing its ability to defend DND networks through the strengthening of relationships with key Government of Canada stakeholders such as the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

When national interests and security are threatened online, CSE and DND/CAF are prepared to defend Canada and Canadians. CSE and DND/CAF are working together to assume a more assertive posture in the cyber domain by conducting and supporting joint cyber operations against adversaries who wish to threaten Canada's international affairs, defence, or security, and supporting CAF military objectives. For its part, DND/CAF is authorized, under the Crown Prerogative and the National Defence Act to conduct active cyber operations in the context of government-authorized military missions, which are subject to all applicable domestic law, international law, rules of engagement, formal targeting processes, and collateral damage assessments.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2017–18 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results	2019–20 Actual results
1.1 Canadians are protected against threats to and attacks on Canada	% of requests for assistance that are fulfilled	100%	31 March 2022	Not Available New indicator as of 2018-19	100%	100%
	% of force elements that are deployed within established timelines	100%	31 March 2022	Not Available New indicator as of 2018-19	100%	100%
	% of operations that meet stated objectives	100%	31 March 2022	100%	92%	98%
	Extent to which the Canadian Armed Forces is effective in domestic operations	The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of domestic operations	31 March 2022	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	This is a qualitative indicator*

Notes:

* This is a qualitative indicator and results are articulated as successes and challenges throughout Departmental Result 1.1 of the 2019-20 Departmental Results Report. Result statements can be found in the GC InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 1.2 – People in distress receive effective search and rescue response

In Canada, SAR is a shared responsibility. Many partners are involved because of the country’s immense size, range of terrain and weather. The list of partners is made up of government, military, volunteer and industry groups. They all work together to provide SAR services across the nation. This is known as the National Search and Rescue Program.

The CAF remain focused on our primary responsibilities of providing aeronautical SAR and coordinating the aeronautical and maritime SAR system. CAF SAR crews are on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Searches for missing persons, including SAR are a provincial and territorial responsibility, often delegated to the police service with jurisdiction. The provincial, territorial or municipal authority have the responsibility to request CAF assistance when required. The CAF, which includes Canadian Rangers and Primary Reserve members, will assist in ground SAR efforts when authorized.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2017–18 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results	2019–20 Actual results
1.2 People in distress receive effective search and rescue response	% of coordinated maritime, aeronautical and joint response to search and rescue incidents deemed effective	100%	31 March 2022	100%	100%	100%
	% of requests for Canadian Armed Forces aeronautical search and rescue assistance that are fulfilled	100%	31 March 2022	Not Available New indicator as of 2018-19	100%	100%
	% of Canadian Armed Forces aeronautical search and rescue operations that meet established standards	100%	31 March 2022	Not Available New indicator as of 2018-19	95.2%	85%

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Back to top

Departmental Result 1.3 – Canada’s Arctic sovereignty is preserved and safeguarded

The CAF conducts training and maintains a year-round presence in Canada’s North. The CAF conducts operations to improve mobility, reach and footprint and enhance surveillance capabilities in Canada’s North, thus demonstrating the ability to project and sustain land, maritime and air forces in the region. In support of this, the activities conducted as part of the Arctic Campaign Plan will strengthen domain awareness, enhance Canadian presence and ensure the defence, security and safety of Canada’s Arctic and Northern regions. In FY 2021-22, the CAF plans include:

