Canadian army needs dedicated climate disaster force, says former top soldier
CBC
The country's former top soldier says Canada is behind its allies in not having a dedicated agency that can deploy personnel to disasters nationwide.
Retired Lt. Gen. Andrew Leslie, who commanded Canada's army until 2011, told CBC News the lack of a national rapid response force to help with wildfires, floods, evacuations and other emergencies is putting citizens' lives at risk.
In an exclusive interview with CBC News Thursday, he said a dedicated national force is needed urgently, and could be "built into" or "adjunct to" the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) — but only if it comes with increased funding and doesn't further strain the country's already-stretched troops.
"The impact of climate change is irrefutable — it poses dangers to us all," Leslie said. "What has current government done to prepare for what they knew was coming?
"The answer is nothing. They continue to go to the armed forces and allocate troops and resources in penny packets, in dribs and drabs, more for the political optics."
A federal emergencies ministry spokesperson told CBC News there are multiple ways Ottawa is preparing for future natural disasters, including $700 million spent on wildfire management, where the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre
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