Why Canada Needs a Navy Published: October 2010
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Why Canada Needs a Navy Published: October 2010 Copyright © 2010 Navy League of Canada All rights reserved. Printed in Canada Note : cette publication est également disponible en français . Contactez la ligue navale du Canada [email protected] Author: Peter T. Haydon; Foreword: Dr. Marc Milner and Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Larry Murray; Developmental Editor: Louise Mercier-Johnson; Copy Editor: Christina MacLean; Graphic Design: MacGraphics; Photos: Canadian Forces & Department of National Defence; Printer: Bonanza Printing & Copying Centre Inc. FOREWORD We are pleased and quite honoured to be part of this timely and important project. Peter Haydon is a highly dedicated and acknowledged specialist in Canadian naval policy and maritime secu - rity issues, and this publication represents the latest of his contributions to public dialogue. This has been a remarkable year for the Canadian Navy. As Peter notes, 2010 started with Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Athabaskan and Halifax carrying 500 CF personnel to Haiti in response to the devastating earthquake that struck the country on January 12th. In cooperation with the United Nations, the Red Cross, UNICEF Canada and World Vision, Canada’s Navy brought generators, clothes, food and medical aid to the demolished country. The Navy provided security for the Olympics in February and the G8-G20 in the summer, and deployed divers deployed to Afghanistan as bomb disposal experts. HMCS Fredericton oper - ated in the Arabian Sea as part of Canada’s on-going commitment to international peace and security operations, while other ships deployed to the Arctic, the Great Lakes and throughout the world, including tours off the coast of Somalia counteracting terrorism and piracy. In addi - tion ships conducted training exercises around the world with the United States, Chile, to the Far East and to the North with the Danes. This activity happened as the country joined its Navy to celebrate 100 years of service. From coast to coast the Navy was celebrated with local activities, galas, a newly minted coin and a magnificent bell christened in honour of the Navy’s 100th Anniversary, now permanently located on the Senate floor of Canada’s Parliament. In response, the world navies came to Canada to participate in two separate International Fleet Reviews with Governor General Michaëlle Jean, in Esquimalt, BC and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reviewing the fleet in Halifax, NS. During the Naval Centennial the government of the day also announced a new ‘National Ship Building Procurement Strategy’ for Canada. This recognition highlights the need for industry and government to work together to create a sustainable industry in support of Canada’s maritime interest in general, and the Navy in particular. In fact, a close partnership between the people of Canada, their government, the Navy and the Canadian private sector lies at the heart of the long term viability of a coherent national maritime policy. It must be based on long-term respect, trust and teamwork. The world is changing quickly, as fast as the melting of the ice that promises to open Canada’s Arctic archipelago to year ‘round shipping. The need for a ‘three ocean navy’ to help defend Canada’s sovereignty has never been greater. This booklet of “Why Canada Needs a Navy” , in part describes the nature and scope of how the ocean is used and how national security still has challenges from the sea. The lessons of the past, and the practice of statecraft, attest that a strong country with ties to many other parts of the world needs maritime forces as instruments of diplomacy. As Peter observes, there is nothing that serves all the interests of a state – sovereignty, defence, diplo - macy, aid, contributions to collective security, policing and a myriad of other maritime and global tasks – so well as a Navy. It gives us great pleasure to highly recommend "Why Canada Needs a Navy" as required reading for anyone interested in the essential naval and maritime security requirements of this great country. We would like to express heartfelt thanks to Commander Haydon for making a signif - icant personal contribution to the Centennial Year of the Canadian Navy. Reverting to the language of the Navy, "Bravo Zulu" Peter! Vice-Admiral (Ret’d) Larry Murray Marc Milner, PhD Division President Navy League of Canada University of New Brunswick THE NAVY LEAGUE OF CANADA LA LIGUE NAVALE DU CANADA Maritime Affairs Navy League of Canada is the nation’s pre-eminent organization for Maritime promotion and education. Founded in 1895 to support the creation of an independent Canadian Navy, the Navy League of Canada is a national organization with a broad- based mandate to promote Maritime Affairs. Navy League Maritime Affairs maintains an abiding interest in the