Update 2019 | Introduction

Introduction

People are at the core of everything that the Canadian Armed Forces does to deliver on the Defence mandate. At any given time, the Government of Canada can call on the Forces to undertake missions to protect Canada and Canadians and to maintain international peace and stability. To ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces is equipped to succeed on operations and have the right facilities and support, National Defence must first have strong capability and investment planning.

Defence policies, programs, and activities are informed by the evolving security environment in which the Canadian Armed Forces operates. Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, identifies 3 broad trends that will continue to shape the modern security environment: the evolving balance of power, the changing nature of conflict, and the rapid evolution of technology.

The uncertainty and volatility of the security environment, the evolution of technology, and the time required for the development of the people, equipment, systems, and methods that comprise military capability require consistent, sustained, and predictable investment. As part of modern military planning, National Defence must also look to the future security environment, identifying capability requirements on a continual basis to ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces is properly positioned to meet Canada’s defence needs. This includes keeping pace with new technologies and ensuring that old and new systems are compatible. National Defence must also ensure that equipment remains compatible with that of Canada’s allies.