OPERATIONALIZING CANADA’S NEW DEFENCE POLICY
BACKGROUND
1. This Defence Plan is issued following the publication of Canada’s Defence Policy – Strong, Secure, Engaged (SSE). SSE is a long-term, fully costed defence policy that has Defence personnel and their families at its core. It spells out a new vision for defence – one where Canada is strong at home, secure in North America, and engaged in the world. The policy also includes a framework for how Defence will implement that vision. ‘’Anticipate, Adapt and Act’’ sets out a way of operating that addresses the challenges Defence faces today, and the ones that will emerge tomorrow.
2. The Defence Plan outlines the resources and Horizon 1 (1-5 years) activities required to operationalize the Government of Canada’s Defence Policy. Significant work is underway to issue and update key foundational documents including but not limited to the Investment Plan and its associated Organizational Project Management Capability Assessment, the Defence Team Human Resource Strategy, the Canadian National Military Strategy, the Force Posture and Readiness Directive, the Integrated Risk Management Policy & Guidelines and the Departmental Results Framework. Focussed on the implementation of SSE, these documents must be synchronized and viewed together with the Defence Plan to inform a complete, strategic perspective of DND/CAF moving forward. Over the next year the VCDS will undertake a complete review of Plans and Reports in order to better consolidate Departmental direction and this Defence Plan will be updated as required to reflect any changes or enhancements resulting from the review.