con - dition of our maritime waterways and facilities and their use for shipping, research, pleasure and tourism, as well as a sustainable source for mineral and aquatic resources. The Navy League of Canada, as a national organization, remains focused with the prosperity of Canada’s agricultural, industrial, and business sectors, in generating economic expansion as facilitated by good marine transportation, maritime safety and protection, and port facilities. Maritime Affairs contributes to the assurance that we will always have a strong and ready Coast Guard and a relevant and sustainable Navy to watch over our maritime interests. Navy League of Canada coordinates and hosts Navy Appreciation Day on Parliament Hill. National Office “Lisgar House” 66 Lisgar Street Ottawa, ON K2P 0C1 1-800-375-NAVY (6289) www.navyleague.ca THE NAVAL OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA L’ASSOCIATION DES OFFICERS DE LA MARINE DU CANADA His Royal Highness the Prince Phillip Duke of Edinburgh Patron The NOA C/AOMC combined separate naval officer associations in 1950. Our current membership is some 1,500, distributed in 15 branches across Canada and one at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. NOA C/AOMC is proud to recognize and participate in the Canadian Navy’s Centennial in 2010. NOA C/AOMC Mission Pillars OUR NAVY To educate the Canadian people on the crucial need for the nation to have a world-class Navy to defend our interests in our three-ocean home waters and around the world. MARITIME HERITAGE To support the acknowledgement and preservation of Canada’s extensive maritime culture, heritage and history. CAMARADERIE To sustain and enjoy the bonds derived from shared service to Canada at sea. The National Executive Director can be contacted at: [email protected] www.noac-national.ca Why Canada Needs a Navy by Peter T. Haydon Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, Dalhousie University 6 Why Canada Needs a Navy Why Canada Needs aNavy “Why Canada Needs Maritime Forces” was written by Fred Crickard and myself in 1994 as an input to the public review of defence policy conducted by the new government. It was well received because it discussed the rationale for maintaining a modern Canadian Navy in simple end of the Cold War in 1989, would be amazed by the terms and helped further public under standing of seemingly continual cycle of review and revision. He, or the place of the Navy in the national fabric. she, would be no less amazed by the length of time it takes to build a new warship and by the fact that the Now, 16 years later, it seems that much of that rationale political approval process takes even longer. That person has slipped from public memory. The Navy’s Centennial would conclude, rightly, that for a country with such a events raised public awareness of its rich history and huge ocean domain and such widespread maritime inter - global presence but seems to have done little to reinforce ests at home and overseas, defining a coherent Canadian the understanding of Canada’s need to maintain an effec - naval policy should not be a difficult undertaking. tive and versatile fleet. These days, many people seem to think the Navy is an organization that can be cobbled Why, then, must the Navy run the gauntlet of public together when the country faces a crisis at sea. opinion and political scrutiny every time there is a need for new ships or capabilities or when it is required to do This lack of understanding of what the Navy provides on the same things as virtually every other navy in the world? a continuing basis for Canada makes it difficult to explain naval activities and requirements for new and invariably To answer that question, we need to look at the basic expensive warships. And when there is a naval crisis reasons for maintaining a Canadian navy – beginning with in Canada, such as the 2005 accident aboard HMCS a brief look at the nature of navies generally and why states Chicoutimi , the media and others to focus on the imme - maintain them. We also need to understand the extent of diate situation without concern for the deeper implica - Canada’s maritime interests and what the Navy has done to tions. Unfortunately, this lack of real understanding of the further and protect those interests over the years. Navy’s value to Canada as a whole extends into the It would be interesting to look at the history of public broader area of Canadian maritime interests. opinion on naval and maritime issues, but no such record Why has this happened? Part of the reason is that the exists. All that does exist are a series of observations that Navy, unlike the Army, has never really been accepted as confirm the view that the majority of Canadians living far an established and essential part of the Canadian state. from the sea believe they have little vested interest in Although geography has much to do with this view, the maritime matters or the fortunes of the Navy.