QUESTION PERIOD — National Defence
Canadian Coast Guard
June 12, 2025
The government claims it will reach the NATO 2% target as early as this year, in part, by integrating the Canadian Coast Guard into our national defence capabilities. Bill C-2 expands its mandate to include security — specifically patrols and intelligence — and allows for its responsibility to be transferred to another minister, potentially the Minister of National Defence.
Is the Canadian Coast Guard being militarized, leader? Will it now be armed, given a real law enforcement role, like the U.S. Coast Guard, and placed under the authority of the Department of National Defence?
Thank you for your question. As the government has made clear, it is making historic investments in order to bolster our capacity to protect our sovereignty now and to be a strong partner with our allies.
Part of this work includes expanding the reach, security mandate and abilities of the Canadian Coast Guard and integrating it within the NATO defence capabilities to better secure our sovereignty and to expand maritime surveillance.
The government is committed to growing the existing military capabilities and to introducing emerging military capabilities that will allow Canada to become increasingly self-sufficient. The details of how this will be accomplished will be developed over time, in proper consultation with the Coast Guard and others. More details will be forthcoming.
The question is whether that will be in the budget. NATO allows for forces like coast guards to be included in defence spending, but only if they are tactically trained, equipped like military forces, capable of operating under military command and of deployment abroad in support of military operations. In other words, meeting those criteria requires significant investment.
Has the government assessed the real cost of such a transformation? How much of the $9 billion announced will be specifically allocated to the Coast Guard?
I’m not in a position to answer those questions at this time. The upcoming meetings with NATO allies — to say nothing of the G7 — are going to be critical moments for Canada to engage with its partners and allies in these alliances to coordinate those efforts and obtain a clearer sense of the expectations of our partners going forward. As I said, the government will operationalize its commitments responsibly and expeditiously.
