Welcome Aboard
Parliament Studies the Integration of the Canadian Coast Guard into the Department of National Defence
I visited Parliament again today and spectated at the National Defence Committee (NDDN). Today’s topic and their current study is on Integrating the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) into the Department of National Defence (DND). Testifying today was Professor James Boutilier, Chris Henderson, who is a Navy Veteran and a former Deputy Commissioner of the CCG and a former Assistant Deputy Minister for DND, Associate Professor Adam Lajeunesse of the Canadian Maritime Security Network, and Teresa Eschuk, who is the National President of the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE).
Prior to this new Government and new Prime Minister, the Canadian Coast Guard was part of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) without any National Defence or Law Enforcement mandates. Although they would partner with the Navy and law enforcement agencies for certain operations, the CCG focused on their Icebreaking, Maritime Navigation, Maritime Pollution Response, and Maritime Search & Rescue (SAR) mandates. The CCG operates approximately 126 vessels and about 19 helicopters, the Canadian Coast Guard Academy on Cape Breton Island, and many of Canada’s national historic lighthouses. Now, the CCG is a Special Operating Agency within DND.
In June 2025, PM Carney announced that the CCG would become a part of National Defence, and the change was effective on September 2nd, 2025, by Order-in-Council. The announcement came as a shock to the CCG community, as there were apparently no consultations or prior discussions done between the CCG or UCTE and the Government, forcing many Coast Guard Members, affectionately referred to as Coasties, to call their union representatives and their Members of Parliament, concerned about the future of their employment. While many see this change as a positive, hoping for better equipment, funding, and support as part of DND, some are concerned about the militarization of the Coast Guard.
For a long time, DND has been more than the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF); it has also included the Canadian Cadet Movement, the Communications Security Establishment, and various agencies supporting the CAF. So it isn’t without precedent to have a civilian (non-military) agency within DND; however, the transition and recommendations being discussed would make significant changes to the status of the CCG. For one, there is an ask for the CCG to arm a number of vessels to take over (at least partly) the Navy’s coastal patrol mandate, freeing up the Navy for deployed operations. However, there seems to be a large misunderstanding of International Law, specifically the Geneva Convention, which Canada is a signatory to; once a civilian or civilian agency is trained and equipped for National Defence, they are no longer civilians, they are combatants; this is entirely different from training and arming for law enforcement. Only MP Scott Anderson, who is a veteran himself, understood that and raised the question with the witnesses. Nonetheless, the witnesses advocated for additional capabilities to align them with both the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and allied Coast Guards, including “limited” armed capabilities. Some of the capabilities the witnesses recommended were Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV), equipment and training standardization between the CCG and RCN, cross-training and combined RCN and CCG training schools, and more sea time, including positions for Operational Deployments on board RCN vessels, for Coasties. However, these are far from the only changes being discussed.
Mr. Henderson raised the idea of a Canadian Coast Guard Act, which would give legislative powers and protections for the Coast Guard in their new role and mandate. There was a more general desire from the witnesses to give the CCG a law enforcement mandate and capabilities to augment and support Coastal Patrol and Border Protection operations. The biggest threat the witnesses presented as their priority is not foreign militaries, but state and non-state criminal activity, such as illegal fishing. The CCG, like most of our nation’s front-line public institutions, are drastically underfunded and underequipped. They are suffering their own recruiting and retention issues, especially in some of their specialist trades, and are still suffering the effects of the Phoenix Pay System debacle. The witnesses seemed to acknowledge that some culture change would be required to accommodate the changeover and any new mandates.
Finally, the reason I wanted to go to the National Defence Committee today was to drop a question into the ears of the Committee Members. I spoke to MP James Bezan before the meeting and asked him to ask about the Coasties themselves. I’ve been wondering since the Prime Minister’s announcement if this incorporation into DND would also include onboarding the Coast Guard members as clients of Veterans Affairs. Also in that line of questions, will the Coasties have access to the resources offered to CAF members, such as the National Defence Ombud, the Sexual Misconduct Support and Response Centre (SMSRC), etc? Unfortunately, when MP Bezan asked the questions of the witnesses, they acknowledged they have yet to have those discussions, and the Government doesn’t seem to have those answers yet either; only access to the DND Members Assistance Program was announced in the Transition Q&A. And in line with Mr. Henderson’s point about cross-training and joint schools, I’m curious if the CCG will have access to not only the Navy Schools and Training Centres, but also the CAF-run Canadian Forces College and the Military Police Academy, or the RCMP-run Canadian Police College, to support their expected new mandates?
On a personal note, I’ve long been advocating that the benefits and services provided to veterans should be the national standard for post-service care for federal uniformed services. I am an injured veteran on VAC benefits, and my wife is a former federal Correctional Officer who was seriously injured on duty. I have seen firsthand the stark differences between benefits provided to veterans and what’s provided to other federal service members, and it is a miracle that their suicide and attrition rates are not significantly higher. As a veteran advocate, I spend my energy raising issues that affect veterans, especially treatments and benefits provided by Veterans Affairs, and while there is A LOT of work to do to raise Veteran benefits to where they need to be, VAC is still miles ahead of others. So I believe now is a perfect opportunity to provide better benefits and post-service care for more brave Canadians who chose to don a uniform of their nation; as the CCG is brought into the National Defence Community, so too should Coast Guard veterans join military and RCMP veterans in Veterans Affairs care.
Despite the challenges ahead for both DND and the CCG, there are a lot of potential benefits to incorporating the CCG into DND, both strategically and potentially with better services and benefits for Coasties. The witnesses relayed that they and most of the CCG community were excited about the changeover as long as their concerns were addressed. However, Teresa Eschuk made clear in her testimony that the Government needs to have everything in place prior to any changes to ensure there are no gaps in services, pay, benefits, or even operations.
Welcome Aboard, Coasties!