Vanguard Magazine

Wishing won't make it so. "Peace on Earth." There can be no more fervent wish as we turn the calendar to 2024. But wishing it so will not make it so, and that reality recalls a variation on the adage that: "All that is required for states and ac- tors with ill intent to triumph is for good nations to do nothing." Canada is a "good nation", civilized and responsible, a most-favoured nation with geography, resources and allies that make us the envy of most. Yet Canada is hesitating. The update of our defence policy is long overdue. In its place grows a vacuum of direction and in- tent that daily increases doubt in the minds of Canadians and allies and suggests op- portunity for those with ill intent. Keeping conflict far, and our Arctic ours. Theatres and Threats. The foundation of a defence policy is an assessment of the the- atres in which Canada may operate and the rapidly evolving threats it must counter: on land, in the air, on and under the water, and in cyberspace. Deterrence matters here too. Canada's Arctic – remote yet increasingly accessible – is full of valued resources, and our sover- eignty over its waters is contested. Strategy and Capabilities. Canada has long recognized that we are better to de- ter and address conflict at its origins rather than await its arrival at our doorstep or af- fect our primary areas of global economic activity. This is not just in Canada's inter- est; it is the essence of our national defence strategy. Several capabilities are required, includ- ing the means to operate far from Can- ada in close concert with allies for long periods of time, and to be secure within our domestic and deployed cyberspace. Within these are the strategic capabilities – submarines and special forces – whose presence or even potential presence bring disproportionate deterrent and operation- al effect. Added to this is Canada's unique re- quirement to assert its sovereignty and ex- ercise control over, on and under its Arc- tic waters and throughout its economic exclusion zones. Putting money and culture where our words are. Funding, Organization and Procure- ment. Policy matters only if accompa- nied by funding and leadership that turns words into actions and actions into re- sults. Canada is a G7 nation and a NATO laggard: an ill-fitting contradiction of strength and weakness. The good news is there's lots of room for improvement. Some can be derived from organizational change, but most must come from determined leadership, increased internal capacity, and substan- tially greater funding. Speed and scale matter. People and Culture. The men and women who serve – in uniform and in our defence team – are the core of our capability. Excellence in people demands excel- lence in leaders. The answer is not to abolish the institutions that develop those leaders, but to clearly understand and fix the issues, and hold people accountable as part of a stronger, modernized culture. The answer is also about building a modern social contract, in which a military member can focus on their mission confi- dent in the knowledge that the military is there to support them and their partners and families when they return. It's in our interest to matter. Henry Kissinger's century of study and observation is summed up in his advice that: "Nations don't have friends; they have interests." The defence of Canada's interests starts with certainty of govern- ment intent provided in a clear, current and resourced statement of policy. My purpose here is to encourage Can- ada to consider its favoured circumstance and consequent responsibilities and bring forward a defence policy that matters to Canada, to Canadians, and to our in- terests at home and around the world. Global defence and security are critical to Canada's future. We should be doing our part. Jake Jacobson has studied and served for more than five decades in defence: at sea and in major programs for the Navy, in in- dustry in a variety of executive roles, and as an Assistant Deputy Minister Chief of Staff for the Materiel Group in the Department of National Defence. Photo: Irving Shipbuilding T H E LA S T W O R D B Y J A K E J A C O B S O N CA N A DA'S D E F E N C E PO L I CY THE UPDATE TO STRONG. SECURE. ENGAGED. IS LONG OVERDUE. 30 DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 www.vanguardcanada.com

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