• Addressing the challenges of deployments and postings

° Being conscious of the heavy operational toll that tears military families apart and depletes Canada’s ability to deploy, only deploy our forces when they have clear and achievable missions along with the appropriate resources needed to achieve them.

° Lengthening postings where possible to enable families to put down roots.

° Working with the provinces to help ensure that the process of moving between provinces is as seamless as possible for military families.

• Prioritizing recruitment and retention, including an emphasis on retraining and skills development to allow those willing to serve to continue to do so.

• Working with provincial governments to develop comprehensive job protection legislation that shields reservists who leave their day job to deploy, since protecting your neighbours should not cost you your job.

• Reviving the Regular Officer Training Program (ROTP) at civilian universities to provide educational opportunities for youth serving their country.

• Harmonizing trade training in the Armed Forces with Red Seal Qualifications so that military service becomes an incubator for skilled workers who can transition easily and productively to the civilian economy.

— Canada's Recovery Plan, retrieved 2021-08-18

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We need to do better for Canadians in uniform and for the defense of our country. A New Democrat government will make sure that our troops have the equipment, training, and support they need to do the difficult and dangerous work we ask them to undertake. We will ensure that funding supports our national defence and international commitments, with a renewed priority of advancing multilateral peacekeeping initiatives around the world.

Here at home, New Democrats are committed to bringing our search and rescue response times up to international standards, and ensuring that our capabilities are sufficient to meet the needs of the North.

In contracting for new military equipment, including ships and fighter jets, New Democrats will ensure maximum industrial benefits and jobs. This will help ensure the survival of healthy shipbuilding and aerospace industries all across Canada. And when it comes to operations here at home, New Democrats oppose the privatization of services on Canadian Forces bases across the country.

Our vision is a military where Canadian Armed Forces members can work safely, get the support they need when they need it, and count on fair policies to govern their work.

A New Democrat government will make mental health support for members and their families a priority. No member or veteran of the Canadian Forces should ever feel that they are all alone in dealing with the impact of their experiences or in transitioning to civilian life. They – and their families – need to know that their country and their government has their back, during their service and for the rest of their lives.

We are also committed to putting an end to sexual harassment and assault in the military. The Liberals have talked about the issue for six years but have failed to make needed changes, while survivors of sexual misconduct continue to suffer from a culture of silence and impunity that extends right to the top of the chain of command. We will immediately implement the recommendations of the Deschamps Report, including establishing independent oversight and accountability for sexual harassment and assault in the military.

New Democrats will also ensure that the recruitment and retention efforts of the Canadian Armed Forces reflects the diversity of Canada. Finally, we will reform the universality of service principle to make sure that ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members are not unfairly pushed out of service.

— Ready for Better, retrieved 2021-08-27

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