Editing Canadian Armed Forces (section)

====Early 2000s modernization efforts====
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]]. For the 2007–2010 [[fiscal year]], the amount allocated for defence spending was [[Canadian dollar|CA$]]6.15 billion which is 1.4 percent of the country's GDP.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dspace.dsto.defence.gov.au/dspace/bitstream/1947/9994/1/DSTO-TN-0888%20PR.pdf|title=Science and Technology Support for National Security: An International Review|publisher=Defence Science and Technology Organisation |year=2007|access-date=25 January 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/2008-2009/inst/dnd/images/sec1f-table1-lg-eng.jpg| last=Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat| author-link=Treasury Board Secretariat| title=Departmental Planned Spending and Full-Time Equivalents| publisher=Queen's Printer| access-date= 2 February 2008}}</ref> This regular funding was augmented in 2005 with an additional CA$12.5 billion over five years, as well as a commitment to increasing regular force troop levels by 5,000 persons, and the primary reserve by 4,500 over the same period.<ref>{{Cite book| last=Department of Finance| author-link=Department of Finance Canada| date=2005| title=The Budget Speech 2005| series=Canada in the World| publisher=Queen's Printer| page=20| url=http://www.fin.gc.ca/budget05/pdf/speeche.pdf| access-date= 2 February 2009}}</ref> It was further augmented in 2010, with another CA$5.3 billion over five years being provided to allow for 13,000 more regular force members, and 10,000 more primary reserve personnel, as well as {{CAD|17.1 billion}} for the purchase of new trucks for the Canadian Army, transport aircraft and helicopters for the Royal Canadian Air Force, and [[Joint Support Ship Project|joint support ships]] for the Royal Canadian Navy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&?cat=00&id=2647 |last=Department of National Defence |title='Canada First' National Defence Procurement |publisher=Queen's Printer |access-date=2 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010051106/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/news-nouvelles/news-nouvelles-eng.asp?cat=00&%3Fcat=00&id=2647 |archive-date=10 October 2011 }}</ref>
[[File:HMCS Harry Dewolf under construction May 2018.jpg|thumb|Construction of a {{sclass|Harry DeWolf|offshore patrol vessel|1}} at [[Halifax Shipyard]] in 2018. The ship emerged from the Arctic Patrol Ship project.]]
In 2008, the Government of Canada began efforts, through the "[[Canada First Defence Strategy]]", to modernize the Forces, through the purchase of new equipment, improved training and readiness, as well as the establishment of the [[Canadian Special Operations Regiment]]. More funds were also put towards recruitment, which had been dwindling throughout the 1980s and 1990s, possibly because the Canadian populace had come to perceive the Forces as peacekeepers rather than as soldiers, as shown in a 2008 survey conducted by the Department of National Defence. The poll found that nearly two-thirds of Canadians agreed with [[Canada's role in the invasion of Afghanistan|the country's participation in the invasion of Afghanistan]], and that the military should be stronger, but also that the purpose of the forces should be different, such as more focused on responding to [[natural disaster]]s.<ref>{{cite news| last=The Canadian Press| title=Canadians still view troops as peacekeepers: DND poll| publisher=CTV| date=5 September 2005| url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canadians-still-view-troops-as-peacekeepers-dnd-poll-1.322123| access-date=5 September 2008| url-status=live| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906120922/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080905/dnd_poll_080905/20080905?hub=TopStories| archive-date=6 September 2008}}</ref> Then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) [[Walter Natynczyk]] said later that year that, while recruiting has become more successful, the Forces was facing a problem with its rate of loss of existing members, which increased between 2006 and 2008 from 6% to 9.2% annually.<ref>{{cite news| last=The Canadian Press| title=Military as message for job seekers: we want you| publisher=CTV| date=21 November 2008| url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/military-has-message-for-job-seekers-we-want-you-1.344885| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120801104139/http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20081121/forces_canada_081121/20081121?hub=Canada| url-status=live| archive-date=1 August 2012| access-date=22 November 2008}}</ref>

Renewal and re-equipment efforts have resulted in the acquisition of specific equipment (main battle tanks, artillery, unmanned air vehicles and other systems) to support the mission in Afghanistan. It has also encompassed initiatives to renew certain so-called "core capabilities" (such as the air force's medium-range transport aircraft fleet—the [[C-130 Hercules]]—and the army's truck and armoured vehicle fleets). In addition, new systems (such as [[C-17 Globemaster III]] strategic transport aircraft and [[CH-47 Chinook]] heavy-lift helicopters) have also been acquired for the Forces.<ref name="forces.gc.ca">Department of National Defence {{cite web|title=Canada First Defence Strategy &#124; National Defence and the Canadian Forces|url=http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first-premier/defstra/summary-sommaire-eng.asp|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090407091422/http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/focus/first-premier/defstra/summary-sommaire-eng.asp|archive-date=7 April 2009|access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref>