How Canada’s military went from a ‘death spiral’ to a recruitment boom

The country has seen its biggest military recruitment surge in 30 years, a major turnaround after years of falling behind on defence capabilities.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessWorld of BusinessTechnology of BusinessNYSE Opening BellTechnologyWatch DocumentariesArtificial IntelligenceIntelligence RevolutionAI v the MindTech NowHealthWatch DocumentariesCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesScienceNatural WondersClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroDiscover the WorldLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessTechnologyHealthCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveWhy Canada is seeing its biggest military recruitment surge in 30 years16 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleNadine YousifSenior Canada reporterReutersFor decades, Canada was seen as a global laggard in defence funding, and just two years ago, recruitment was so dire that a former defence minister warned the armed forces were in a "death spiral".

Now, the Canadian army is growing at a pace not seen in decades, reaching its highest number of recruits in 30 years and potentially reversing the chronic personnel shortage that has plagued the country's military.

The boost over the last two years comes as the world grapples with major armed conflicts and geopolitical uncertainty, and as Canada commits billions in new military funding after years of falling short of its Nato obligations.

It also coincides with an uncharacteristic rise in nationalism that has emerged since US President Donald Trump referred to Canada as the "51st state" - remarks that many viewed as a threat to the country's sovereignty from its closest neighbour.

Charlotte Duval-Lantoine, a fellow at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute who researches Canada's military culture, said that while there may be a "Trump effect" behind the recent rise in enlistment, military applications had already begun spiking in 2022, around the time of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.