- Reaction score
- 3,950
- Points
- 1,260
The report in full:
http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/defe-e/rep-e/RepOct06-e.pdf
The section on reserves:
"Creating Real Reserves
Canadians pay their military Reserves to parade regularly to train for combat and support roles. Most Canadians probably assume that these Reserves are therefore available for active military service in times of emergency, when for whatever reason regular forces are short of capacity to serve the nation’s needs.
But all Reservists are not available much of the time. Some cannot get away because of family or employment obligations. Some simply do not want to go. It is true that the Government of Canada can call up any individual, unit or any other element of the Reserves to active service by means of an Order-in-Council. However, this mechanism hasn’t been used since the Second World War.
As a result, Reservists who have gone on active service have done so voluntarily. But over the past 60 years, many Reservists could not or would not respond to national emergencies to. Which raises the question: Why are we paying Reserves to train when they may not answer the bell when their country needs them?
The Committee wonders whether it is time to consider some form of compulsory call to active service for Reservists.
It’s a Question of Onus
Should it be the norm that Reservists are able to ignore call-ups if they have other priorities? Shouldn’t Reservists be available for short-term active duty, as individuals or formed units in emergencies, unless there is some compelling reason they cannot be?
In other words, the onus should be on the Reservist to demonstrate why he or she cannot serve. It should not be up to the government to invoke a special Order-in-Council to require service.
Consider that most Canadian citizens are liable to serve on a jury when called. Such jury duty is compulsory under the law, unless the individual can show cause why they cannot do it. It should be the same for Reservists. If the Reserve really is part of the Total Force, and if, as the Chief of the Defence Staff has stated, that the aim is to have all members of the CF available for overseas deployment, the Committee believes that fundamental changes must be considered to the way the Reserves function.
Some of those changes might include:
- When on duty, all Reservists should be paid the same amount as regular force personnel (Presently, Class A, and B reservists are paid 85% of the rate of pay of the Regular Force personnel in the same rank. Class C Reservists who serve on operational missions receive the same pay as the Regular Force personnel.);
- All Reservists deployed on an overseas mission should expect to be on active service for up to 18 months – to include sufficient time for theatre specific training; 6-7 months of deployed operations; and 2 or more months of debriefing and reintegration back home;
- All Reserve recruits would be required to reach basic classification qualification (Classification qualification means that the individual has achieved the basic skills required to do his/her job in the Canadian Forces.) status within three years;
- All members of the Reserve would have to be “qualified and deployable” within five years or face separation; and
- If Reservists are required to serve if called out, then some sort of job protection is essential. It would be the task of the Government to ensure job protection for all reservists who are called out to support their country.
The Committee recommends: That the Government redefine the terms and conditions of service for Reserves taking these views into account."
http://www.parl.gc.ca/39/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/defe-e/rep-e/RepOct06-e.pdf
The section on reserves:
"Creating Real Reserves
Canadians pay their military Reserves to parade regularly to train for combat and support roles. Most Canadians probably assume that these Reserves are therefore available for active military service in times of emergency, when for whatever reason regular forces are short of capacity to serve the nation’s needs.
But all Reservists are not available much of the time. Some cannot get away because of family or employment obligations. Some simply do not want to go. It is true that the Government of Canada can call up any individual, unit or any other element of the Reserves to active service by means of an Order-in-Council. However, this mechanism hasn’t been used since the Second World War.
As a result, Reservists who have gone on active service have done so voluntarily. But over the past 60 years, many Reservists could not or would not respond to national emergencies to. Which raises the question: Why are we paying Reserves to train when they may not answer the bell when their country needs them?
The Committee wonders whether it is time to consider some form of compulsory call to active service for Reservists.
It’s a Question of Onus
Should it be the norm that Reservists are able to ignore call-ups if they have other priorities? Shouldn’t Reservists be available for short-term active duty, as individuals or formed units in emergencies, unless there is some compelling reason they cannot be?
In other words, the onus should be on the Reservist to demonstrate why he or she cannot serve. It should not be up to the government to invoke a special Order-in-Council to require service.
Consider that most Canadian citizens are liable to serve on a jury when called. Such jury duty is compulsory under the law, unless the individual can show cause why they cannot do it. It should be the same for Reservists. If the Reserve really is part of the Total Force, and if, as the Chief of the Defence Staff has stated, that the aim is to have all members of the CF available for overseas deployment, the Committee believes that fundamental changes must be considered to the way the Reserves function.
Some of those changes might include:
- When on duty, all Reservists should be paid the same amount as regular force personnel (Presently, Class A, and B reservists are paid 85% of the rate of pay of the Regular Force personnel in the same rank. Class C Reservists who serve on operational missions receive the same pay as the Regular Force personnel.);
- All Reservists deployed on an overseas mission should expect to be on active service for up to 18 months – to include sufficient time for theatre specific training; 6-7 months of deployed operations; and 2 or more months of debriefing and reintegration back home;
- All Reserve recruits would be required to reach basic classification qualification (Classification qualification means that the individual has achieved the basic skills required to do his/her job in the Canadian Forces.) status within three years;
- All members of the Reserve would have to be “qualified and deployable” within five years or face separation; and
- If Reservists are required to serve if called out, then some sort of job protection is essential. It would be the task of the Government to ensure job protection for all reservists who are called out to support their country.
The Committee recommends: That the Government redefine the terms and conditions of service for Reserves taking these views into account."