Canadian Armed Forces | Skilled candidates are sought

(Quebec) Jim Soto stands in front of a table full of assault rifles. His gaze rests on one of the weapons, glinting under the light. “It’s a C7,” said the soldier. Have you ever handled a gun like that and wanted to hold it? »

The scene takes place in Place Fleur de Lys, a shopping center in Quebec City. It was here, on the empty premises of the former Quebec Gaming Hall, that the Canadian Armed Forces held their “Army for a Day” operation on September 16.

This new type of recruitment operation was set up less than a year ago to provide an accelerated style. Here, you can handle the guns – unarmed, of course -, taste the dishes or try the physical examination of the troops.

Under one stand, two friendly soldiers in uniform demonstrate how to make a “standard” bed. “Would you like to try? », one of them asks the teenager accompanying his parents. The teenager hesitates for a moment, then politely refuses. The parents smile at each other.

Jim Soto isn’t afraid to make a bed. He is here to change his life. The 44-year-old father is from Colombia. Trained as a food technician and arrived in Quebec a few years ago. Mr. Soto hoped to find work soon. But his studies were not recognized. “It’s very frustrating,” he said.

Not too long ago, Jim Soto had no chance of joining the Canadian Army. He is not yet a citizen. But that all changed in December 2022 when Ottawa announced that permanent residents could now apply. This is another measure to prevent a recruitment crisis in the forces.

Seeing this, I told myself that army is my choice and can improve my family’s life. That is why I have come today.

Jim Soto

The opening of the forces to permanent residents had a major impact. As of June 30, 12,899 of them have submitted applications.

But this small revolution was slow to bear fruit. Only 16 of them were listed.

A specific image to break

Currently, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has a shortfall of 8,100 regular soldiers. FAC has a recognized strength of 71,150 members. They employ only 63,050 people. Adding reserves, nearly 16,000 soldiers are required.

But the armed forces don’t have a problem attracting candidates, they just have a hard time attracting skilled candidates, points out Christian Leuprecht, a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada.

“Each year 50,000 or 60,000 people appear at the recruitment offices and 5,000 are recruited,” explains this expert on recruitment issues at FAC.

Recruiting centers are overflowing with young men who want to join the war professions. But the technical levels are published.

“I think it’s because it’s not well known. For example, through culture, through movies, everyone knows infantry or armored vehicles,” says Major Michel Vandal, in charge of the Quebec recruiting center. “But we have a lot of technical professions. We have refrigeration technicians in the forces, who knew that?” »

The impact of this staff shortage on the FAC’s capacity is difficult to gauge. One thing is for sure, the shortage will increase the pressure on the existing staff.

FAC does not hesitate to offer hiring bonuses to hire these skilled candidates. These can reach $20,000 and more. Salaries are also competitive, ranging from $60,000 a year for soldiers to six-figure salaries for officers.

But some realities of military jobs discourage qualified candidates.

In the 1950s “transferring” military personnel to bases across the country could work in the case of a soldier whose wife was a housekeeper. Is this still acceptable for military personnel whose spouses have civilian jobs, sometimes with better pay?*

“It’s hard for an ambitious young couple who want to join the military to uproot their entire lives to live in a small town in another province, in a rural community they’ve never seen,” Andrea said recently. Lane, scientist at Defense Research and Development Canada, to members of the Standing Committee on Defense in Ottawa.

This September Saturday, at the Place Fleur de Lys, that’s what prevents Jim Soto from applying immediately. However, the man was mesmerized by what he saw and by his discussion with the soldiers.

“The problem is that I have a family, a wife and two children. If I’m alone, I’ll go. But my wife is afraid that we will have to go too far in Canada. She speaks French, she doesn’t know English, and neither do the kids. Having to think about the children… it’s not easy. »

Beyond the white man

The defense has another particular problem: its historic recruiting pool — young heterosexual white males — is shrinking.

Recent statistics show that 11.9% of CAF members are minorities. However, they represent 26.5% of Canadians. Only 16.5% of soldiers are women.

“The FAC has set a target of 25% women by 2026. It’s unlikely we’ll get there,” explains Grazia Scoppio, a professor at the Royal Military College of Canada. Army for about 25 years.

“Not all cases of sexual misconduct have helped recruit women and LGBTQ members,” she said. Now there was the report of Louise Arbor and others of great importance. There is indeed a reflection within the forces and I believe it will lead to a more open culture. »

In recent years, forces have relaxed their dress code in an effort to recruit. Beards are now allowed, colored hair, nail polish even for men, uniforms are not gendered.

The FAC has been accused of being “woke” by some voices on the right. For researcher Grazia Scoppio, it’s a question of life and death.

“I don’t believe this is a political statement. I don’t believe CAF should be “politically correct”. I think these developments are necessary to better represent the Canadian reality and increase recruitment. »

Image problems

All of these changes are a realignment of Canada’s allies. The Russian invasion of Ukraine reignited the fire and revived the fronts.

Canada is struggling to meet the NATO target of spending 2% of its GDP on defence. The Trudeau government recently announced budget cuts across all ministries. As the FAC’s big boss, Wayne Eyre, announced before the Standing Committee on National Security, national security must find savings of 900 million over four years.

For Professor Christian Leuprecht, it is mainly this lack of funding that explains the FAC’s recruitment difficulties.

Last summer, Canadian soldiers stationed in Latvia were required to buy their own helmets or raincoats, the CBC reported.

“I don’t know if the government is doing this on purpose, but there is a feeling that the government doesn’t respect the system,” he says. Who would want to join under these conditions? It’s a shame. »

*True displacements only concern normal force. Reservists may be assigned to their unit.

Recruiting crisis affecting allies

The recruitment crisis in the armed forces is also affecting Canada’s allies. In Australia, the government offers a bonus of 50,000 Australian dollars (about 43,000 Canadian dollars) to soldiers who stay three years beyond the minimum service. The opposition is asking the government to allow non-citizens, especially citizens of small Pacific states or allies like Japan, to enlist.

British Armed Forces see 30% drop in recruitment by 2022 The crisis has been going on for years. In 2018, Britain allowed Commonwealth citizens – including Canadians – to join the British Army even if they were not resident in the country.

The world’s largest military power is not immune to the crisis. The U.S. Army fell 15,000 recruits short of a target of 60,000 last year, despite signing bonuses of up to $50,000. A recent Gallup poll showed that only 60 percent of Americans have confidence in the military. This is a 25-year low.