• Improving mobility and enhancing surveillance capabilities in Canada’s North. Joint Arctic Experiments are planned for joint intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (JISR), Satellites, Underwater Sensors, Underwater Autonomous Vehicles, Shelter Systems, Autonomous Surface Vehicles and Human Factors and Cold Weather Injuries;
• Operation NANOOK, which will continue through FY 2021-22, although it may be reduced in scale in order to minimize the risk of exposing vulnerable Northern communities to COVID-19. While this is strategically a demonstration of ability and resolve, tactically it is a training opportunity for all those involved. Operation NANOOK activities for FY 2021-22 will include:
• • Conducting an inter-agency exercise in Nunavut and the eastern entrance to the Northwest Passage in response to a simulated major maritime incident;
  • Conducting a multinational maritime live exercise safety and security activity;
  • Exercising domain presence, surveillance and awareness over Canada’s northernmost regions supported by Canadian Rangers; and
  • Projecting and sustaining forces in a high Arctic environment in a combined-joint security context.
• Advancing interoperability, situational awareness and information-sharing initiatives through collaboration with NORAD and the United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), NATO engagements, the Arctic Security Forces Roundtable, the Arctic Security Working Group and the Arctic Capabilities Advisory Working Group;
• Improving surveillance and control in the Arctic. We will expand pan-domain awareness in the Arctic in support of continental defence and NORAD missions through innovative options for Northern Approaches Surveillance. This includes, but is not limited to, the renewal of the North Warning System and delivering on the All Domain Situational Awareness Executive Group mandate to deliver on advance means of ensuring Canadian awareness of the Arctic and maritime approaches to Canada. DND/CAF will continue to collaborate with the United States to develop new technologies and capabilities that will provide surveillance and detection capabilities against pan-domain threats at a range that allows decision-makers to operate at the speed of relevance;
• We will remain an effective capability-building partner by helping other government departments and agencies, as well as territorial and Indigenous governments, to fulfill their mandates when authorized. We continue to increase our familiarity with and situational awareness of Arctic activities and carry out successful CAF operations in harsh operating environments, including through Operation LIMPID;
• Efforts will be made to consult and work with Northern Indigenous communities when opportunities for contracting, procurement or socio-economic support exist; and
• The CAF Arctic Training Centre in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, is a primary hub for the CAF and federal and territorial whole-of-government elements in the High Arctic region because it is strategically located to optimally provide support for land and air forces working in the Joint Task Force North Area of Operations. In addition to provide support for our governmental partners who operate in the region and support for training, such as the delivery of courses for CAF SAR and CAF Survival Aircrew Training, the Centre will focus on providing support for the delivery of Arctic operations, including during Operation NANOOK.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2017–18 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results	2019–20 Actual results
1.3 Canada’s Arctic sovereignty is preserved and safeguarded	% of Arctic operations and exercises that meet stated objectives	100%	31 March 2022	100%	100%	100%

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Departmental Result 1.4 – North America is defended against threats and attacks

To ensure that North America is defended against threats and attacks, the CAF will position itself to employ conventional and special operations capabilities and collaborate with allies, regional partners and other Canadian government departments and agencies to deter, detect, confront and defeat pan-regional threats from nation states and violent extremist organizations. The CAF will:

• Execute maritime warning, aerospace warning, and aerospace control missions in accordance with the NORAD Agreement. Maritime and aerospace warning missions involve the monitoring of aerospace and maritime activity from a continental perspective, while maintaining awareness, when authorized, in the land, space, cyber and information domains in order to detect and characterize threats against Canada or the United States;
• Monitor global aerospace activities and maintain situational awareness in the air and space domains; and 
• Contribute to Operation CARIBBE: Fight illicit trafficking by transnational organized crime in the Caribbean Basin, the Eastern Pacific Ocean and the coastal waters of Central America by working with partners in the multinational campaign (Enhanced Counternarcotics Operations).

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2017–18 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results
1.4 North America is defended against threats and attacks	% of continental operations that meet stated objectives	100%	31 March 2022	100%	100%	100%
	% of Canada’s commitments and obligations to the North American Aerospace Defence Command agreement that are met	100%	31 March 2022	Not Available New indicator as of 2018-19	100%	100%
	Extent to which the Canadian Armed Forces is effective in continental operations	The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of continental operations	31 March 2022	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	This is a qualitative indicator*

Notes:

* This is a qualitative indicator and results are articulated as successes and challenges throughout Departmental Result 1.4 of the 2019-20 Departmental Results Report. Result statements can be found in the GC InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Back to top

Departmental Result 1.5 – Canadian Armed Forces contribute to a more stable and peaceful world

The CAF is fostering a more stable and peaceful world by supporting NATO, developing the defence and security capabilities of partner forces, operating in maritime environments, and contributing to peace support operations and peacekeeping.

