The Department of National Defence announced on Thursday that the Canadian military is undergoing a structural reorganization to enhance its agility and adaptability to new technologies. Emulating the practices of allies like Australia, a new joint forces command has been established to consolidate key support functions such as military health services, logistics, operational support branches, and the military police.
Heading the Canadian Joint Forces Command (CJFC), Lt.-Gen. Darcy Molstad stated that the organization will oversee areas like counter-drone warfare and, eventually, integrated air and missile defense. The CJFC is tasked with coordinating joint military capabilities across various domains including land, sea, air, cyber, and space.
Lt.-Gen. Molstad emphasized that recent events, particularly the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have highlighted the urgency of these organizational changes. The evolving nature of warfare, characterized by advanced technologies and unconventional strategies, necessitates a unified command structure that transcends traditional army, navy, air force, and special forces divisions.
As part of the reorganization efforts, a key focus will be on strengthening the Canadian Forces Health Services Group to ensure the provision of comprehensive healthcare services even in high-intensity conflict scenarios. This initiative is partly driven by Canada’s commitments to NATO.
Although the transfer of authority over the military police to the CJFC is imminent, it will occur gradually. Presently, oversight of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM) rests with the vice chief of the defence staff, pending the approval of Bill C-11 by Parliament. Lt.-Gen. Molstad assured that while the CJFC will assume responsibility for the military police, their policing functions will be carried out independently.
The changes within the Canadian military signal a strategic shift towards a more integrated and responsive operational framework, aligning with modern warfare demands and the evolving geopolitical landscape.