Editing Canadian Armed Forces (section)

== Defence policy ==
Since the [[Second World War]], Canadian defence policy has consistently stressed three overarching objectives:
* The defence of Canada itself;
* The defence of [[North America]] in co-operation with [[United States Armed Forces|US forces]];
* Contributing to broader international security.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Us – National Defence – Canadian Forces|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about/canadian-armed-forces.page|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011004643/http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about/canadian-armed-forces.page|archive-date=11 October 2014|access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref>

During the [[Cold War]], a principal focus of Canadian defence policy was contributing to the security of [[Europe]] in the face of the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] military threat. Toward that end, Canadian ground and air forces were based in Europe from the early 1950s until the early 1990s.

However, since the end of the Cold War, as the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) has moved much of its defence focus "out of area", the Canadian military has also become more deeply engaged in international security operations in various other parts of the world—most notably in [[Afghanistan]] from 2002 to 2014.<ref>{{cite news|date=12 March 2014|title=Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan formally ends|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/canadian-military-involvement-in-afghanistan-formally-ends-1.2569162|access-date=21 August 2017}}</ref>

The basis for current Canadian defence capability objectives was originally set in the [[Canada First Defence Strategy]],<ref name="CanadaFirst">{{cite web|last=Department of National Defence|date=30 March 2009|title=Canada First Defence Strategy|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first-premier/index-eng.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401033244/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first-premier/index-eng.asp|archive-date=1 April 2009|access-date=15 February 2015}}</ref> introduced by the former Harper Government in 2008 but is now updated through the Liberal Government's 2017 defence strategy, [[Strong, Secure and Engaged]] (SSE). The SSE pledged greater funding to support the Canadian military (particularly in relation to the [[National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy]]) in its primary tasks related to the defence of Canada, the defence of North America and contributing to global security.

In addition to its core missions, the Canadian Armed Forces also contribute to the conduct of Canadian [[Defence Diplomacy|defence diplomacy]] through a range of activities, including the deployment of Canadian Defence Attachés,<ref>{{cite web|date=22 July 2010|title=Canadian Defence Attaché Network|url=http://www.outcan.forces.gc.ca/sites/page-eng.asp?page=8890|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706181618/http://www.outcan.forces.gc.ca/sites/page-eng.asp?page=8890|archive-date=6 July 2011|access-date=23 March 2011|publisher=Outcan.forces.gc.ca}}</ref> participation in bilateral and multilateral military forums (e.g. the [[System of Cooperation Among the American Air Forces]]), ship and aircraft visits, military training and cooperation,<ref>For example, through the Military Training and Cooperation Program and its ancillary activities {{cite web|title=Military Training Cooperation Program|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/admpol/mtcp-eng.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429095743/http://www.forces.gc.ca/admpol/mtcp-eng.html|archive-date=29 April 2011|access-date=10 March 2011}}</ref> and other such outreach and relationship-building efforts.

===Military expenditures===
The [[Constitution of Canada]] gives the federal government exclusive responsibility for national defence, and expenditures are thus outlined in the [[Canadian federal budget|federal budget]]. DND’s Main Estimates for 2023–24 total $26. 5 billion, including various votes and statutory funding. Operating ($17. 9 billion), Capital ($6. 1 billion), and Grants and Contributions ($320 million). Most of the budget is allocated to Personnel (34%), Operating (34%), and Capital (22%).<ref name="e505">{{cite web | title=Defence Budget | website=Canada.ca | date=September 25, 2023 | url=https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/corporate/reports-publications/transition-materials/transition-assoc-dm/defence-budget.html | access-date=January 23, 2025}}</ref>

The federal government now factors in military-related spending from departments such as Veterans Affairs, Public Works, and the Treasury Board when calculating "defence spending".<ref name="new defence policy 2017">{{cite web|title=Strong, Secure, Engaged|url=http://dgpaapp.forces.gc.ca/en/canada-defence-policy/docs/canada-defence-policy-report.pdf|website=dgpaapp.forces.gc.ca|publisher=Minister of National Defence}}</ref> It is believed that this move was made to improve Canada's defence-related NATO reporting metrics.<ref name="nato and defence metrics">{{cite news|last1=Scotti|first1=Monique|title=Even with new military investments, Canada to fall short of NATO target|work=Global News|url=http://globalnews.ca/news/3509744/even-with-new-military-investments-canada-to-fall-short-of-nato-target/}}</ref>

In 2024 the Canadian Federal government announced plans to increase defence spending by 77 billon dollars over the next twenty years at a rate of 1.76% of GDP. The funds are to be allocated toward new submarines (twelve are planned) and overall force modernisation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/news/national/defence-watch/liberal-government-defence-policy-boosts-military-spending-commits-to-new-purchases-of-helicopters-missiles-aircraft |title=Liberal government defence policy boosts military spending, commits to new purchases of helicopters, missiles, aircraft |work=Ottawa Citizen |last=Pugliese |first=David |date=8 April 2024 |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref>