Whatever path Ottawa chooses to secure Canada’s global interests as a middle power, changing geopolitical realities underline our lack of resources in military, diplomatic, national security or soft-power capacity to advance our interests beyond our own borders. The challenge facing Canada in responding with other middle powers to new Chinese assertiveness and Russian unilateral military initiatives is clear.
Our options in terms of shaping a meaningful deployment, as a middle power and consistent NATO partner, are limited by the too modest size of our armed forces. We simply lack the army, navy, air force and special forces’ size, depth and capacity to contribute meaningfully in multi-power deterrent, combat, containment or show-the-flag engagements. This is not about the competence, training or individual abilities of our women and men in uniform who are among the very best in the world. It is not their fault that the force in which they ably serve is too small.