• In 2018, Canada made a commitment to rejoin the NATO Airborne Warning and Control System by committing to posting a total of 25 CAF members to the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force, located in Germany, by 2023. In FY 2021-22, eight additional CAF personnel will join this force. Canadians are carrying out both operational and support jobs as part of this force and regularly participate in training, exercises and operations. These activities, which will continue in FY 2021‑22, promote global peace and security across Europe and North America.
• Increase situational awareness: The CAF will continue to develop and expand the intelligence networks abroad in order to ensure rapid and timely exchanges of information and intelligence with our forces, allies, and partners. Also in conjunction with our NATO partners and Five Eyes allies, we will continue to work in leveraging new and emerging technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, as well as provide meaningful data in order to enable timely and effective decision‑making. We will continue to share credible and timely intelligence with our Five Eyes allies and our NATO Partners and maintain current commitments in the processing, utilization, and dissemination domain at home and abroad.
• Developing the defence and security capabilities of partner forces: This has become a dominant mission for the CAF. Today, more than 70% of troops deployed on Canadian Joint Operations Command’s named operations conduct or support capacity-building activities, either in a primary role (Operations UNIFIER, IMPACT and PROTEUS) or a secondary role (Operations REASSURANCE and PROJECTION). As capacity building of partner forces becomes an increasingly viable option to enhance the security of partners and the stability of regions, DND/CAF must evolve to ensure that it can conduct capacity-building in a meaningful, flexible and timely manner. This is a focus for FY 2021-22. Correctly defining the problem that needs to be solved, establishing realistic and achievable objectives, identifying a clear end state, assigning the resources and authorities required to achieve those objectives and end state, and having a willing partner force with the capacity to absorb capacity-building initiatives are the ingredients for coherent and successful capacity-building operations.
• Incorporate gender perspectives into defence planning: All mission activities will continue to incorporate the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and GBA+ by considering and applying gender perspectives throughout all phases of the operation.
• In support of NATO:
  • Operation REASSURANCE: Conduct assurance and deterrence measures through leadership of NATO’s multinational enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battle Group in Latvia; deploy a frigate into a Standing NATO Maritime Group; and support NATO enhanced air policing in Romania on a rotational non-permanent basis. These measures are intended to reinforce NATO’s collective defence. It also shows the strength of allied solidarity. The CAF support to this NATO mission has increased in scope, numbers of personnel and infrastructure. The CAF is conducting training, exercises, and some NATO-specific tasks. The CAF support to NATO helps make Central and Eastern Europe more secure and stable;
  • Operation KOBOLD : Provide logistical and headquarters support. The Task Force Commander is also the chief of the NATO Joint Logistics Operation Center;
  • Operation ARTEMIS: Contribute to Combined Task Force 150. This naval coalition of 33 nations, led by the United States Combined Maritime Forces, promotes security and stability in Middle Eastern and East African waters. Combined Task Force 150’s mission is to disrupt criminal and terrorist organizations and their related illicit activities in the maritime domain. Canada will continue to command Combined Task Force 150 under Operation ARTEMIS until July 2021; and
  • Operation IMPACT: Support Iraqi ministerial and institutional reform, and train Iraqi security forces, to enhance the Iraqi Armed Forces’ self-sustainability. The CAF provides capacity-building support to Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.
• In support of capacity building:
  • Operation UNIFIER: Assist with security force training and defence institutional reform. The CAF will provide support to the Security Forces of Ukraine to improve and build their capability and capacity, and will provide support to the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine to foster western alignment and structural reform in the country. The CAF will contribute to a multi-organizational effort to support and develop the Security Forces of Ukraine, and to foster greater western alignment and structural reform in the country. The focus will be on mentoring a Ukrainian training cadre in charge of individual and collective training in the land forces and maritime domains, as well as in providing personnel development training and military education. The Government of Canada extended this mission until 31 March 2022;
  • Operation ACKEE: Collaborate with Global Affairs Canada in order to mentor, enable and create opportunities for the Jamaica Defence Force to grow as a Special Operations Forces leader and more effectively combat trans-regional threats in the Caribbean Basin. Other regional partners include Belize, the Bahamas, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana; and
  • Operation NABERIUS: Collaborate with Global Affairs Canada in order to train, mentor and enable Nigerien Military and Security Forces to combat terrorism within Niger and in the region as part of pan-Sahel and pan-African efforts.
• Play an important role in United Nations peacekeeping:
  • Operation PRESENCE (UGANDA): Continue to deploy a Tactical Air Detachment to assist the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS);
  • Operation PRESENCE (MALI): Continue to support the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) with up to 10x Military Staff Officers employed within HQ MINUSMA. This will also include personnel supporting the UK Long Range Reconnaissance Group;
  • Operation SOPRANO: Assist with military planning and logistics in the Republic of South Sudan; and 
  • Operation CROCODILE : Support the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This mission is known as Mission de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo. 
• Innovative training for peace operations and United Nations operations, including through support for the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations. The Elsie Initiative is an innovative and multilateral pilot project in which a combination of approaches will be developed, applied and tested to help overcome barriers to increasing women’s meaningful participation in peace operations. The Elsie Initiative’s framework consists of a number of components, including bilateral partnerships, a global fund, political advocacy, as well as research, monitoring and evaluation. This is a Global Affairs Canada-led whole-of-government initiative that includes bilateral training assistance to identified partner troops- and police- contributing countries. Ghana is the bilateral partner for military training assistance, and Zambia is the bilateral partner for police training assistance.
• The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) continues to chair the United Nations Women, Peace and Security Chiefs of Defence (WPS CHODs) Network until Canada hands over the Chair to Bangladesh at an appropriate opportunity in 2021. The CDS continues to strengthen the Network and expand its membership. DND/CAF will develop and deliver further distributed and fully curated training packages to deepen and broaden military members’ knowledge of key Women, Peace and Security-related issues and provide for an appropriate virtual platform to foster information-sharing among members.
• In November 2017, Canada made a commitment to increase its support to United Nations peace operations. The “innovative training” will address systemic United Nations needs related to peace operations. Training support will include: 
  • A self-sufficient Canadian Training and Advisory Team including training cadre, trainers and service support; and
  • Deployment of a Canadian Training and Advisory Team once strategic intent is confirmed and the necessary conditions are set to allow for deployment.
• Operate in maritime environments globally:
  • Operation PROJECTION: Enhance relationships with Canada’s allies and partners in maritime environments around the world by conducting training, exercises and engagements with foreign navies and other international security partners. It also supports NATO Maritime Command, United States Naval Forces and other allied operations to make the world more secure; 
  • Operation NEON Support the implementation of United Nations Security Council sanctions imposed against North Korea. Further, it enhances the CAF’s regional presence, capacity-building efforts, and relationships with Canada’s allies and regional partners through training, exercises and engagements with foreign forces;
  • Operation RENDER SAFE: Clearance Diving and Explosive Ordnance Disposal collaborative project work with international partners to search for, locate and dispose of explosive remnants of war from World War II. These unexploded ordnance are found on land and in shallow water along the coastline of the Solomon Islands; 
  • Operation OPEN SPIRIT (in the Baltic Sea, off of Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia) similar to Operation RENDER SAFE in its concept of operations; clearing remnants of war along the shoreline and under water along the coastline; and
  • Engagement with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to foster cooperation and mutual respect between nations, as well as strengthen regional security.

