Bolstered by recent increases in funding, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces have taken important steps forward over the past year. Defence Planning Guidance 2001 builds on this progress by providing the direction required to ensure that the Canadian Forces remain effective and relevant well into the 21st century.
The funding increase in Budget 2000 was an important development for Defence. With this commitment, we find our financial situation stabilizing and look to apply these new funds - as prudently as possible - to the priorities facing Defence, including capital investment and quality of life initiatives. Despite these additional resources, however, the pressures on Defence continue.
The level of activity experienced over the past few years has been intense and will likely continue to be so for the foreseeable future. Just as significantly, military operations are becoming more complex, demanding and dangerous. Rapid scientific and technological change is having a dramatic impact on weapons, equipment, and how military operations are conducted. Meanwhile, Defence continues to implement its institutional reforms, which are intended to improve the management of leadership of the defence establishment, strengthen accountability, and encourage openness and transparency.
Moreover, the legacy issues have not disappeared. Defence still needs to focus its efforts on improving our ability to deploy and sustain Canadian Forces operations. We must also accelerate the pace of re-capitalization, further improve the quality of life and training of our people, and address the issues raised by our ageing infrastructure. These issues have to be balanced with the need to improve internal and external communications, people issues, including the Universal Classification System, and modern management initiatives.
The cumulative impact of the pressures facing Defence is such that we must continue to make hard choices in our efforts to better position the Canadian Forces for the future. It is essential that the senior leadership of the Department and the Forces continue to work together to address the priorities of today and meet our vision for tomorrow. In doing so, we must make the most of the vast experience, innovation and creativity of our people.
The April release of this year's DPG reflects a special effort to re-align the defence planning cycle to its intended milestones. In order to move the agenda forward earlier than in previous years, we are looking forward to receiving your business plans in November 2000. In parallel with your building of the DPG 2001 business plans, we will continue our work to ensure that Defence has the support and recognition it needs to fulfil its mission.
(Original signed 11 April 2000 by)
J.M.G. Baril
General
Chief of the Defence Staff
Jim Judd
Deputy Minister
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