Back to top

DND/CAF will continue to work in close collaboration with Global Affairs Canada to promote responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and space at multilateral fora, including the United Nations.

DND engages in monitoring of crises around the globe via strategic warning, a process that uses indicators of key geopolitical developments to measure increases or decreases in the stability of a situation. This process is standardized and Canada works in partnership with its allies to provide strategic warning to policy-makers on potential flashpoints. Future collection platforms, Artificial Intelligence and other capabilities are allowing data to be processed at greater speeds, thus facilitating earlier warning of potential situations where DND/CAF could be asked to respond.

Planned results

Departmental Results	Departmental Result Indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2017–18 Actual results	2018–19 Actual results	2019–20 Actual results
1.5 Canadian Armed Forces contribute to a more stable and peaceful world	% of international operations that meet stated objectives	100%	31 March 2022	97%	93%	98%
	Extent to which the Canadian Armed Forces is effective in international operations	The Canadian Armed Forces is effective in the conduct of international operations	31 March 2022	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	Not Available New qualitative indicator as of 2019-20	This is a qualitative indicator*

Notes:

* This is a qualitative indicator and results are articulated as successes and challenges throughout Departmental Result 1.5 of the 2019-20 Departmental Results Report. Result statements can be found in the GC InfoBase.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned budgetary financial resources

2021-22 budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates)	2021–22 Planned spending	2022–23 Planned spending	2023–24 Planned spending
684,095,922	684,095,922	688,988,747	703,688,999

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Planned human resources

2021–22 Planned full-time equivalents	2022–23 Planned full-time equivalents	2023–24 Planned full-time equivalents
3,078	3,113	3,147

Financial, human resources, and performance information for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces' Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Back to top